Encounter in Atlanta

set it on the floor. Picking up the shampoo and the folded robe, she took them to the bathroom alcove and set them on the counter, then turned to Cade. "Say or do what, exactly, Ed? We talked about certain things in the bar, didn't we?" Nodding, he said, "We talked, but that's all. I don't remember being specifically invited to do anything." With a somewhat incredulous gaze, Mandi softly repeated, "'Specifically invited..?'" "Yup. We discussed. We inferred. That's all. Men and women don't communicate all that well sometimes, Mandi. A long time ago I discussed and inferred like that with another woman, a friend of my sister's. It turned out that she'd just been talking about some of her thoughts and feelings about sex with someone she'd thought had understood that we'd just been talking. When I acted on what I thought she'd meant, she gave me one of those 'hurt puppy' looks and started crying and bitching about how all men were such jerks. Ever since, I've made sure to be sure." With a narrow gaze, Mandi asked, "What do you mean by 'acted on', Ed?" Sipping some coffee, Cade said, "I just made advances. I didn't throw her over my shoulder and head for the bedroom." After a moment of studying him, Mandi asked, "What kind of advances?" Setting his coffee down, Cade quietly asked, "Should I simply answer that question, or should I demonstrate?" Her gaze still narrow, but now because she suspected Cade was teasing her, Mandi said, "Try demonstrating." Smiling as he said a firm, "Yes, milady," Cade stepped forward and took Mandi in his arms as she, in turn, embraced him. Kissing her softly, he took his time about letting his lips brushingly caress hers, then made the kiss become a firm connection for some moments. When the kiss ended, he continued to hold her as he whispered in her ear, "That's all I did, ma'am. I'm kind of hoping you'll handle it better than she did." As Mandi chuckled softly, Cade punctuated the whisper with another brushing kiss on Mandi's cheek and grinningly asked, "Do I have to let you go now, or could we stay like this a while?" Looking up at him, Mandi asked, "You realize what time it is, don't you?" "It's about ten to one, but we don't have to be anywhere until the con opens tomorrow. Not even then, really, unless someone calls a briefing on a Saturday morning." "Are you willing to chance that on only a few hours of sleep? You've had a long day, Ed, and as far as I know, I'll be here tomorrow night, too." Cade cocked his head slightly as he looked at her. "Ah, but what if you aren't here tomorrow night for some reason? Mandi, I've been up too late a few times before and survived early briefings." He paused and kissed her again before emphatically adding, "And tonight I'm with a superwoman who may as well be a goddess. Hell, yes, I'll take a chance like that! Want some help in the shower? Not to brag, of course, but I'm considered something of a lay expert in matters of gynocentric eudemonics." Mandi pulled back a bit and eyed Cade for a moment, then asked, "You do know some unusual words, don't you?" "Yes'm. And since you aren't asking me what 'eudemonics' means, so do you. Probably all of them, I figure." She nodded slightly and smilingly said, "My education was very thorough. So you're a 'lay' expert, huh?" "Well, a rather advanced student at the very least, ma'am." "Uh, huh. I only have your word for that, so you must realize I'm going to have to make you prove it. I hope you don't mind my blatant skepticism, sir." With a dismissive shrug, Cade said, "Oh, of course not, milady. I completely understand. Some things are just too important to be left unverified."

  Chapter Fourteen

  Cade went to the bathroom to lose some used beer as Mandi again went to her suitcase. When he came out a few minutes later, a gloriously naked Mandi smilingly strode past him and cavalierly handed him the fancy shampoo bottle as she breezed by. Setting the bottle down on the desk, Cade kicked off his boots and skinned out of his clothes, then grabbed the bottle and followed her. Mandi grinningly stood still or moved as directed to allow him best-possible access with the shampoo and soap as Cade took his sweet time about washing her. It surprised him to learn that she was ticklish in all the usual places. It surprised Mandi equally to learn that Cade hadn't been kidding at all about the level of enjoyment he achieved simply by touching and tasting, but after several minutes of his joyful tasting, her surprise was replaced by other sensations that began to build within her due to Cade's questing tongue and roving, sensual touches. A shuddering, gasping orgasm was all Cade wanted from her, and he worked hard for it. When the scent of honey and wildflowers began to fill the shower stall and the magnificent twin columns that were her thighs began to tremble, Cade happily redoubled his efforts until the sounds of his success filled the tiny bathroom. Sure, Cade vaguely realized that something was affecting him like a mood enhancement drug, but somehow that just didn't seem very important at all as the honey and wildflower taste of her flooded his senses. Mandi's fingers entwined tightly in his hair to hold him steadfastly in place as she crested. When she relaxed with a sigh a little later, Cade thought of the way she'd tossed the Crown Vic around and actually felt relieved that she hadn't accidentally squashed him as she'd peaked. Sliding out from between her legs, Cade stood up and simply held her for a time as the spray cascaded over them both. A few light, feathery kisses to her shoulder and neck brought Mandi's face up to his and his next kiss was one of the kind that let a woman know that a man thinks the world of her. "See?" he whispered, "Some things are worth losing a little sleep." With a soft snicker, Mandi simply nodded agreement and kissed him again and they stood together under the spray for another few minutes before she spoke. "Seems to me it's my turn to..." she began, but her words were interrupted by the phone ringing in the bedroom. They looked quizzically at each other for a moment, then parted. Nobody would be calling either of them at that hour without damned good reason. "Guess I'd better answer it," said Cade, kissing her again and stepping out of the shower stall. Mandi said nothing as she reached to turn off the water. Cade grabbed a towel and used it as he left the bathroom. Picking up the phone, Cade answered it with his room number. "Four-twenty-two." "Cade," said John in a tense voice, "I need to speak to Mandi." "Hold one," said Cade, turning to wave the phone at Mandi. "It's John." She nodded and came padding out of the bathroom to take it and say, "Hi, John. What's up?" As he finished toweling himself dry, Cade faintly heard John say, "We need you in the ops room, Mandi. Let Cade stay there and get some sleep; you're going to have to make a trip to Washington tonight." Nodding as if John could see her, Mandi said, "Tell me about it when I get there. I'm on my way. Bye," and hung up the phone as she turned to Cade. "I heard," he said, tossing the towel over a chair and reaching for her, "And I've seen how fast you move, so how about a kiss for the road, lady?" Mandi moved into his arms for a long, firm kiss, then she stepped back and said, "If I can, I'll be back tonight." "Most excellent, ma'am. I'd like to wake up next to you." Mandi smiled in her naked splendor and became a blur that moved around the room for a moment, then solidified back into Mandi a few inches from his face. She smilingly kissed him again, then again blurred as she sped out of the room. "Damn," muttered Cade as he parked his butt against the desk and picked up Mandi's towel. It still carried the scent of her; the wildflowers and honey scent. He held the towel to his face and breathed deeply of her for a few moments, then hung both towels on the rack in the bathroom and climbed into bed. Sleep was evasive for a while as he remembered various aspects of their shower together, but eventually it found him.

  When he woke a little after nine, he was alone in the bed. After ablutions and making a cup of instant coffee, Cade called the ops room to see if Mandi was due back anytime soon. They either didn't know or couldn't say. He asked to be notified when she returned. Cade tore the relevant pages out of his convention schedule and circled those events he'd attend. He then wrote, 'I'll be at one of these' on hotel stationery, used his knife to slice a line in the paper and inserted the rolled-up schedule pages in the slot, and finished his coffee before leaving to find some breakfast. At the front desk, he told the clerk to allow Mandi access to his room, then crossed the lobby to the restaurant. The smell of food hit him hard for so
me reason. Cade chose from the menu cautiously, not wanting to order more than he could eat, but he nonetheless ended up ordering a whole second breakfast platter when the first one didn't seem to do the job. As he was finishing up the second platter, Cade's