“She’s not the only one,” Megan pointed out.
“Megan, I’m not making eyes at any of them, honest,” Herzer said, flipping himself to his feet with one hand and coming over to brush her cheek, lightly. “Ashly… well, she’s sort of started to notice me lately. But you don’t have to worry about me… straying. Honestly, honey. Hell, I spend most of my time around Meredith for God’s sake.”
“And she’s another,” Megan said, holding up her hand to forestall protest. “I didn’t notice it but Mirta did and she’s right. Meredith won’t ask, I think… I hope…” she trailed off.
“Christ on a crutch,” Herzer muttered, sitting down. “What in the hell are we going to do?”
“Mirta suggested that since I’m not using the local stud that I share him,” Megan said.
“No,” Herzer replied. “Absolutely not. If we were… if we were having sex and you were more stable about it, it would be possible.” He held up his hand this time and fixed her with a glare. “I said possible. But even if you agreed, now, I would say no. You couldn’t handle it, not the way that you still are. I’d end up losing you and gaining… nothing worth losing you for.”
“So how come you’re so knowledgeable?” Megan asked, trying not to cry but smiling at the same time. “Big tough soldier. You’re not supposed to be able to think about these things.”
“Maybe some of Bast rubbed off on me,” Herzer said with a shrug. “She’s as tough as they come, but she looks at people’s emotions and reads them as well as anyone I’ve ever known. And, now, you could not handle that. No matter what you told yourself, it would tear you apart. And I’m not willing to lose you for a quick roll in the hay with Shanea.”
“Oh, I don’t think she was thinking quick,” Megan said, shaking her head.
“The one thing I don’t know is why this has come up so quickly,” Herzer said.
“Well, Mirta understood,” Megan said, tartly. “Have you looked in a mirror lately?”
“Every morning,” Herzer said.
“I mean below the jaw line,” Megan snapped.
“Oh.”
“You said we hadn’t seen you in shape before,” Megan said, more softly. “We definitely hadn’t seen you getting into shape. Women are not, generally, visual. But there’s a bit there and… Anyway. The other thing is that you’re… changing. I don’t think in a bad way. Actually, I think it was what you were when we met and you’d changed for me. Now you’re becoming… you again. And you are quite…” She paused and thought for a moment then shrugged. “Sexy.”
“Thanks,” Herzer grimaced. “I think.” He looked at her and then frowned. “I don’t suppose you’re starting to think I’m sexy?”
“A bit,” Megan admitted, sighing. “Damn me, but not enough. I’m sorry.” She got up and started to leave but Herzer quickly darted across and grabbed her arm.
“No,” he growled. “You do not get to walk out on that note.”
“Let go of me, Herzer,” Megan said.
“Sit down,” he said, pointing at the chair. “I’m serious.”
Megan sat and looked up at him angrily.
“Okay,” Herzer said, sitting back on the weight bench. “I’m sorry that I asked. It was the wrong time. You’re all messed up about this other thing. It was the wrong time to press. I’m sorry.”
“You shouldn’t be,” Megan said, shaking her head. “This is my fault…”
“Megan,” Herzer cut her off. “Don’t use the term ‘fault’ okay? If it’s anyone’s ‘fault’ it’s Paul’s and you dealt with that ‘fault’ as well as anyone could.” He paused and frowned, then shook his head. “Can I be selfish and blunt for a minute?”
“Yes,” Megan said after a moment’s thought.
“What can I do to make you more able to handle the thought of sex?” he said softly. “I will admit that I want to see your hair spread on a pillow and the soft sweat trickling down your stomach. I want to hear you moan in pleasure, true, real, pleasure. I want to slide my hands between your silken thighs and touch you. I want to kiss your breasts and nuzzle at them like a child. I want to touch you and take you and love you in the hardest possible way. So what can I do to help?” he asked, quietly.
“Oh, God,” Megan said, her eyes closed. “I think you just did.”
“I thought that might help,” Herzer admitted, grinning. “We fell in love so quick we forgot the whole seduction thing. Remind me to get you some flowers.”
“Herzer Herrick,” Megan said in a soft voice. “You are a danger to women.”
“So I’ve been told,” he admitted. “Can we do something?”
“What?” she asked. “Here? On the weight bench or the floor?”
“No, not here,” he said. “After we get rid of Mike and Courtney I want you to throw everyone out with a vengeance. And then we’ll spend an evening together, getting to know each other. And then we’ll see what happens.”
“Okay,” Megan said, nodding. “I think I can face that.”
“It’s not a competition,” Herzer said. “If we don’t have sex, we don’t have sex. That will be up to you. I will admit that I will press, but very gently. Leave it up to me, okay?”
“Okay,” Megan said, her face creasing in worry.
“Don’t tense up about it,” Herzer said. “We’re just going to spend some time talking, that’s all. What happens after the talk is open. It might just be we get tired and snuggle. Okay?”
“Okay,” Megan said, nodding firmly.
“Now we can go,” he said, looking at the chronometer on Meredith’s desk. “Cruz is going to be here soon and I need to take a shower.”
“Yes, you do,” Megan said, sniffing the air.
“Happy sweat,” Herzer said. “Think happy sweat.”
“I will,” Megan said, standing up.
He glanced at her and then at the desk and shook his head.
“Meredith?” he asked, plaintively. “Really?”
“Really, really,” Megan said, shaking her head. “I think she’s going to hold a candle for you for some time, Herzer. Like I said, you’re a danger to women.”
“Damn,” he said. “She’s really hot. You don’t think…”
“Don’t push your luck,” Megan said, chuckling as she opened the door.
“Hey, Cruz,” Herzer said, waving at the couch. “Grab a seat.”
“Herzer.”
Brice Cruz was thin and tall with shoulder length blond hair and a neatly trimmed goatee. He was also dressed in the height of fashion, wearing a light-weight tan suit and a cravat with a gold stickpin.
“Nice duds,” Herzer said.
“The most common flunkie in Washan is a congressional flunkie,” Cruz said, shrugging and pouring himself a glass of wine. “Fitting in is my job.”
Cruz had started out in the Blood Lords but after an unpleasant incident with some bandits he had been asked to leave the service. For a year after that he had tried to find something he was good at besides killing. Unfortunately, no matter what he turned his hand to it never seemed to work out. He’d been close to the bottom rung of the ladder, working as a casual day laborer, when approached by the newly formed UFS intelligence corps. It had offered him an outlet for his skills with the caveat that if he screwed up using them, similarly skillful gentlemen would relieve him of the need to earn a living. Ever. He had performed his duties flawlessly and as a reward they had assigned him to head the security detail for the UFS’ newest council member, who also happened to be the boss’s daughter.