Try a Little Tenderness

TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS

Roslyn Hardy Holcomb

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Warning This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. Loose Id® e-books are for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

Try A Little Tenderness Roslyn Hardy Holcomb This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Published by Loose Id LLC 1802 N Carson Street, Suite 212-2924 Carson City NV 89701-1215 www.loose-id.com

Copyright © August 2008 by Roslyn Hardy Holcomb All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared in any form, including, but not limited to printing, photocopying, faxing, or emailing without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC.

ISBN 978-1-59632-758-0 Available in Adobe PDF, HTML, MobiPocket, and MS Reader

Printed in the United States of America

Editor: Judith David Cover Artist: April Martinez

www.loose-id.com

Prologue The touch of the cold, fleshy hand awakened her from a restless slumber. Lola never slept well in a new foster home. Experience had taught her to maintain her vigilance. She wondered, not for the first time, why their hands were always so cold. Each time it happened, the chill of their skin against her own felt like a corpse reaching out from a grave to grope her living flesh. As it moved slowly, cautiously, from her shoulder to her breast, she turned languidly onto her stomach, feigning sleep. That strategy, pretending to be asleep, almost never worked, but Lola tried it anyway. Sometimes the less intrepid ones would back off, but such a motion would not stay the more experienced predators. Unfortunately, this one fell into the latter category. In a practiced move, he waited until she settled, then the hand started moving again. Lola tried to remain still. Other girls had told her that sometimes it was better to just let them do what they wanted. Some of them just wanted to cop a feel, and didn’t take it any further than that. Surely given the other things she had been through, she could tolerate being felt up. It would be horrible, but at least she wouldn’t have to move again. Goodness knows after nearly a dozen moves, she was tired of changing homes and schools. Each time she seemed to lose more of her few precious possessions and fall further behind in school. She still hadn’t found her treasured family pictures from the last time this happened. She’d recognized his type at the very first meeting. Had known his intentions from the moment she arrived. Like a wary zebra under the unceasing gaze of a stalking lion, she’d immediately sensed danger. Somehow, no matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t hide the sick lust they felt when they looked at her curvaceous body. She tried desperately to hide her precocious curves -- favoring huge sweatshirts and jeans that were many sizes too large. But somehow they knew what lay underneath her clothes. Maybe this time she would just let him touch her. Maybe he wouldn’t try anything more. But when he boldly raised her shoulder from the bed and moved his hand to cup her breast, she flinched involuntarily. Try

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as she might, she just couldn’t do it. She couldn’t just lie there and let him violate her. As a young girl she had been too small to stop them. Now, though, she had the size and strength to fight back. Even as she sat up, she knew this would be the last time. No more running to the social worker and reporting what had happened. Her social worker had done the best she could, but nobody wanted to take teenagers, and some who did thought their willingness to do so gave them a right to sexual favors. They would only move her to someplace worse. No matter how many times they moved her, there would always be somebody who tried it. Sometimes it was the father, a few times the son or cousin, and once, one horrific time, it had been the foster mother. No, she thought coldly to herself as she stared into his startled eyes, this time I’m taking off, and nobody will ever think they have the right to use my body again.

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Chapter One Five years later Lola executed another high kick as, with a graceful arch of her back, she held on for another torrid revolution around the large chrome pole mounted in the center of the stage. The shaft, polished by the oils of a thousand previous hands, and other assorted body parts as well, somehow felt calming and reassuring. The clientele expected the pole and one was standard in almost every club, even an upscale “gown club” like Clyde’s. Lola worked it now with an expertise borne of familiarity. Over the past five years she’d gained prestige, and as the headliner, she now performed during the “money hours,” between five and nine o’clock when weary businessmen came in for a little R & R before returning home to their families. Though the work was now second nature to her and she could do her routine with minimal mental involvement, making “eye candy” with the customers was a crucial component of generating more tips. An appreciative crowd roared its approval, and Lola knew she was giving a stellar performance. Clyde’s prided itself on having dancers with real class and talent, and a clientele that behaved accordingly. The gold silk lamé dress and long white opera gloves she’d initially worn were very traditional, as was her upswept hairdo. If not for her outrageous curves, it would not have been difficult to imagine that she was out for an evening at the opera. However, as the genteel delicacy of Mozart gave way to the driving hard rock beat of Storm Crow, she’d quickly doffed her elegant affectations and released the wild stage persona she was noted for. Her glorious mane of crinkly black hair whipping wildly about her head, her hips grinding out the furious beat, Lola had the crowd in the palm of her hand and she knew it. The stage was littered with bills, most of them small denominations, but she saw quite a few twenties also. Her G-string bulged with even more bills. As much as she hated it, dancers were always richly rewarded when they approached the meat rack, the periphery of the stage where patrons congregated for a chance to show their appreciation for a girl’s

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performance. “Accidental” groping was the norm and made a sleazy exchange even worse. The floor managers usually kept that type of thing to a minimum, but some jerk always had to try his luck. Her fiery image reflected by several mirrors on the stage, Lola whirled around with movements purposely designed to raise the blood pressure of any man present. Her hips gyrated as though they were set on ball bearings, adding even more heat to the explosive dance. The spangled gold G-string and matching bikini top had no hope of containing a body that seemed endowed by Venus herself, and the crowd waited breathlessly for the costume to relinquish its beauteous bounty. They were somewhat pacified when the top gave way to reveal wonderfully firm, golden-hued breasts totally free of silicone enhancement. If they were expecting more, they were doomed to disappointment as, with a thunderous downbeat, Lola dropped to the floor in an explosive scissors split before hastily exiting the stage. Back in the dressing room, Lola hurriedly wiped a towel over her sweaty limbs. She had to get back into the club as quickly as possible after her set to begin the hustle, the individual table dances that generated the bulk of her income. Customers were fickle, and if she didn’t return quickly they could easily be distracted by another girl’s performance. She took slow deep breaths to calm her racing pulse. Despite the artificially cool building and daily workouts, dancing a four-song set in six-inch stilettos usually left her gasping for breath and dripping with sweat. Fortunately, the clientele that sat near the stage tended to think her glistening limbs were sexy, so it did not deter them. However, in the close proximity of a table dance, she needed to be as pristine as possible. She paused for a moment thinking about the large blond man who had risen to his feet as if in a daze and stood there near the edge of the stage throughout her whole set. Without her glasses, she couldn’t really make out his face, but the poor guy was obviously entranced. Juicy, the bartender, had indicated that he and his friends were big spenders. Juicy didn’t do that for all the girls -- only the ones who were savvy enough to tip out with him at the end of the night. Experience had taught Lola that it paid to tip out with the bartender, the deejay, and the floor managers. They could make or break a dancer in a very short time. The upfront expenditure more than paid off in profitable dividends in the end as she got the benefit of Juicy’s leads, security, and the assurance of having her music played in the order she directed. With the guy standing there so transfixed, Lola had kicked up the intensity of her performance and intended to hustle that table as hard as she could when she returned to the floor. She briefly considered changing costumes, then shook her head. The gold lamé was the best she had, and the color accentuated the rich radiant tones of her skin. The Costume Lady had made it as a custom order, and it had cost her dearly. Customer reaction more than justified the expense. One of her regulars had told her it was hard to tell where the costume ended and she began, but he certainly enjoyed trying. Guzzling thirstily from the large bottle of water the bartender kept just for her, she checked herself over. She’d never had to pay any appearance fines before, and had no intention of doing so now. Confident that her exertions were no longer evident, she pushed

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her hair back off her face and squared her shoulders as she prepared to rejoin the fray. She almost felt sorry for the guy -- poor thing would never know what hit him.

***** “Jesus, man, will you please sit down! You act like you’ve never been in a titty bar before!” Koss ignored the exasperated demand. Indeed, he had hardly heard his friend. If truth be told, he had never been in such a place before, and D-Day knew it. Besides, he had no intention of returning to their table, at least not until the dancer he was watching completed her set and left the stage. He’d never seen such an incredible woman before and desperately wanted to meet her. Mesmerized by the sleek movement of feminine muscles beneath the gleam of her golden brown skin, he continued his vigil as she ended her dance in an explosive split then exited the stage. He stood there bereft until D-Day approached him and led him back to the table. “Come on man, she’ll be back out. They always come around to do table dances.” Koss frowned dubiously as he studied the spindly table. There was no way a woman of such Amazonian proportions could dance on that thing. “Table dances?” “Damn, dude, where have you been? Living in a cave somewhere? They always do table dances. Matter of fact, in some places they do even lap dances. But not here in the buckle of the Bible Belt, of course. They can’t make any contact at all.” He sighed regretfully. “But a table dance is still good.” He caught Koss’s puzzled glance. “She’ll dance at the table, not on it!” D-Day shook his head at him, but Koss didn’t really notice. His friend was a certified expert on the seamier side of life. Indeed, he could’ve gotten a PhD on the subject long before he left high school. He’d been trying to corrupt Koss for a while. It was tough going at best, and their visit to Clyde’s was the latest attempt in his campaign. They and several more of their friends from Birmingham University were out celebrating D-Day’s successful dissertation defense. D-Day led such a debauched life it was a seven-day wonder that he’d ever acquired his doctorate. Everyone asked, only half-jokingly, who he had slept with to get his final. He had lingered in the ABD realm for so long, the betting pool had run two to one that he’d be in rehab or prison long before he came close to completing the program requirements. As they returned to the table he sighed in his usual melodramatic fashion. “Wouldn’t you know it. I work my ass off to corrupt Koss, and what does he do? Falls in love with the first dancer he sees! And a hot black chick at that. Poor bastard doesn’t have a chance. Poor schmuck.” He shook his head mournfully -- a tragicomic figure. “Where did I go wrong?” Koss continued to ignore him, watching avidly for the dancer’s return to the floor. When he saw her approach the bar he immediately moved in that direction also, but she slipped backstage before he could reach her. He caught the bartender’s eye and asked if she would be returning soon. The bartender replied in the affirmative, and handed him the

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Newcastle he’d ordered. Seeing Koss so totally focused on the backstage door, the man gave him a fierce look. “Hey man, if you’re just looking to score a piece of ass, Sin’s not the one.” Jarred from his reverie, Koss beetled his brow as he gave the man a bewildered look. “What?” The bartender repeated himself with emphasis. “I said, Sin’s not the one if you’re just wanting to get some. Some of the girls do the mileage thing, but Sin doesn’t.” Koss gave the man his full attention. At six-four and two hundred and thirty pounds, he rarely met anyone as large as himself, but this man outweighed him by at least fifty pounds. His dark skin gleamed and bulged with muscle that belied any notion that his size might be attributable to fat. No, this guy was solid through and through. Koss wondered if he freelanced as a bouncer in addition to his bartending duties. “Mileage? What the hell are you talking about?” The bartender gave him a quizzical glance, then shook his head. “Mileage is sexual stuff some of the girls do, but Sin doesn’t go there.” “Is that her name? Sin?” Koss asked, thinking that no name could be more appropriate for a woman who made him want to violate all seven of the deadly ones and create a few of his own. The bartender frowned deeply, the movement drawing attention to a large scar that bisected his face, contributing to his fiercely intimidating look. “It’s not her real name, it’s her stage name. All the girls use them.” Koss shifted uneasily at the big man’s unwavering stare. He wondered what he was thinking as he seemed to be making some type of assessment. Apparently he’d found what he was looking for as he suddenly smiled. “Tell you what, man. How about I ask her to join y’all at your table?” Koss paused, unsure what had caused the change in the guy’s manner. He nodded as he moved back toward his table. “I appreciate it.” Juicy made a thumbs-up gesture. “No problem, man. Glad to do it.” He shook his head as Koss walked away, wondering what the hell someone that innocent was doing in a place like Clyde’s. Lola’s going to take him for everything he’s got. I hope she at least leaves the poor boy with cab fare home.

***** “Y’all looking for a little company?” Lola murmured as she walked up to the table of high rollers Juicy had directed her to, watching closely for the big blond man she’d noted during her performance. When she finally located him she felt light-headed as her heartbeat stuttered to a near halt.

Oh, shit! What in the hell is Dr. Koss doing here?

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She watched breathlessly as the star professor in her department stood at her approach. He extracted his wallet from his back pocket and took out a twenty dollar bill, the going rate for a table dance. Breathing didn’t get any easier when he gestured toward a chair and invited her to join them. Lola backed away, her mind frantically racing as she tried to come up with an excuse for leaving. Finally, with a woefully inadequate “I forgot something,” she ran from the table, breaking all land speed records for a woman in six-inch heels. Koss immediately moved to follow, but D-Day grabbed his arm to keep him from chasing after Sin’s rapidly retreating figure. “Hey, man,” he insisted. “No point in getting your ass whupped tonight. They’re not going to let you go after her.” He gestured toward the bouncers, politely known as floor managers, who had immediately moved in their direction. He shook his head in their direction and they backed off, apparently accepting his indication that they wouldn’t be giving them any further trouble. Koss studied the other men briefly, then turned and returned to their table, his hands extended to his sides in a helpless gesture as he shook his head. “What the hell just happened here? What did I do wrong?” D-Day slipped back into his seat, shaking his head in puzzlement. “Damn! That’s the first time I’ve ever seen a stripper run away from money!” He turned to look at Koss. “I swear to God, man, you could fall into a barrel full of naked women and come out sucking your thumb.”

***** Lola slammed her locker closed. “Goddammit, I’m getting LASIK surgery if it’s the last thing I do!” She stormed back over to her dressing table and picked up her contact lens case. “Useless, these damned things are useless! I can’t see anything without my glasses.” She slammed the case down on the table to emphasize her point. “C’mon, Lo,” Ginger, her roommate, soothed. “You said you don’t think he recognized you. Hell, I’ve lived with you for years and I wouldn’t recognize you in that getup you wear to class.” Ginger’s nose wrinkled in distaste. “I’ll never understand why a pretty girl would deliberately make herself look like hell just to go to school.” She checked her own impeccable reflection in the mirror Lola didn’t bother trying to explain the importance of fitting into the university culture. For Ginger, looks were everything. “Ging, I tried to hustle my professor! You know, the same professor who was chewing my ass and threatening to kick me out of the program just this morning?” Lola lowered her head to the dressing table. That very morning Dr. Koss, star professor of Birmingham University’s stellar microbiology program, had been all over

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her ass for being both late and unprepared to review his notes. He’d given short shrift to her explanation that she’d been working double shifts all week. As if she hadn’t already screwed the pooch, now she’d given him more than sufficient ammunition to trash her career. “There’s not a whole helluva lot you can do about it now. What the hell was he doing here anyway? He was looking at you like, Whoa ! I can’t believe you didn’t recognize him while you were still on stage. I was waiting for him to drag you off by your hair.” She tossed her head in a practiced manner calculated to make her bright red mane, expertly augmented with extensions, bounce seductively. Lola sighed. Her friend had been playing man catcher games for so long now she even did it when she wasn’t onstage. “You know I can’t see a damned thing without my glasses. I’m so blind my contacts don’t work worth a shit.” “Good thing. He made me want to jump on him and he wasn’t even looking at me! I’ve never gone for blond, but he looks like an overgrown Viking come to ravish you. I always wondered what a man that size would be like…” she mused. Lola cut her off. Once Ginger went off on a man tangent it could be almost impossible to get her back. “Ginger, stay focused. What the hell am I going to do?” “Well, hon, you can be damned sure you’re not making any money tonight. That big old boy isn’t going anywhere until last call. I guess you might as well get Juicy to walk you to your car.” Lola nodded in agreement. No point in wasting her time here. At least at home she could watch her soaps and get some classwork done. That would give Dr. Koss one less thing to kick her ass about. “Hey, the Costume Lady is here!” The gleeful squeal came from the tanning room next door. Ginger immediately rushed to the door. “Come on, Lo. She said she was going to bring some new stuff this time. Remember that cool outfit she designed for the Talladega 500 with the checked flag right across the crotch? She promised it’d be ready in time for race weekend. It’s so hot I’ll definitely be shaking my moneymaker.” She shimmied her surgically enhanced breasts for emphasis. Lola groused a bit more, but couldn’t resist seeing the gorgeous costumes. The Costume Lady was a retired teacher whose designs were absolutely fabulous. She was such a favorite with all the dancers at Clyde’s, no one even noticed the incongruity of a woman her age and respectability frequenting such a place. Lola took one more hopeful look out into the club. Dr. Koss and his friends were still there. She turned back to Ginger. “I guess I might as well go check out what she’s got. At least the night won’t be a total waste if I find something good.” “That’s the spirit, old girl.” Lola shook her head at Ginger’s habit of going Cockney for no discernible reason.

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Her roommate continued as they walked out the door, “When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping.”

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Chapter Two The Z-out was the perfect play. D-Day had his issues, but nobody could call plays like him during a critical crunch time. And there was no greater crunch time than the last play of their weekly game of pickup football. Koss cut to the right on cue, and, looking over his right shoulder, made a graceful vertical leap to catch the slightly overthrown pass. As his hands captured the ball he could almost taste the celebratory beer the losers would have to buy after the game. He didn’t see who hit him while he was still in the air, but the power of the blow left little doubt as to the culprit. Despite being a doctor, Marco Alexander took great pride in his tackling ability. He was always disappointed if his victim could get up under his own power after the hit. Koss caught his breath, preparing for several days of serious discomfort. Dazed from the blow, it took him a few moments to realize he’d landed on top of someone. He quickly moved, expecting to find a teammate. Instead he found himself looking at a woman’s still form. “Shit!” Koss breathed as he gingerly turned the woman over. He was unable to even mouth epithets when he recognized a former student. “Lola Bordenaux,” he whispered under his breath. Marco grabbed Koss’s arm. “Wait a minute, man, let me get a look at her. You don’t want to move her around too much.” He knelt beside the woman, then yelled over to the sideline for someone to bring his medical bag. Given that the rules of their game weren’t exactly sanctioned by the NFL, it wasn’t the first time he’d needed it. The rest of the players, realizing something was wrong, came over to investigate. Marco took his bag from one of his teammates, then looked around at the motley assortment of shirts and skins. “Move back, goddammit. She’s liable to go into shock if she looks up and sees you assholes all around her.” He grasped Lola’s wrist, studying his watch as he took her pulse, then reached into his bag for a stethoscope. After checking her heart rate and breathing, he examined the large lump forming in the middle of her forehead.

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Koss watched his friend’s methodical ministrations impatiently. Why the fuck was it taking him so long? He waited for several long minutes as Marco continued his examination of Lola’s torso and limbs. Finally he burst out, “Goddammit, man, will you say something?” “She needs to go to the hospital.” Marco took his cell phone from his bag and called for paramedics to the scene. Koss listened as he recited her list of injuries -- possible concussion, rib contusions, and a broken ankle. Damn! He realized that her glasses had been knocked askew. He’d never seen her without them before. Strange. Without them she reminded him of someone, but damned if he knew who. Shortly after he straightened the glasses, Lola’s eyelids began to flutter. “Marco, I think she’s coming around.” “That’s a good sign.” Marco turned back toward Lola. “Lola. Ms. Bordenaux --” Koss paused as she began to look frantically around. “It’s okay, you’ve had an accident, but we’re getting help for you.” He put a calming hand on her shoulder. “It’s best that you don’t move,” Marco murmured in his best bedside manner. “We don’t know the extent of your injuries.” Koss slid his hand down her arm and clasped her hand in his own. He breathed a sigh of relief when she seemed to calm a bit. He continued to study her face closely, smiling to reassure her. It had been several months since he’d seen her last, and he was still puzzled by how different she looked without her glasses. When he heard the wail of the siren he looked up, relieved that Lola would be getting some help. Marco quickly briefed the paramedics about what had happened. He waited as they checked her vitals then prepared her for transport. Koss was worried because Lola hadn’t really spoken since regaining consciousness. She kept her eyes on him the whole time, and he was fairly certain she recognized him. “It’s going to be okay, Lola.” Koss only prayed he was right. A paramedic tried to move him aside as they placed her on the gurney and Lola shrank back from his hands, clearly not wanting to be separated from Koss. Seeing this, Koss brushed the paramedic away and took Lola’s hand again. “It’s okay. They’re taking you to the hospital, and I’ll be right there. Okay?” He looked into Lola’s pain-filled eyes and knew she heard and understood him. “Don’t leave me,” she whispered as though talking took a great effort. “Koss, don’t leave me,” she said again, confirming his belief that she recognized him. Koss kept his grasp on her hand, following alongside the gurney as the medics rolled it to the ambulance. “I’m not going anywhere, Lola. I’ll be right there with you.” “No drugs. Promise me, Koss, no drugs,” she whispered urgently. “No drugs?” Koss frowned. Marco snorted. “That’s not going to happen. They’ve got to set that ankle, and bind her ribs, too. They’re not going to do all that without anesthesia.”

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Koss looked at his friend, then back at Lola, who was now trying to move off the gurney. He held her arms down as gently as he could. “Lola, they’ll have to give you drugs. It’ll be all right.” “No drugs, Koss. Promise me,” she said again frantically. Koss looked at Marco again, then back down at Lola. Her face was beaded with perspiration. Her tortoiseshell eyes had turned almost black from the pain, yet he knew she’d refuse treatment unless he gave her what she wanted. “All right, Lola, no drugs.” Lola lay back on the gurney. Though she was still tense, he could see the relief on her face. “Don’t leave me, Koss.” Koss turned to one of the medics who was shaking his head no. Koss paused, then decided not to waste time arguing with them. “Listen, sweetheart, I’ll be right there at the hospital when they get you there, okay?” Lola didn’t respond, but she didn’t try to fight, so he assumed she would go along. He released her hand as the paramedics placed her in the ambulance. Then, ignoring the fact that as a “skin” he was wearing only a pair of gym shorts, he ran toward his truck to follow the ambulance to the hospital.

***** Lola shifted on the bed and slowly opened her eyes. The constant whir of machinery and the slightly antiseptic smell confirmed that she was still in the hospital. The room was dimly lit in deference to her light sensitivity from the concussion, but even in the shadowy gloom she could tell he was still there. She had to smile despite her assorted aches and pains. She wasn’t really sure how long she’d been in the hospital, but every time she woke up, Dr. Koss was there. Poor guy had to be tired. He dwarfed all the furniture in the room and none of it looked comfortable for a man his size. “What time is it?” Koss moved over to the bed, glancing down at his watch. “It’s almost midnight. We’ve been here since about three this afternoon.” Fortunately for him, one of his friends had delivered a change of clothes and toiletries. In the way of hospitals everywhere, the temperature in Lola’s room was more like that of a meat locker than a place for anything alive. Lola closed her eyes again. Nine hours. How had she lost track of almost a whole day? The last thing she remembered was taking a break during her usual jog in the park. The doctor said she had a concussion, and her head still hurt pretty badly. “God, my head really hurts.”

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Koss patted her hand as though to reassure her. “I’ll get the nurse. Lola, why won’t you take something for the pain? They gave you a local to set your leg, but I know your head must be killing you.” “I’ll take some Tylenol, but nothing else. I’d really like some water, too.” Koss reached for the pitcher. He poured her a small glass of water and set a straw into it. “You can only have a little bit. With that lick to the head you might be nauseated.” The small bit of water sank into her dry lips and mouth as though it’d been days instead of hours since her last drink. Koss took the glass away, then pressed the call button for the nurse. To Lola’s total surprise, the nurse checked her vitals, then left the room for some Tylenol. Not once did she question Koss’s presence in the room. “What did you tell them?” “Hmmm?” “What did you tell the people here?” She reached for the water glass. “I don’t think anyone but relatives are supposed to be here at this hour.” Koss responded with a sheepish smile. “I kind of told them, well, I let them assume that I was your husband. Marco helped out. He said they wouldn’t listen to me about the drugs unless I was a relative.” Lola closed her eyes again. Somebody really should tell NASA that they couldn’t launch a space shuttle from inside her freaking head. At the moment, she didn’t really care how Koss had managed to remain in the hospital. The nurse returned with the promised pain relief and Lola reluctantly opened her eyes, but only to half-mast, to swallow the capsules, then waited for the pounding in her head to cease.

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Chapter Three “Good God, Lo, what in the hell happened to you?” Lola didn’t open her eyes. There was only one person who would screech at that volume inside a hospital -- Linda Bradshaw, her erstwhile mother hen. “Linda, despite their best efforts, my head feels like somebody used it for soccer practice. I’d really appreciate it if you’d lower your voice.” Koss had gone downstairs for breakfast and Lola was momentarily alone. With any luck Linda would be long gone before he returned. “Why didn’t you call me?” Lola reluctantly opened her eyes. Talking with them closed made her feel like Jimmy Stewart in Vertigo. She refused to risk opening her eyes past half-mast, and even then it still felt like Dawn of the Dead. The nurse had already brought her latest dose of painkiller. Apparently it wasn’t going to kick in until Christmas. “Have you looked at me? Do I look like I was fit to call anybody? I didn’t even wake up until almost midnight last night. You’ve got, what, twelve babies? Did you really want me to call you at that hour?” Linda eased down into the chair Koss had vacated earlier. “Don’t exaggerate. Juicy and I only have eight kids, and none of them are babies anymore, praise be to God. Now, back to the subject at hand.” A wave of her hand encompassed Lola’s battered appearance. “What the hell happened to you?” At that moment, Koss returned to the room carrying a cup of coffee. Lola nodded her head toward the door and immediately regretted the motion. How was it possible for her head to hurt worse? “He did,” she hissed through gritted teeth. Linda stood up. At only slightly above average height, she looked positively petite against Koss’s impressive size. Still, she stood as tall as she could and demanded, “Who are you, and what the hell did you do to Lola?”

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Lola paused for a moment to wonder why women always put their hands on their hips when they got in someone’s face. “Linda, wait a minute --” Lola tried to intervene, only to be quickly silenced. “Hush, Lola, if this guy beat you up, Juicy will stomp a mud hole in his crazy ass, and I’ll be there to walk it dry.” Koss’s eyes narrowed as he gave Linda his rapt attention. Lola could tell from her friend’s expression that Linda assumed Koss was a client who had beaten her up. Lola tried again. “Linda, this is my professor, Dr. Koss. He accidentally ran into me during a football game yesterday in the park. Linda turned back toward Lola. “You were playing football?” Her tone reeked with disbelief. What the hell did Linda think she was hiding? Lola had seen herself in the mirror so she knew she looked as though she’d come out on the wrong end of a whup ass convention, but damn. Linda should know anyone hitting her would definitely come out of it looking worse than she did. “Oh, for pity’s sake, Linda! Look at the guy. Do you think he’d still be walking if he’d put his hands on me? I was jogging and he tackled me accidentally. Nothing more to the story. Okay?” She closed her eyes again. It simply wasn’t worth the effort. Besides, she really didn’t know what had happened. The last thing she remembered was stopping to catch her breath during wind sprints. She waved a limp hand in Koss’s general direction. “Will you please explain what happened to me before she starts screaming again?” Koss had stood in the doorway during their exchange. Now he entered the room. He placed his coffee cup on a side table, and extended his hand in introduction. Linda barely touched his hand before raising her brows inquiringly. Leaving out no detail, Koss explained his role in inflicting Lola’s injuries. Linda pursed her lips when he finished, then turned back to Lola. “So, when are they releasing you?” Lola, her eyes open only to the barest of slits, glanced over at her friend. “If everything checks out, they said I can go home tomorrow. I’m really ready to be out of this place. They won’t let me sleep.” She paused, frowning, then stopped because that hurt too. “I don’t know what I’ll do, though. The doctor said I’ll have to have someone in the house, just in case I have problems. I think they’re worried about the concussion. Ginger’s got to work, so she can’t do it. Plus, I’ll be in this cast for at least six weeks. I can’t work, either.” Linda patted Lola’s arm. “Girl, you know that’s not a problem. You can come home with me.” Lola would’ve rolled her eyes if she hadn’t been convinced the motion would complete the decapitation begun the previous day when Koss tackled her. “Linda, you know I love you like a play cousin, but there’s no way I’ll get any rest in that romper room you and Juicy call

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a house. If I want to be brutalized by a gang of juvenile delinquents, I might as well stay here.” Linda opened her mouth to object to Lola’s characterization of her kids. Koss spoke up. “Lola, why don’t you come home with me? I’ve got a big place over on Highland, there’s plenty of room…and quiet. I don’t even have a dog.” This time Lola decided the eye roll was worth the pain. “You’ve got to be kidding? I can’t live in your house. I don’t even know you.” “What do you mean? You’ve known me for months. You were in my class just last semester…” He trailed off when Linda turned on him with a glare that dried up his words midsentence. “Tell you what, why don’t I get you some private duty nurses? That way you can stay at home, and you’ll have someone to take care of you.” Linda nodded in agreement. “Koss, I can’t let you spend that kind of money. I’ll need help for weeks,” Lola said. “I don’t know why you won’t let me help. I’m the one that hurt you. Hell, I’m surprised you don’t have a bunch of lawyers in here ready to sue me down to my jocks.” Linda seemed to be considering it. “Lola, let the man pay for a nurse. Otherwise I will have to sue the hell out of him,” she interjected. Lola considered reminding her friend that as a prosecutor, suing people was out of her normal area of expertise, but decided it too wasn’t worth the effort. “Okay, fine. Just leave me alone and get out of my room,” she snapped back. Then she winced in pain. To hell with it, better to go all Hitchcock than deal with this. She wasn’t opening her eyes again. Linda sucked her teeth. “Oh, damn. You always were a sometimey little heffa. But I guess you’re entitled. I’m sure you feel pretty bad.” She turned to Koss. “Have you been here all night?” Koss nodded. “Well, do you plan to go home?” “Not until Lola asks me to. She asked me to stay.” “Linda, leave him alone.” Drowsiness set in as the pain in her head began to ease. “Everybody just leave everybody alone.”

***** Lola couldn’t believe Koss had carried her up the two flights of stairs to her apartment. At six feet tall, she wasn’t exactly a waif. The contusions to her ribs kept her from using crutches and her building didn’t have an elevator. Koss gingerly placed her on the sofa, then pulled an ottoman over to support her leg. “Do you need anything? A drink, a bite to eat --”

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Lola lay her head back on the sofa, just grateful to be in familiar surroundings. “No, no, I just want to sit here for a moment. I’m glad to be home, but the trip wore me out.” Lola watched as Koss eased himself down on the sofa beside her. They sat in companionable silence for a long moment, then Lola’s amusement got the best of her. “You know, Koss, when I asked you not to leave, I didn’t mean you had to stay with me forever!” she said, a slight smile to her lips. Koss appeared to be dozing, but came awake when she spoke. Why was he staring at her mouth that way? Suddenly Lola’s breathing problems had nothing to do with her bruised ribs. Finally Koss shook his head as if dazed. “I’m sorry, Lola, what did you say?” “Never mind.” She waited a few more minutes, then asked, “Seriously, when are you going home?” Koss frowned. “You know the doctors said you can’t be left alone. With your roommate working, they only let you leave when you agreed to have a private nurse check in with you. I’ll stay until the nurse arrives, okay? How are you feeling?” Lola smirked. “Like a giant-sized Viking landed on me. And you, sir?” “You don’t know how sorry I am --” Lola cut him off. “Man, you’ve been apologizing for three days. I promise, I’m not going to sue you.” “You know this isn’t about a lawsuit. You’re in pretty bad shape.” “Did anyone ever tell you you’re too literal minded?” she asked. “Yeah, D-Day tells me that all the time,” Koss said. Lola knew Dr. Day from the biology department, and had seen him at Clyde’s that fateful evening. Thank goodness neither of them had recognized her. “In case you didn’t notice, and I know you didn’t because you’re so literal minded, I was being sarcastic. I get that way sometimes. I guess even boy wonders have to have a failing somewhere.” Koss winced. “Don’t call me that.” “Hey, you’re the one who was graduating from college while the rest of us were still learning to color in the lines.” “Don’t exaggerate. Just a few minutes ago you were hurting too badly to open your eyes, now you won’t shut up.” He stood up. “Where’s your kitchen? I’ll get you something to drink. Don’t you need some Tylenol or something?” Lola raised her brows. Then winced as the movement exacerbated the throbbing in her head. Tylenol really wasn’t up to such a mammoth job, but the alternative was out of the question. She waved her arm in the general direction of her kitchen. Picking on him sure beat the hell out of sitting there thinking about her various body aches. Damn, getting run over by 200-plus pounds of pure muscle could really put a hurting on a girl.

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Koss returned from the kitchen with two tall glasses of iced tea and a bottle of Tylenol. “I guess it was too much to ask for some beer in there.” “Never touch the stuff. Ginger usually has some champagne, though.” “Recovery?” Koss asked, clearly remembering her refusal to take drugs in the hospital. “Nope. Empty calories. I have to work too hard to keep the weight off as it is. The last thing I need is a beer belly.” She took an appreciative sip of the icy beverage. Koss handed her a couple of capsules, his expression still puzzled. “Geez, man, if you want to know why I wouldn’t take the meds, why don’t you just ask me?” “Is it the pain, or are you always this crabby?” Koss snapped. “Always. But I’ll use the pain as an excuse. Besides, you’re not exactly Mr. Personality your damned self. Thank God you’ve got looks and brains because if you had to get by on charm…” Koss perked up. “Looks? You think I’ve got looks?” “Oh, please. You know you can get it from all the females and quite a few of the males in the department.” Koss leaned toward her. His eyes lasered in on her own with an intensity Tom Cruise would envy. “Does that include you?” There it was again. Dude could cut off her breathing with just a look. She leaned back on the sofa again. For once she was grateful for her concussion. He was too damned quick. Served her right for trying to match wits with a certified genius. She couldn’t contain her sigh of relief when a knock at the door signaled that her nurse had finally arrived. Koss stood up to answer it, abandoning their conversation. “Saved by the bell,” she murmured to herself, thinking Koss wouldn’t hear her. “For now,” he replied as he reached for the door.

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Chapter Four “Don’t you have anything better to do with yourself?” Lola asked as she dug around in the bag for more crab angles. Finding none, she glared at Koss for hoarding them. Koss grinned back at her. “Hey, if I’d known you were addicted to the darned things I would’ve brought them every night. And where else would I be when the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met is here?” Lola sighed. She couldn’t really complain. He hadn’t said anything even remotely flirtatious in the past two weeks. Besides, she wasn’t altogether certain Koss even knew how to flirt. If nothing else, his forthright manner was refreshing. “I’m seriously doubting your taste. Last time I checked, I still had a rainbow warrior thing going on across my forehead. Not to mention a lump the size of a hen’s egg. I’m in these ratty old pajamas…” She lifted the jacket to show him. “Fishing for compliments.” He shook his head. “You have to know that no matter what you do you’ll still be gorgeous.” He paused. “Except maybe wear horn-rimmed glasses, braids, and your clothes two sizes too large.” “Dude, in case you haven’t noticed, I’m still wearing horn-rimmed glasses and braids.” “Yeah, I noticed. I assume you have to wear those?” Koss asked, motioning toward her glasses. “Only when I want to see,” Lola shot back. Koss chuckled at that sharp remark, then eased back down on the sofa, careful of her injured ankle propped up on a pillow. “I’ve got to entertain you. I’m sure your head still hurts too much to play games or anything. What do you want to talk about?” “Emerging viruses. Isn’t that your specialty?” Lola asked. “That’s what it says on my résumé,” Koss quipped.

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“So, tell me about this virus you discovered. When did it happen?” “I discovered Rissa about two years ago.” Lola knew Koss was only twenty-four years old. “Weren’t you a bit young to already be discovering viruses?” Koss nodded. “Yeah. It was really an accident. I went on the trip with my mentor. We didn’t expect to come across a brand new hemorrhagic virus. Dr. Rock is really cool. I’d worked with him on the isolation process, and he let me do the work on this one, sort of like a practice case.” He shrugged. “I don’t think he thought we’d found something new, but since I was the first one to isolate it, I got to name it. Usually you name them for a geographic location. So I chose the river that was very near to the village where we first came across the virus.” “This sounds so, I don’t know. So Indiana Jonesish.” “Yeah, right.” Koss snorted. “Really, it was just beginner’s luck. Most of the time you spend weeks and months searching and you don’t find anything. Since that movie came out, folks think they see Ebola everywhere on the freaking planet. Most of the time it’s just malaria or some other well-known and considerably less deadly disease.” “But still, you obviously love what you do.” “Yes, of course. There are certainly easier, less aggravating ways to make a living. You definitely have to love it. What about you? Do you love what you do?” “I already told you, I love being a student.” “No, Sinsation, do you love what you do?” Koss locked his eyes with hers, pausing for emphasis with each word. Lola frowned. “What the…oh Jesus.” She rubbed her forehead. “How did you figure it out?” “I recognized you, it just took me a minute to make the connection. So I’m asking you again, do you love what you do?” “You’re asking if I love being a dancer?” Koss nodded. “You’ve got to be kidding. No, I don’t love it, but really when I first ran away, I couldn’t think of anything else to do. I was a sixteen-year-old high school dropout with no marketable skills. But I knew I wasn’t going back to foster care. I got some grants and a special GED scholarship for school, but it wasn’t enough. I don’t want to go into a lot of student loan debt because I’m really not sure what I want to do or if I’m going to make it.” She shrugged. “You do what you have to do.” Koss’s brow furrowed. “Not going to make it? Lola, you’ve been at this for four years. Why do you still doubt yourself? If you didn’t have what it takes, we would’ve booted you out a long time ago. I got on your ass because I can see the potential there. If you didn’t have it, I would’ve just let you fade away.” Lola gritted her teeth. “My life, dude, my life.”

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Koss steepled his fingers. “So, are you going to continue doing it, or are you going to find something else?” Lola laughed dryly. “You don’t let up, do you? I haven’t a clue what I’m going to do next, but it probably won’t be enrolling for the next semester at BU.” Koss frowned. “Why the hell not?” “Koss, I’m a stripper. Aren’t you going to tell the administration at the school?” “Why the hell would I do that? As far as I know there’s no rule against being a stripper. I’d strongly advise against it if you do pursue a career in the field, especially if you’re going to teach in a university setting. They’re a bunch of tight asses. But you said you wanted to go into public health, and they can’t kick you out of school for it anyway.” Lola stared at him, unwilling to believe he wasn’t horrified by what she did for a living. “You mean, it doesn’t bother you?” “Bother me? Uh, Lola, did you fail to notice me at Clyde’s that night salivating at your feet? My buds had to literally drag me out of there at closing time. I’d be a hypocrite if I put you down for stripping when I was right there in the club with you.” “Yeah, I know. I waited for y’all to leave, but you never did.” “I went back a few times, but you were never there. And nobody would tell me your schedule. I guess they thought I was some kind of freaky-ass white boy,” Koss admitted, his sheepish tone punctuated by the sudden flush to his cheeks. Lola sighed because that’s exactly what Juicy had called him. “Look, Koss, it was really nice for you to pay for my nurse and everything. I know this is going to sound crazy, especially considering how we met, but I don’t sleep around.” She shook her head for emphasis, then winced as the motion triggered a wave of nausea. “Wait a minute,” Koss interrupted. “I hadn’t even recognized you when I offered to do that. It’s the least I could do. I know I’m a geek scientist and all, but I don’t usually have to pay women to go out with me.” “So you’re saying you were after me that night because you wanted to take me to an all-night Bible study?” Lola sneered. “Hell no, but if all I wanted was to get laid I could’ve hooked up with any number of the women in that club. I didn’t have to wait around for you. The bartender would’ve been more than happy to point them out. I like you and want to get to know you better. What part of that don’t you understand?” He threw up his hands in frustration. “Jesus, Lola! Yes, you’re hot. I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that. You’re without a doubt the hottest woman I’ve ever met. And I’m not going to lie, yes, I have every intention of doing everything in my power to make love with you. But I also want to get to know you too. Apparently you’ve been working in that club too long. Seems like I’m the only person here who realizes you’re more than just a body.”

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Lola stared at him, her eyes wide with dawning comprehension. “Well, that was direct.” “I think you’ve already noted I’m a direct kind of guy.” Lola didn’t know what to make of his statement. Could she take him at face value? Most men on the make wouldn’t admit to actually wanting sex at some point, but maybe this was a new game. She studied his face. Either this guy was sincere, or he was the best operator she’d ever seen. Lo, you’ve been doing this a long time. This guy is for real. Lola raised her hands. She’d have to think about this later. Like when she didn’t have brain damage. “So, is this how you get women? Clobber them over the head until they’re too senseless to resist you?” she asked. “You have to admit, as a strategy it’s not half bad. Beats the hell out of losing my job for dating a student, or waiting for you to show up at Clyde’s.” “And that’s another thing, isn’t dating students against the rules?” Lola asked. “You’re not my student and haven’t been for almost six months. I don’t usually teach undergrads. If you decide to go to grad school at BU, then we’ll have to deal with it, but not until then.” Lola gave up. “Let’s just change the subject.” She leaned back against the sofa on a wave of exhaustion. “Aren’t you from Minnesota?” Koss nodded. “How did you wind up down here?” “Coward,” Koss derided. Then he answered her question. “As you’ve already said, I was a bit ahead of my peers in school.” Koss pointedly ignored Lola’s snort of disdain at his gross understatement. “BU had a program specifically for kids like me. They had chaperones and counselors to help me deal with craziness of being in college before I’d even gone through puberty. My folks liked that a lot. Some of the schools don’t have anything in place to help the kids out, and the competition for science prodigies is pretty ugly. The kids sometimes end up in lots of trouble, or they burn out. My parents wanted to be careful, and BU was a good fit. I think it would’ve been dangerous to send me off to just any school. I knew I wanted to be in microbiology, but my folks wanted me to be protected. This school also had a topnotch virology program and I could study under Dr. Rock, who I’ve always admired. It was a no-brainer.” “It must be nice to know what you want at such a young age.” Lola sighed. Koss shrugged. “It has its good points, but I’ve always wondered what would’ve happened if I’d changed my mind along the way…” His eyes went vacant as he drifted off in thought for a moment, then he came back with a start. “By the way. I was wondering how you were making do. You know, financially. You won’t be able to work for a while…” “Don’t worry, Koss. I always try to pay my bills well in advance. Business is so erratic I’d be a fool to do otherwise.” Lola smirked. “People think strippers make tons of money, and a lot of us do. But it’s nothing like it was when I first got started. I knew girls who wore mink

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and drove Porsches. Now there’s too many clubs and too much competition. Girls have to work a lot more.” She shrugged. “Some of them do other stuff too. I don’t, but I’m okay financially.” “But it’s been almost a month. You must be running short --” Koss insisted. “I’ll be fine, okay? I’m not taking any more money from you,” she said. “Why the hell not? I’m the reason you’re in this condition --” Lola interrupted. “Don’t you think there are enough degrees of separation between us? It’ll be hard enough dating you as it is.” “Degrees of separation --” Koss cut himself off as her last sentence sank in. “Date me? You’re going to go out with me?” Koss yelped, sounding like a six-year-old given free rein in a candy store. “Wow, you really don’t miss much, do you?” “I try not to. Where do you want to go on our first date?” “Koss. You’ve practically been living here for the past month. Can we even call it dating anymore?” “Of course we can. Besides, I haven’t even kissed you yet.” Lola was momentarily speechless as her stomach clenched at the notion. “How do you know I want to kiss you?” “I guess I’ll have to take my chances.” Koss leaned in closer. “I plan to kiss you every day, and twice on Sundays.” “Do you always warn a woman before you kiss her?” “Only if she has this” -- he pulled a two-foot ax handle from beneath her sage green sofa -- “stashed under her couch. What the hell is this for?” Lola could feel the heat rise in her face. Damn, how had he found that? He really was going to think she was some kind of lowlife. “That’s Sanity. Sometimes clients get the wrong idea and Juicy said nothing brings crazy people to their senses like an ax handle applied firmly to the bridge of their nose.” “You mean guys follow you home?” Koss asked. “Not recently, but when I worked in Houston…” She trailed off, shuddering from the memory. “Houston’s a tough town to dance in.” Koss shook his head. “That sounds dangerous as all hell.” He continued as a thought occurred to him. “Isn’t Juicy a cop?” Lola nodded. “Interesting law enforcement method…” he mused. “Anyway, since you have a proclivity for deadly weapons, I think it’s a good idea to always give you a heads-up.” He gave her a bemused glance. “Have you noticed how our conversations get way off topic? I asked where you wanted to go on our first date.”

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Lola shrugged. “I’m not exactly mobile. I can get around on these crutches but they still wear me out. And I can’t go up stairs.” Koss nodded. “Tell you what. I’ve been bringing you carry-out for weeks. Why don’t I cook for you?” “You cook?” “Lola, for a man my size it’s a matter of survival. How about tomorrow night?” Koss asked. “That sounds good,” Lola said. After a long comfortable silence, they both turned their attention to the reality show they’d developed an addiction to over the past month. Koss put his arm up on the back of the sofa and gradually eased over until Lola’s head leaned against his shoulder. Since her injuries, Lola tired easily and was soon cuddled up against Koss’s side, drifting off to sleep. She looked up in surprise when he gently shook her awake. “Lola.” “Hmmm?” “It’s Sunday.” Lola gasped. The significance of that statement immediately wiped any vestiges of drowsiness from her brain. She sighed in relief as Koss placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. But that relief quickly ended when his lips eased softly over hers. Koss stroked his tongue over the crease of her lips until she gave him the entry he sought. Their tongues touched delicately on the inside of her mouth, setting off an explosion of need that shocked her with its suddenness. Her arms moved around his neck to pull him closer while she returned the kiss with all her might. When she stroked the roof of his mouth with her tongue, she felt Koss shudder as he groaned into her mouth. He began devouring her, his hunger unleashed. The sharp points of his teeth seemed to punctuate his desire, and she felt almost light-headed from lack of oxygen, yet didn’t want to break the embrace for the simple act of inhaling. He moved from her lips to her neck, where he alternated between sucking and nipping at the tender flesh. She returned the favor, delicately stroking the soft indentation beneath his ear with the flat of her tongue. Koss raised his head and stared down at her for a moment, his eyes burning intently into hers. Then he claimed her mouth again as though being away from it for just that moment was more than he could endure. Lola sighed as he eased her down on the sofa, being careful of her injured leg. Lola stroked her arms over the muscles of his shoulders and back, then gasped as he followed her down onto the sofa. The feel of his thickly muscled body against hers was so good that she immediately decided that she never wanted him to leave. Desire pooled between her thighs when he returned to her mouth. His kisses grew even more aggressive as he sucked on her tongue like a starving man. Her feminine core clenched with need when she felt his erection

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pressing aggressively against the juncture of her thighs, and she instinctively ground her hips against his. Koss’s reaction was immediate -- he grabbed her hips and pulled them roughly into his own, grinding his pelvis into hers. The sudden movement caused a jab of pain in Lola’s still-tender ribs. The sharpness of it took her breath away. She gasped and lay still, willing the pain into submission. Koss continued kissing her for a long moment before he seemed to realize that she was no longer responding. Something was wrong. Lola’s gasp of pain finally penetrated the fog that had descended over his senses. He had to stop. He was so close to coming that his body raged at him, begging for the release that was only seconds away. He lay still, praying that she would do the same. It wouldn’t take much to set him off again. Using every bit of willpower he could muster, he slid off her onto the thick rug next to the sofa. He tried to distract himself by studying the now-familiar confines of Lola’s living room. She’d decorated the small room inexpensively, but with good taste. He surveyed the serene green tones that predominated in the space, then sat with his head on his upraised knees, wanting to groan out loud as the shudders coursed through his body. After a long moment, he finally risked looking at Lola. As usual, her beauty took his breath away. Now with her lips swollen from his kisses and her clothes all askew she looked as though she’d been thoroughly loved. It was all he could do not to make that a reality. With his attention so focused on her well-loved appearance, he didn’t hear her the first time she asked if he was okay. Her second query finally penetrated his consciousness. He wiped his long-fingered hands over his face. “Sure, I’m fine. How about you? I don’t know what I was thinking when I laid you down like that.” Lola smirked as she struggled to sit up. “I don’t think the laying down was the problem; it was you getting on top. What’s up with you always landing on top of me?” Koss gave her a halfhearted grin, then leaned over to help her sit up. “You don’t know the half of it.” He took another deep breath as he felt his erection grow stronger. Touching her hadn’t been a good idea. He shifted on the floor, trying to discreetly adjust himself before finally giving up. “Look, I’m going out of my mind here. It’s definitely time to go home.” “If you say so,” Lola said. “Too bad I wasted the first kiss. I won’t do that again.” Lola nodded. “I’ll come get you tomorrow night around six. Is that okay?” “Sure.” Koss got up from the floor and moved toward the door. He stood there for a moment, his back to the room, clenching and unclenching his hands as he struggled with the desire to take up where they’d left off. Then he turned back around to face her.

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“If I come back over there, I’m not leaving. So…” He blew her a kiss, then opened the door and left.

***** Koss stood under the streaming waters of the shower. Even more than an hour after he left Lola, his body still throbbed with need. Leaning against the back wall of the enclosure, he wrapped his hand around his erect penis, stroking his fist up and down the length. He couldn’t believe he’d made it out of Lola’s apartment without falling at her feet and begging for it. Every cell in his body ached for her in a way he’d never felt. God, he hurt. Koss closed his eyes as he imagined Lola in the shower with him, stroking his cock. He almost howled aloud at the unbearable pleasure. He pumped frantically now, so far gone he could almost feel her velvety wetness surrounding him. Koss gritted his teeth and growled, whispering Lola’s name just as his body exploded into ultimate release. He lowered his head, then reached over to turn the shower controls to a warmer temperature. Despite his Nordic ancestry, cold water was not one of his favorite things, but since meeting Lola he’d taken more cold showers than was probably good for him. He wondered what it would be like if she ever actually joined him. If their kiss was any indication, it would be incendiary. The feel of her body pressed against his, the vee of her legs embracing his hard cock had made it almost impossible to keep from coming. He wondered at his self-control, then he shut down that train of thought before it set him off again. At least now everything was out in the open with them. He had wondered if she was even interested. That kiss had told him all he needed to know. Now if he just didn’t fuck up, he had a chance of being with her for good.

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Chapter Five Lola groaned as she was shaken rudely awake. “Come on, girl. I’m going to cook breakfast for you.” She looked up at her roommate, Ginger, who was shaking her so aggressively. Lola was surprised to see her friend awake at this hour. She typically worked as many shifts as possible at Clyde’s and usually slept during the day. “Stop, stop. I’m awake!” she snapped. “Hey, I’ve been up all night, and you know I don’t cook for just anybody. So get your ass up to eat,” Ginger said. Lola considered pointing out to Ginger that waking someone up to eat made no sense, but thought better of it when her stomach began to growl. She wouldn’t put it past Ginger to walk out in a snit, leaving her both hungry and, now, wide awake. Lola slid out of bed. After adjusting her crutches under her arms, she made her way to the bathroom. Ginger yelled after her. “What’s the deal with you anyway? It’s almost noon. It’s not like you to sleep so late, especially when you haven’t been working.” Lola flushed the toilet, then clambered on her crutches over to the sink to wash her hands and brush her teeth. “Couldn’t sleep last night,” she mumbled around her toothbrush. Ginger crossed the room and leaned against the open doorjamb. “You couldn’t sleep?” she asked, having little trouble deciphering Lola’s response. They’d had many conversations this way. “Girl, something’s seriously wrong here. You’re the only person I know who could sleep through a one-day sale at Macy’s. What’s the deal?”

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Lola rinsed her mouth. She paused, looking at her drawn expression in the mirror over the sink. Knowing the uproar her statement would cause, she decided to share with her friend anyway. “Koss kissed me.” Ginger fell back, her hand to her ear. “Sorry, luv. Sun must’ve been in my ears. Coulda sworn you said Koss kissed you.” The Cockney accent was in full effect. In no mood for Eliza Doolittle, Lola brushed past her friend. “You heard what I said.” Ginger followed her into the kitchen, apparently so perturbed she forgot her accent. “Holy shit, you’ve fallen for him, haven’t you?” she accused, her bright hair practically standing on end. “Why are you giving it up for a customer? And a white boy at that. They pay plenty just to look!” Lola sat down in one of the chairs at the kitchen table, her breath coming rapidly. She hadn’t really mastered the use of her crutches yet, and navigating even short distances left her exhausted. “Uh, Ginger, have you forgotten that you’re white?” Ginger rolled her eyes, but didn’t comment further. “Besides, what the hell are you talking about, Ging? You’ve been giving it up to Harold forever.” Ginger threw up her hands. “Girl, please, that’s business ! And I haven’t been giving him jack! He wants a piece of ass, and my ass has a very high price tag.” She wrinkled her nose in distaste. “I certainly wouldn’t go out with a customer for any other reason. We have an understanding. It’s all about the bottom line.” Lola wiped her hands over her face. She wasn’t at all convinced that Harold understood their understanding. The man seemed totally infatuated with her friend, but it really wasn’t her business. She’d warned Ginger about playing the man for his money, but she refused to back off. “Ginger, I really like Koss. He’s lots of fun, and he’s just…I dunno, he’s just nice. He’s been coming here for more than a month now and this is the first time he’s touched me that way.” Ginger moved into kitchen and began breaking eggs up in a bowl for omelets. “I can’t believe you like some guy you met at the club. Men in general are pigs and the ones who hang out there are the worst. I thought you’d been around long enough to know that.” She paused, reflecting on the last part of her friend’s statement. “He hasn’t tried to get some before now? Are you sure the big guy isn’t gay?” “He’s not really a customer, remember. He was my professor, and no, he’s not gay. I told you, he kissed me. You’re right, most of those guys are losers, but Koss isn’t like that. Until last night, he’d never even touched me. He’s really nice.” “Oh yeah, he’s your professor,” Ginger quipped. “That makes it okay, then… Not!” She made a dismissive gesture. “Let’s just move on before I hurl over the thought of you being so sprung over a customer.” She took another skillet from the cabinet and began frying thicksliced bacon. “You want some juice?” she asked, opening the well-stocked refrigerator.

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Lola nodded, enraptured by the wonderful smells of the meal Ginger was preparing. Ginger continued cooking, and a short time later placed a plate with an omelet large enough for three people and six slices of bacon in front of Lola. Lola shook her head. “I can’t eat all that. I’m going to have to work like hell to get back in shape as it is.” “Eat what you can. I’ll take the rest to Tiffany.” She referred to their neighbor’s omeletloving poodle. Ginger joined her at the table, a much smaller omelet on her own plate. Lola raised her brows at the food on Ginger’s plate. Her friend usually ate very little, determined to keep her slim dancer’s figure in perfect shape. “You working tonight, Ging? Seems like I haven’t seen you in forever,” Lola mumbled through a mouthful of succulent bacon. “I’m going in at midnight or so. Harold wants me to cut back on my hours…” She trailed off, lowering her head as if the disclosure embarrassed her. Lola raised her head from her meal, brows raised in inquiry. “And?” Ginger shrugged her delicate shoulders. “It’s just that he’s bought me a townhouse, and he wants me to move in and stop working.” She rushed on before Lola had a chance to respond. “I think it’s a good idea. You know I’m getting too old for this shit anyway.” Lola wanted to scream at her friend, but somehow maintained her composure. Yelling would only get her back up even more. “What are you talking about? You’re only thirty!” She paused as brief color rose under Ginger’s well-maintained ivory complexion. She’d suspected that her roommate lied about her age. Her virulent blush seemed to confirm it. But still, that was no reason to lose her freaking mind! Lola decided to try a different tack. “Ginger, you know better. This guy is married…he’s not going to leave his wife. They never do. This can’t be good.” “I’m doing it, Lo. You can’t talk me out of it. He agreed to put the townhouse in my name. It’ll be mine free and clear no matter what he decides to do. Besides, I don’t want him to leave his wife. He grosses me the hell out every time I have to fuck him. I can’t imagine having to do it every night. You know I don’t want nothing to do with his old ass.” Lola sighed. Ginger’s background was similar to her own, but she couldn’t understand why her friend insisted on using men for their money. She shrugged. She was hardly in any position to talk. She basically did the same thing, though only in the confines of the club. Ginger was a grown woman and free to do what she wanted. “Ginger, I really wish you would think about this. I know you think you’re too old, but you’re still making good money. It’s not too late for you to go to school and get a square job.” Ginger interrupted with an abrupt wave of her hand. “I’m not smart like you, Lola. I don’t have a GED or anything. I don’t think I even completed the fifth grade. Going to school isn’t an option for me. It’s too late. Someday you’ll get to go legit and do it on your

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own. Me, well, who the hell knows. But at least I’ll have a two-hundred-fifty-thousanddollar townhouse in my own name.” Lola didn’t really have a response to that, so she went on to practical matters. “So when are you moving out? I’ll need to find a roommate.” “Oh shit, Lola! I hadn’t even thought about that!” Ginger said. Lola wasn’t surprised by her friend’s thoughtlessness. She and Ginger had been together since she’d arrived in the city more than four years before. But she’d always been rather self-absorbed. “It’s okay. You know somebody at the club is always looking for a roommate.” “Well, you make enough money to live alone. I can’t believe you spend all that money on school.” Lola didn’t bother to address the old argument. “So when are you moving?” “Probably in the next couple of weeks or so. I don’t know for sure,” Ginger said. Then at Lola’s raised brows she rushed on. “Well you know Harold’s a big-time lawyer. He’s getting this through some type of backdoor deal. And I can’t be there. I’m not his wife.” “Oh, well, I’m sure you know what you’re doing.” Lola continued eating her delicious breakfast. Before she knew it she’d eaten almost the entire omelet. Ginger lowered her head and picked at her own meal. Suddenly she piped up. “Lola, I just had an idea! Why don’t you move into the townhouse with me? I doubt Harold would mind. With his wife and his job I only see him a few times a month. It’d be rent-free…” “I don’t think so, Ginger. I’ve told you all along, I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Lola said as she hobbled around the small kitchen on her crutches and began clearing the table. “There’s something about that guy.” “Oh, you and your feelings. What kind of feelings do you get about Dr. Geek?” “Good feelings. He’s a good guy. I told you that.” Ginger made a gagging noise. “A good guy? Yeah, right. There’s no such thing except maybe Jesus, and even he was suspect, creeping around with Mary Magdalene and all. I’m sure he would’ve bought her a condo, too.” Lola shook her head, moving slowly over to the sink with her plate. There was no talking to Ginger when she was in this mood. Besides, she could hardly explain her behavior to her friend, when in all truth, she didn’t understand it herself. Being with Koss just felt right, and for the moment, it was all she had.

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Chapter Six Lola leaned heavily on her crutches as she stood in the doorway to Koss’s apartment. “Dude, you’ve got some major explaining to do.” The tiny apartment she and Ginger shared could’ve fit into his hallway with room to spare. For that matter, their place would probably fit in the ridiculously oversized SUV he’d driven to pick her up. She shifted uncomfortably on the crutches. They still made her arms hurt like crazy, but the pain couldn’t distract her from wondering what the hell was going on with Koss and this apartment. Professors didn’t make this kind of money. Amazing. Dude was probably a drug dealer or something. Birmingham U was full of nice, chino-wearing yuppies with 401k plans and regular golf games. Leave it to her to pick the lone meth-cooking freak. Koss placed his hand on her waist, gently leading her into his living room. He frowned. “What are you talking about. Lola?” He eased her down onto a sinfully soft leather sofa large enough to seat a family of six and their pet walrus. “Koss, I’ve got a pretty good idea of what professors make, and this” -- she made a sweeping gesture to encompass the apartment -- “is not in the budget. Unless you’re Batman or something, you must be up to no good to be rolling like this.” Koss sighed and sat down beside her, shaking his head. “Why do you keep talking about money? Why is it such a big deal? Everybody tells me I have no social skills and even I know it’s rude to talk about money.” “Oh yeah, they must have left that out of Clyde’s Etiquette Book. Clearly you’ve forgotten where you met me. Money is a big deal if you don’t have any.” “I met you in a biology class at BU,” Koss said, frowning. Lola exhaled sharply. “You know what I mean. You weren’t exactly chasing me around the classroom when I was dressed down, now were you?”

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“You have no idea what I wanted to do with you in that class. I was definitely intrigued.” “Are you going to tell me about all this, or what?” Lola asked, certain that she didn’t want to get into a discussion about the attraction between them. “Fair enough.” Koss shrugged in defeat. “A few years ago a friend and I developed this modeling software. You know, to use for experiments instead of animals.” Lola nodded. “I really didn’t have that much to do with it. I’m no software expert, but he insisted on giving me credit, and it took off --” Lola interrupted. “Wait a minute, please tell me you’re not talking about Ark II?” She mentioned an insanely successful software program that was all the rage in research circles. Koss grimaced, then nodded. “Okay, so you’re a gazillionaire, aren’t you?” Koss’s laugh had a bitter edge to it. “Not really. You know the university had to take their cut of ‘intellectual property developed while in their employ.’” He quoted the employee handbook. “It’s no big deal. Perk and I were going to give it away, but one of our friends talked us out of it. I just hate using animals if we don’t have to. They’re crazy expensive, and then there’s the ethical issues.” “That’s amazing. You sound like you regret not giving it away.” Koss didn’t respond for a long moment. “I dunno. I mean, having money is pretty cool. I don’t have to scrounge around for research money. I usually fund my own trips so I don’t have to deal with all the bullshit and red tape when I go in the field. Jesus, nothing drives me crazy like doing mileage claim forms. You wouldn’t believe how nasty purchasing gets when you requisition Scotch and condoms.” Lola raised her brows, but didn’t really want to ask why he would need such items for fieldwork. “Other than that, I don’t think it’s made that much of a difference.” When Lola didn’t respond he continued. “Look, I bought the apartment because it’s supposed to be a good investment. The car, well, I’m a big guy…” He raised his shoulders in a dismissive shrug. Lola looked around at his apartment. Besides the luxurious sofa, she recognized the expense of the large plasma TV and other electronics. The exotic hardwood on the floor looked like something out of Architectural Digest. Only a rich guy would say having money hadn’t made a difference, but she didn’t doubt his sincerity. She just wondered how many more barriers there would be to a relationship between them. “Hey, you certainly don’t have to apologize to me for having money.” Her bark of laughter lacked any semblance of humor. “In fact, in my profession I should be delighted to find out you’re loaded.” She sighed. “I just wish…I dunno. I just wish you were more ordinary. Then things wouldn’t be so hard.”

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Koss took her hand. “I am ordinary.” She snorted her disbelief. “I am. All this stuff, well, it’s just stuff. It’s not who I am. I’m the guy who took one look at you in that club and --” “And…” Lola grinned. “Well, we’ll just leave that for some other time.” He stood up. “Come here, I’d like to show you something.” Lola stood up, leaning heavily on her crutches as Koss helped her over to the credenza on the opposite wall from the sofa. Hanging over the credenza were two large photographs. Initially she’d dismissed them as modern art, but upon closer observation she recognized them as photographs of viruses. Only Koss… “Let me guess, are these electron micrographs of Rissa?” Koss beamed and nodded. “Yes, they are. A friend of mine at the CDC is pure magic with micrography and he took these for me.” The viruses in the photographs looked very strange, with a long linear shape that was unlike the more spherical form most viruses took. Lola knew that Rissa was a filovirus, which explained its odd appearance. Ebola and Marburg were the only other known filoviruses and they all looked stringy. The Rissa virus looked like long twisted strands of cooked spaghetti with random knots along its length. “You know, it looks a lot like Ebola,” she said. “Yeah, I know. But Ebola has loops, not knots. And thank God Rissa isn’t a slate-wiper like Ebola. It only kills about fifteen to twenty percent of its victims. Ebola takes out something like seventy to ninety percent.” Lola pursed her lips and shook her head. “They’re still amazingly similar. Do you think they’re related?” “All the filoviruses are related; at least they have been so far. Who knows how many there are or whether they’re related? Or, for that matter how related they might be. We just don’t know right now. Just like Ebola, Rissa hits and burns itself out so quickly we really haven’t had a chance to get a handle on it. And the fact that it hits in some of the most godforsaken parts of the world doesn’t help. The people are isolated in little villages, cut off with no communication with the outside world. Usually by the time we hear about an outbreak, its already burned itself out. And getting tissue samples…” Koss shook his head at the cultural issues that could be a major barrier to virus investigators. He took her elbow, leading her in the direction of the dining room. “Are you hungry? I’ve been slaving over a hot stove all day just to impress you.” Lola shook her head at him, then took a deep sniff of the wonderful aromas coming from his kitchen. “So big guy, what’s cooking?” Besides your pants, she wanted to add. Koss grinned, then took her elbow again to help her to the dining room. “According to Ginger, a few of your favorite things.”

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Lola sighed, replete from the meal she’d just consumed. Grilled lamb chops, asparagus, and new potatoes was one of her favorite meals. Over the years men had offered her diamonds and other riches, but none had ever cooked for her. The simplicity of the gesture was exhilarating. She eyed the dessert sitting on the sideboard. What girl could resist lemon meringue pie? Koss interrupted her musings. “Okay, I must confess. I didn’t make the pie. I’m not much of a baker, but there’s this fabulous little shop over in Mountain Brook.” Lola knew the bakery well, too well for both her fiscal and physical bottom lines. She shook her head. “Ginger must be making crazy money with me gone from the club.” Koss frowned at the apparent non sequitur. Lola continued, “I’ll be too fat to ever go back. She knows I can’t resist lemon meringue pie.” Koss cut them each a generous slice, then resumed his seat next to her at the dining room table. “Lemon meringue is one of my faves as well. I’m so glad you enjoyed the meal.” He refilled their water glasses. He’d foregone wine because Lola didn’t indulge. “I don’t know what Ginger is trying to pull. She won’t be at Clyde’s much longer anyway.” Koss raised his brows in query. “Her boyfriend bought her a fancy townhouse over in Homewood. He doesn’t want her at the club much anymore.” “Really. Are you going to get another roommate?” “Yeah, that’s my plan. Usually there’s someone at the club looking for someone…” Koss took a sip from his water glass. “Why don’t you move in with me?” “What?” “Well, as you pointed out, I’ve got this huge place --” “Koss, you’re asking me to move in with you on our first date? I’ve only known you a month!” Lola said. “That’s not true. You were in my class last fall. It’s almost summer now. You’ve known me for eight months,” Koss replied. “That hardly counts, dude. We barely spoke, and when we did, you were chewing my ass.” “Lola, look, let’s be practical. You need a place to stay and I have a place. You wouldn’t have to pay rent, so you could stop working at Clyde’s. You know you’re not going to make it much longer in the program burning the candles at both ends. You’ve got rehab once you get that cast off. So you’ll need some help. We’ve already established that I’ve got plenty of money, so what’s the problem?” Koss asked. “Dude, I’m not moving in with a guy I’ve just met. It’s crazy. And I’m certainly not letting you support me,” Lola said.

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Koss shook his head, his face a portrait of deep sorrow. “I don’t get it. I wonder what you would’ve said if I’d asked you to marry me.” He studied her for a moment, waiting for a response. When none was forthcoming, he grabbed her shoulders and gave her a sharp shake. “Oh, for God’s sake. Breathe, woman!” he demanded in an irritated growl. “Did you say marry?” Lola gasped, still feeling slightly dizzy from lack of oxygen. “This is hardly the reaction I expected the first time I mentioned marriage to a woman,” Koss snapped, sarcasm dripping from every word. “Well, for crying out loud, saying that kind of shit on the first date!” Lola finally choked out. “Why not? Am I so repulsive you can’t even consider such a thing?” Koss asked, his disbelief plain on his face. “Koss, it has nothing to do with you being repulsive and you know it. Before moving in together, people usually date awhile. Have long phone conversations. Get to know one another. Have sex. Give each other stuffed animals. Make up silly nicknames. Meet friends and family --” Koss interrupted. “Then I’ll say something stupid. Or do something stupid. Or I won’t know some crucial boyfriend rule. Or I’ll call too much. Or I won’t call enough. You’ll stop returning my calls. I’ll start following you around to find out what I did wrong. Before I know it, you’ll take out a restraining order, then there’s the pepper spray --” Fascinating though it was, Lola finally had to interrupt his bizarre recitation. Was this guy for real? “Restraining order? Pepper spray? Is that how your relationships usually go?” Lola asked, aghast. Who the hell admits such things? “Except the pepper spray part. That’s D-Day.” Lola gaped at him. “Dude, you really are clueless, aren’t you?” “I thought that was already established,” Koss replied. “Can’t we just skip all that?” “Skip all what? You mean developing a relationship? Koss, that’s how it’s done.” “Why?” “Why what?” Lola asked, fighting the sinking sensation that she had followed a mad scientist down a rabbit hole. “Why do people go through all that? I want to be with you. You want to be with me. At least I think you do.” His eyes met hers for confirmation. Having found the answer he wanted, he continued. “Why can’t we just be together?” Koss asked, as though he had come upon some bizarre mating ritual of a lost Brazilian tribe. Lola pondered that. She recalled that he’d graduated from college at fourteen. She doubted he’d ever done any of the usual high school social stuff, but surely since then… “Koss, how many relationships have you had?” she asked. “Including you?”

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Lola snorted. “Yeah, including me.” Koss leaned back in his chair and steepled his hands. “That would make one.” “Oh, geez.” Yep, she’d fallen into an alternate universe all right. How else could she explain that a guy this fine had never had a girlfriend? “Lola, you know about my situation. I was always a lot younger than everybody in my classes. Who was I supposed to date? None of the girls were going to go out with a skinny nerd who was five or six years younger than they were. Even now, some of my students are older than I am. And then there’s all these rules that I don’t even begin to understand. I just don’t get it…” He paused, then resumed. “Look, Lola, I’ll never hurt you on purpose. If I do something wrong it’ll be because I’m just too stupid to know better. I learn fast, though. All you have to do is tell me. And I’m going to work hard, really hard not to screw this up, okay?” Lola stared at Koss, floored by his lack of experience. How the hell had this gorgeous hunk of burning love managed to get past a world full of horny women with his cherry intact? True, dude needed to develop some social skills, but damn, there were plenty of women who’d drop their drawers without him uttering a word. Clearly he’d been traveling in the wrong social circles. She’d been curious as to whether he’d been with a black woman before. It was a total mindfuck to discover he’d never been with any woman, period. Imagine openly admitting to being a virgin at twenty-four. Anybody in their right mind would take that to their grave. It ranked right up there with getting caught humping the neighbor’s dog. Lola sighed. This had to be the craziest conversation she’d ever had with a sober man. It was definitely the least romantic proposition she’d ever heard, and probably the only honest one. Even though he’d spoken with the intensity of a wedding vow, his words still bordered on the insane. So why was she so tempted to do what he’d asked and move in with him? For one thing, she couldn’t dispute his logic. She did want to be with him, and couldn’t see any point in dragging it out either. Besides, he had to be the most honest man she’d ever met. For that matter he was probably the only honest man she’d ever met, aside from Juicy, of course, who was oh so definitely taken. As he’d pointed out, she still had weeks of rehab ahead of her even after she got out of the cast. Ginger would be gone, and she really didn’t want to deal with the complications of searching for a new roommate on such short notice. Rooming with a girl from the club was always risky. They had a tendency to take off without notice, and drama followed them everywhere they went. A roommate who wasn’t in the life was out of the question. She was in no mood to deal with a judgmental twit. Money was becoming an issue, but most importantly, she really liked this guy. A lot. Probably too much. She wouldn’t be dependent on him forever, Lola reminded herself. As soon as her leg healed she could go back to Clyde’s and start paying her way. Besides, he’d be off to Africa soon to do fieldwork, so he wouldn’t

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even be around for the first few months. By the time he returned she’d be back on her feet and in her own place. She took a deep breath. “Okay, Koss, I’ll do it. But what about sex?” “Yes, please,” he replied, his eyes practically dancing with eagerness. Lola rolled her eyes. Get real, dude. “You know what I mean. This situation is crazy enough without bringing sex into it.” Koss looked as though someone had taken his puppy away. “You mean, not ever?” “I’m sure we’ll have sex sometime. You’ll probably implode if we don’t. Just not right away. I think we should take our time with this. Don’t you?” Koss grinned his delight. “That’s okay. I’m pretty sure we’ll both enjoy it more when you don’t look like an escapee from a steel cage match.”

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Chapter Seven “Man, you’ve got like, zero experience. Do you really think you should be starting out with a stripper? I mean you might want to ease into it gradually.” D-Day warmed to the topic. “Maybe a phone sex operator or a video vixen or two. You have to work your way up. You can’t just start out at the top.” He qualified his statement. “Well, actually porn stars are at the top, but strippers run a close second. Definitely out of your league. You’re liable to hurt yourself or something.” D-Day stared at the bottom of his glass, then raised it to indicate that he needed a refill. Koss removed the glass from his hand and motioned the bartender away. “If that speech is any indication, I think you’ve had enough.” Koss looked around the cozy confines of their favorite Southside pub. On any given night he was bound to run into a colleague, if not the entire department, enjoying the pub grub and laid-back atmosphere. Tonight he and D-Day were the only university regulars present. D-Day didn’t argue. “Seriously, man, I know plenty of hot chicks. You know I can hook you up. I even know a few black babes. I had no idea you went that way, but now…” He pulled his cell phone from his belt clip and clicked through a few entries. He paused at a phone number. “This is a good one. Taffy. She’s perfect for you. She’s got skills, but not so many that you’ll get in trouble. Perfect starter babe.” He moved to press a button to dial her number, but Koss grabbed his hand, closing the device. Koss shuddered at the notion of being introduced to a woman named Taffy. “I don’t think so.” He frowned. “And what the hell do you mean, that way ? She’s a woman, I’m a man. There’s no way about it.” D-Day raised his hands in surrender. “Hey, you’re preaching to the choir here. I’ve always liked a little coffee in my cream. But you never seemed like the type. And a stripper too? Thought you’d only want a nice girl.”

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“What makes you assume that Lola’s not a nice girl?” Koss raised his brows in inquiry. D-Day reached for his beer glass, but Koss continued to play keep-away with it. Finally D-Day gave up. “Hey, if you’re going to talk nonsense, I might as well finish getting drunk,” he pouted. Koss didn’t respond. “Man, everybody knows strippers are crazy. My expert opinion is that you’re in way over your head.” Koss responded with a derisive snort. “Your expert opinion? Man, you don’t know jack about women.” “Do you have any idea how many women I’ve --” Koss interrupted. “Yeah, I know you’ve screwed a lot of women. Big deal. My pops always says it’s a lot harder to satisfy one woman than it is to be with dozens.” D-Day blew an abbreviated raspberry. “What the hell does your old man know? According to you, he’s only been with your mother.” Koss wondered when he’d shared that nugget of information with his friend. He must’ve been drunk off his ass, a very rare state for him. “Plenty. They’ve been married for almost forty years. Obviously he knows something about it. I guarantee he’s never had to call someone to pick him up after he got rolled in some clip joint.” Koss raised his brows at his friend’s livid color. Who would’ve thought anything could still embarrass the guy? “Man, that only happened once --” D-Day interjected. “At least twice, and Marco said he had to pick you up when somebody robbed you and left you handcuffed and naked out in Centerpoint,” Koss said. “You’ve slept with a lot of women, but how many of them have you had a relationship with?” Koss asked, knowing full well that D-Day had never been with any one woman for more than a few weeks. “How the hell did we end up talking about me?” D-Day blustered. “You’re the one who’s going to be in deep shit! Everybody knows you don’t get serious about the crazy stripper chicks. They’re strictly for fun and games. And you certainly don’t move them into your house. What the hell are you thinking?” D-Day laughed as if he’d made a joke. “Scratch the last question. Anyone’s who’s ever seen that babe in a T-back knows what you’re thinking.” “If Lola were some ‘crazy stripper chick’ that might well apply. She’s not, and if you don’t stop putting her down just because of what she does for a living we’ll have to take this outside,” Koss said, his manner so mild that someone who didn’t know him well might not have taken his words seriously. D-Day knew it didn’t pay to play with Koss when he used that tone of voice. He raised his arms in surrender. “Hey, I wasn’t trying to put your woman down. Just pointing out to you --” Koss cut his friend off again. “Just. Fuck. Off.” He drained his beer and stood up. “Come on, let me drive you home.” D-Day was distracted, checking out a leggy brunette sitting alone in a booth.

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“I think I’ll stay awhile. Besides, my car is here.” “Man, you’re absolutely wasted.” He gave the brunette a speaking glance. Though lacking D-Day’s experience, he recognized a working girl when he saw one. “If I leave you here you’ll drink some more and wind up getting rolled again. We’ll pick your car up tomorrow.” Koss’s tone brooked no argument and, giving an apologetic wave to his lost love in the booth, D-Day followed him out of the pub.

***** “Okay, now I know you’ve lost your fucking mind.” Ginger carelessly dropped another stack of books into a box. Their tiny apartment looked even more crowded than usual. Most of Ginger’s belongings were already packed and waiting for the movers. It was midnight and both were due out of the apartment by close of business the next day. Fortunately, besides books, Lola didn’t have very many possessions. It had only taken a little over two days to get everything packed up. “I can’t believe it’s taken you this long to speak your piece.” Lola plopped down on a chair with a grimace. Thank God they were almost finished. Even with Juicy and Linda helping earlier, her pitiful energy reserves were tapped out. Ginger paused for a moment. “Why do you have so many books? I know you’re a student and all, but damn!” Lola didn’t bother to respond to yet another old argument. Ginger never read anything more than an occasional fashion magazine. Her practiced shallowness concealed what Lola knew to be a surprisingly sharp mind. It could be wearing at times, but Lola knew there was more to her friend than she allowed to meet the eye. “Okay, Lo, tell me again why you’re moving in with this guy? If money’s tight you could just live with me. No problem.” “You know, I expected this from Linda, not from you. Being that you’re about the blackest pot I know.” “Well, at least I’ve known Harold for more than a few months. And I’m getting a house out of the deal. What are you getting?” “I’m not looking to get anything. We’re just two people who want to be together.” Ginger rolled her eyes. “You always were a lucky bitch. I have to fuck that old man whose dick looks like a shar-pei. On your first try you not only get a young sugar daddy, but a fine one at that!” “For the last time, Ginger, Koss is not my sugar daddy. As soon as I’m on my feet, I’m going back to work,” Lola said, wondering not for the first time if her friend’s moral compass had ever pointed in any direction besides directly toward herself. Of course, that question assumed that Ginger had a moral compass, something Lola had more than ample reason to doubt.

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“So you’re going to sleep with him and work? I swear to God, Lo, you’ve got some kind of problem. That man would give you anything you asked for, and you’re going to throw it away to bust your ass at Clyde’s. What the hell’s wrong with you?” Lola didn’t respond for a long moment, then she stood up and resumed packing. “I’m not sure, Ging,” she replied softly, “but I’m starting to think it’s love.” Ginger’s gasp was audible. “Oh, fuck!”

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Chapter Eight Living with Koss was a revelation. Neat to a fault, he kept his apartment like an Army barracks. Lola had to seriously tighten up her housekeeping skills after a few snide comments came her way. Their musical tastes differed as well. Despite her preferences for hard driving rock when dancing, Lola had a penchant for very mellow jazz when relaxing at home. Koss, on the other hand, was one of Storm Crow’s biggest fans. When he had control of his ridiculously complex sound system, the entire apartment throbbed with harsh guitar riffs. Lola was a natural morning person and greeted the sunrise with enthusiasm. Koss never rolled out of bed without hitting the snooze bar at least twice. He had even managed to sabotage a special alarm clock she’d given him that was designed to escape before he could hit the snooze bar. He simply captured it in a drawer, thereby defeating the tricky mechanism. Fortunately they were similar in other ways. Meal preparation was generally shared because they liked cooking together. Once Lola was off crutches, they enjoyed walks and bike rides together. Lola was also relieved to discover that, like her, Koss needed his own space from time to time, a fact Lola could really appreciate. That was an issue she and Ginger had struggled with. Ginger hated to be alone and had a habit of crowding Lola’s space. Usually Lola could tolerate it, but she had been concerned that Koss might have a similar problem. It was a relief to find that he didn’t mind it when she stayed in her room reading or chose to go walking alone. She’d actually anticipated spending most of the summer by herself because Koss generally spent the school break in the field. She was surprised to discover that Koss had altered his schedule and would remain in Birmingham. “I thought you were supposed to go to Kenya this summer,” Lola observed one afternoon shortly after she’d moved in. “Aren’t you on that CDC team?” Koss shook his head. “I changed my mind. I’ve got plenty to do here this summer.”

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“You’re kidding? Dean Stewart practically gave up a kidney to get you on that team,” Lola said. “Damn, you’ve been away more than a month, and you’re still plugged into department gossip.” Koss shook his head in wonder. Lola preened. It always paid to make nice with department secretaries. “So what exactly are you doing?” Lola asked, frowning. “I know you’re not teaching.” “Well, for one thing I’ve got a helluva backlog of research notes. Even boy wonders like me will perish if I don’t publish.” “Yeah, right.” Lola snorted. “The dean would give up his wife before he’d even think about letting you go. And hell, she’d let him!” Koss pursed his lips. “I wonder if Dean Stewart knows he’s got a giant-sized mole in his office…” “There’s a mole in every office,” Lola retorted. “You just have to know how to feed them.” She perked up when she realized what Koss had said. “You mean, you’re actually going to write? I thought you hated writing, and don’t you normally do that during the semester?” Koss sat upright from the semireclining position he’d relaxed in for most of their conversation. The sultry evening air of early June was fragrant with the magnolia blossoms on trees that grew just off Koss’s terrace. They’d enjoyed an evening meal, then, as they did most evenings, had retired to the balcony to have a cool drink. “Is there anything you don’t know about me?” Lola grinned again, then shrugged. “Hey, what can I say? You’re everybody’s favorite subject. Now, tell me the real reason you’re ditching the CDC, for God’s sake! I know Dean Stewart had a freaking duck!” “Considering your sources, I’m surprised you’re not telling me why I’m not going to Africa!” He raised his arms in defeat. “Lola, even I have enough sense to know you don’t move a beautiful woman into your apartment then abandon her to go off to the field for most of the summer. Give me some credit.” “But isn’t this a great opportunity for you? It is the CDC after all,” Lola protested. “I’m young, and I’ve got credentials out the ass. I’ll have other opportunities to work with the CDC. It’s not like I’m looking forward to it, or anything,” he derided. Lola nodded. His derision for that agency was hardly a secret. She’d wondered why the dean risked sending him off to Africa with them in the first place. Koss was hardly diplomatic and was unlikely to hold his tongue if bureaucracy interfered with his mission. “I won’t always have a chance to spend the summer with you. Besides, you’ve got weeks of rehab to go before you’ll be back on your feet. I need to be here to help you. This will be great. I’ll get the dean off my ass about publishing, and we’ll have a great time hanging out.”

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Lola shook her head, knowing there was no changing his mind. “So what are you writing about?” “I’m doing a follow-up on Rissa. I’ve got some new theories.” “Oh, please tell me you’ve written that paper already. Surely Dean Stewart didn’t let you get away without publishing your discovery?” “No, no. That was a collaborative deal. Remember? I told you I was with Dr. Rock. I think we did that paper the following fall. No, these theories are about the origins of Rissa. I really don’t think it’s an African virus.” Lola leaned forward on the chaise longue. “Really? What makes you think that? You found it in Africa. Why would it be from somewhere else?” “I dunno. I’ve heard of outbreaks in other places, mainly in the South Pacific and Southeast Asia, especially Île de Lina, but I haven’t been able to trace them. There are rumors that the monkey trade is somehow involved. We still haven’t found Rissa’s natural host, though we’re pretty sure it’s not a primate. Who the hell knows? That’s what my paper is about. Speculation on the origins of the virus and its natural host. We’re pretty sure what the host isn’t. We just don’t know what it is. I do want to take at least one more trip. Try to narrow it down. Maybe do some animal studies, but I don’t think we’re going to find the reservoir in Africa.” Lola grinned at him. “This is so cool. I can’t wait until I’m able to go in the field and do this.” “You want to be a investigator?” Koss frowned. “I thought you wanted to do public health?” “I do, but I want to do this too. Is there any reason why I can’t do both?” Lola asked. “You mean other than insanely dangerous conditions? Exposure to deadly viruses in the field with no known cure? To say nothing of going into some of the most unhealthy places on the planet to collect specimens.” “Oh, please,” Lola scoffed. “Didn’t you go to Île de Lina last summer? You survived. I’m sure I will too.” “There’s been some kind of civil war going on in that place forever. Sure I survived, but it was dicey from the jump. It’s no place for a woman.” Lola couldn’t believe her ears. “Uh, dude, I’ve been working in strip clubs for years. I’ve been on my own since I was sixteen. Some of the scumballs that hang out in those places are worse than any virus on this earth. I doubt I’ll encounter anything I can’t handle. And just in case, I’ll bring Sanity with me,” she said. Koss ran an agitated hand over his closely cropped head. “You’re right. I’m talking like an idiot, and a sexist idiot at that. You’ve been taking care of yourself for a long time. I guess I just hate the idea of you being in danger.” He gave her a sheepish grin. “Okay, that qualifies

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as my first stupid statement. I don’t know why I freaked out. You’ve got a ways to go yet, you might change your mind before you’ve finished.” Lola had a brief thrill at the notion that Koss wanted to take care of her. Sure, he’d sounded like a hairy-backed jackass, but after years of being on her own, it was nice to know someone had her back. She didn’t bother to respond to the rest of his statement. She knew she wasn’t going to change her mind. She still wasn’t sure how she would pull it off. Academia still scared her more than a little bit, but she knew that one day she’d be a virus hunter. No sense in fighting about it right now, though, so she grinned up at Koss. “So, what do you want to do this summer?” Koss smiled back, a mischievous grin. “Keep you as wet and sweaty as possible, of course.”

***** Lola shifted on the seat. She couldn’t believe she’d ridden her bike for eighteen miles. Even before her injury, she’d never ridden for such a distance. No doubt, she’d have to ice her leg and maybe even her ribs that evening. She glanced over at Koss; the man was a freaking animal. How in the hell could he still look so energetic when her legs felt as though she were cycling through concrete? Earlier he’d joked about having a better bike. Now she was seriously beginning to wonder if there wasn’t some validity to his jibes. She sighed as they pulled into the restaurant where the ride would end with a huge country breakfast. She had better things to spend her money on than a new bike, but maybe he’d let her ride his sometime. Koss brushed his leg against hers as they parked their bikes. “Hey! You were holding out on me! I didn’t think you could go the distance, especially not on that antique!” He gestured toward her bike. Lola smiled back; his good humor was irresistible. “I was running on pure pride those last few miles, and believe me, I’ll pay for it!” She got off her bike, then helped Koss load both of them in the back of his Land Rover. She shook her head at the customized “Rissa” license plates on his vehicle. Only Koss would have the name of a virus on his license plates. Then again, if she’d discovered a virus she’d probably have it tattooed on her ass. She started toward the restaurant. “Come on, man, I’m starving.” Koss deliberately hung back, enjoying the view of her Lycra-encased backside in her skintight bike pants. Even the anorak coming down over her hips did little to shield her curves from his gaze. Noting that he wasn’t the only interested viewer, Koss rushed to catch up with Lola, grasping her arm in a proprietary manner to warn off any other marauding males.

*****

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Koss stared at Lola’s plate in disbelief. “You weren’t lying when you said you had a big appetite, were you?” Lola spread her hands innocently, “Hey, it’s not every day I get a meal like this on someone else’s tab!” No other restaurant in town came close to Blue and White Café for breakfast, and she savored every bite. She nodded toward his two plates. “Look who’s talking, I don’t think you’ve missed many meals, either.” “Hey, I’m a growing boy. I have to keep my strength up.” The table was silent as both enjoyed their meal. When Koss finally came up for air, he took a deliberate sip of his juice, then waded right in. “So what do you want to do next?” “Next?” Lola queried, stymied by his question. “Well, yes, I suppose dinner and a movie or show would be next. I mean, I don’t know, I’ve never really courted a woman before. I suppose I could ask D-Day but I doubt he’s ever done it either.” “Courted?” Lola gasped, somehow having lost the thread of the conversation. Koss frowned. “Are you awake? I was just asking what you’d like to do next. There’s lots to do here. If you don’t want to go to dinner I suppose we could go to a club or something. Southside’s full of them.” Lola finally caught up. Had this man just told her he wanted to court her? “Koss, haven’t you noticed that we’re already living together?” “Kind of hard to miss. Especially when I get to see you in your pajamas each morning,” he replied with a wolfish grin. “Now, there’s an idea -- lingerie shopping!” Lola swatted his arm, and he immediately sobered. “Too soon?” Lola didn’t even honor that question with a response. “Koss, why are we talking about courting when we’re already living together?” Koss rubbed a hand over his head in frustration. “Okay, so I screwed up again. I told you I don’t know about these mating rituals. What am I supposed to call it?” “I dunno, but let’s not call it courting. That sounds, I dunno, too wholesome for what we’re doing.” “What’s unwholesome about what we’re doing?” Koss asked. Why did every conversation with this man end with her head on the verge of explosion? Surely he couldn’t be this dense? She studied his earnest expression. Yeah, he could. She rubbed her stomach, really feeling too full and content to argue. Hey, if he wanted to call shacking up a courtship, who was she to stop him? “Never mind. Are you going to eat the rest of your monkey bread?”

*****

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Koss stood in the doorway of the workout room he’d converted from the third bedroom of his apartment, literally struck dumb by the sight before him. Lola was lying on her back on the floor. One leg was bent at the knee, the foot resting on the floor. The other leg was crossed at a perpendicular angle across the first one. Her lusciously round thighs and delicious derriere were on full display, and he’d never been more aroused in his life. He hadn’t been this turned on the night he’d seen her in Clyde’s, and then she’d barely been clothed. His cock stood at immediate attention, and he could feel every pulse of his rapidly beating heart through its aroused length. He tried to swallow, a futile effort considering that his mouth had suddenly gone bone-dry. Did she have any idea what she was doing to him? He almost groaned aloud when she switched legs, her long, tawny limbs moving with almost liquid grace into the new position. The soft gleam of perspiration on her dark skin made him long to lick it off. Imagining the sharp color contrast of her body pressing intimately against his made him want to groan out loud. They’d been living together for almost a month now, and other than the promised daily kiss, he hadn’t tried to take their physical relationship any further. As he watched Lola continue her hamstring stretches Koss knew one thing for sure: if she still wasn’t ready for anything more, then he needed to get the hell out of that room. Apparently he’d made some type of sound, because Lola raised her head from the floor and stared straight into his eyes. Then he heard her inhale sharply. Clearly, she’d seen the pure lust that he had no possibility of concealing, not to mention the fierce erection that was making him more uncomfortable by the moment. Their eyes locked for what seemed like an interminable time. He saw an answering desire to his own, but still no invitation to take it any further. Wondering how much longer he could keep his word, Koss turned and walked away while he still could. Lola lay on the floor, unable to summon the breath to continue her exercises. It didn’t help that she was suffering pangs of her own frustration. What the hell was wrong with her? It wouldn’t have taken more than the bat of an eyelash and Koss would’ve been all over her, giving her what they both so desperately wanted. Unlike most of her encounters with male lust, seeing its impact on Koss’s face and body had actually awakened the same emotion in her own. Watching his face take on a slumbrous appearance, his eyes darkened and his lips fuller, had made her want to wrap her body around his and never let go. Instead she had lain there on the floor like a frightened virgin. It wasn’t like it was the first time she’d incited male lust. Indeed, her livelihood depended on it. But Koss was a different matter altogether. She wanted to explore that impressive bulge, feel it surge within her own satiny depths. Damn, lying there thinking about it certainly wasn’t helping matters. These moments were coming more and more frequently and it was getting harder to resist the promised pleasure to be found in Koss’s arms. Then again, she wasn’t sure at this point why she was still resisting. She just knew this relationship was different. Koss was different. And not just because of his virginity, though

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to be honest, that was both intriguing and flattering. Despite his self-deprecating speech, Lola suspected Koss hadn’t lacked for opportunities to lose his cherry. For whatever reason, he’d chosen her and the opportunity to be someone’s first was a definite turn-on. There was something tantalizing about starting with a man who was a total clean slate. She knew sex between them would be more than just a satisfaction of sexual urges, though she certainly needed that. But truth be told, she could get that fairly easily and had done so in the past. No, she didn’t want to risk screwing this relationship up by getting physical too soon. Lola was experienced enough to know that taking their time would only make things better…and hotter.

***** “Sorry about that,” Koss said when Lola followed him to the kitchen where he’d retreated to enjoy a cup of a coffee and a snack. “I didn’t expect you to be in there, but that’s no excuse for --” “Looking at me?” Lola interrupted. “Koss, I want you to look at me. Hell, I want to look at you too. I thought that was the whole point.” She twisted the cap off the bottle of water she had removed from the refrigerator and took a long swallow. “I was doing a little more than just looking, but yeah, I get your point. You don’t have class this morning?” “Nope. Class was canceled. So I came back home. I’ve been slacking off on my exercises, and my ankle’s acting up a bit, so I thought I’d catch up.” Over the few weeks they’d lived together Lola and Koss had established a routine. Lola typically had early morning classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She was picking up some of the core curriculum classes she’d missed in her eclectic scheduling over the years. With any luck she would graduate the following winter semester. Koss preferred to sleep late, then write in his study, which was also the workout room, for a few hours. Then they’d spend their afternoons together. Koss frowned at her, watching as she walked gingerly around the large, well-appointed kitchen. “Why haven’t you been doing your workout, Lola? You know how important physical therapy is. You don’t want to go back to Amy, do you? I’d hate to have to tell her you’ve been goofing off.” Lola’s shudder was only partially feigned. She had no desire to return to the tender ministrations of her physical terrorist…er, therapist. “For the love of God, no! I don’t ever want to see that sadistic heffa again. I can’t believe they let physical therapists get away with that shit. Why hasn’t somebody reported them to Amnesty International? Where’s Bono when you need him? I’ll do the damned exercises, geez!” Koss stood up, having finished his snack. “Okay, okay. I won’t tell this time.” He stretched, and in the morning sunlight streaming through the bay window he looked like a huge tawny lion glowing in the sun’s rays. “I feel like cooking tonight. Why don’t we go

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down to the market and get a few things? Oh, by the way, the guys and I are rafting the Ocoee this weekend. Thought you might want to come along.” He raised his brows inquiringly. Koss had an insatiable love for the water and spent most of his free time rafting, canoeing, or kayaking. Lola had always been athletic, but had never been on any type of boat before meeting Koss. Now she shared his enthusiasm for it. Lola bit her lip. “Isn’t that one a bit dangerous? Do you really think I’m up to it?” They had kayaked the Hiwassee and other milder courses, but the Ocoee had Class IV rapids and was much more dangerous than any of their previous rivers. “I told you, kid. You’re a natural on the water. Besides, what’s the point of rafting if it’s not dangerous? The guys are bringing their girlfriends. It’ll be fun. What, you chicken?” Koss mocked. Lola pursed her lips. She’d be damned if she’d let him punk her. “Not on your life, bud.”

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Chapter Nine The Ocoee looked much narrower and more turbulent than any of their previous rivers. Their other runs had been on significantly broader and less unruly rivers. They’d gotten up early and piled into Koss’s and Perk’s SUVs to take the long, twisting road into the east Tennessee backcountry, then taken a shuttle up to the riverhead. Marco had brought his girlfriend, Barbara, a pretty brunette who was almost as tall as Lola’s six feet. Both Perk and D-Day came stag as usual. D-Day had apparently broken up with his latest love interest shortly before the trip, and Perk, suffering from a recent bout of unrequited love, wasn’t seeing anyone. As usual, the ride up to the riverhead had been interminable, but now that they were on the river Lola enjoyed the challenge of the most intense rapids they’d rafted to date. The river was running fast with dam releases that concealed many of the tricky turns that made it a favorite with kayakers as well. They’d also had quite a bit more rain than was common for early July and river levels were considerably higher than they had been even the previous week. As usual, Koss’s self-assured management from the rear of the raft calmed her misgivings, and she settled in to enjoy the run. As the most experienced rafter, Koss took the rear position where he could direct the paddling. Koss had warned them to be particularly careful of the gnarly river, and they were being cautious. They hadn’t been on the river very long and were digging in on their paddles against the powerful suction of a drop pool when a standing wave caught them by surprise. They dug in harder to fight against it, but before they knew it, the wave had turned the raft front over back, tossing them forcefully into the river’s rocky depths. Lola surfaced and as Koss had taught her, she immediately looked around hoping that he’d somehow managed to right the raft. It only took a moment to realize that the current had already taken the boat several yards downstream. It remained in a bottom up position, so Lola knew Koss was still in the water. She trod water as she struggled to keep her legs up and

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her bottom down so her feet wouldn’t get wedged in and beaten up against the rocks. Even on the hot July day, the water, coming as it did from the bottom of the dam, was icy cold and Lola began to shiver. She scanned the river, looking for her companions. D-Day and Marco were farther downstream, along with Marco’s girlfriend. Perk was swimming strongly back toward her, and she fought back panic as she looked frantically around for Koss. A long, tortured moment later she realized that the standing wave that had pitched them into the water now held Koss in its thrall. Most of the rafters had been tossed out past the wave. Koss, who had sat in the rear, was caught in its hydraulic-like depths which kept tumbling him as though he were caught in the world’s largest washing machine. The current collided with a large outcropping of rock, creating a wave that crushed him with several hundred pounds of force. Koss struggled valiantly against it, but didn’t seem able to break free. Lola resisted the almost overpowering urge to dive in to retrieve him, knowing that she’d only put both of them at greater risk. Just when she was about to give in to the deadly impulse, Koss broke free of the current. He trod water for a moment, looking around frantically. She could see the relief on his face when he finally saw her and began moving in her direction. “Come on,” Koss said as he began laboriously dog-paddling toward shore. They half-floated, half-trod water to the shoreline. They caught up to Perk and the three of them reached the rocky shore and pulled themselves up, still gasping for air as they flopped to the ground. They watched as the rest of their group fought their way out of the water as well, then walked back up the river bank toward them. Lola struggled to control her shudders as she realized what had almost happened. Those moments of watching Koss and being unable to help kept replaying in a continuous loop through her mind. Even the realization that they were safe now wasn’t enough to stop the tears when they finally came. Koss reached over and grabbed her hand. “It’s okay, baby. Nobody died. We just got tagged by the river, that’s all. It’s been awhile, but it happens to the best of us,” he said with a wry grin. Lola knew he was right. It was bound to happen sometimes. She tried to calm down. Crying was not usually her thing, but then again, she’d never seen the man she loved almost die right before her eyes. If she’d had any doubts about it before, she no longer questioned her feelings. She loved Koss. Now she only had to figure out what the hell she was going to do about it.

***** Their walk down to the raft take out to catch the shuttle took quite a while. There was no question of going down again. None of them wanted to tangle with the river for a second time that day. Fortunately, they’d had the foresight to pack a change of clothes in their dry

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sacks so they didn’t have to ride back to their vehicles in wet clothes. Knowing that the river would leave them exhausted, even if they hadn’t had to swim for their lives, they’d booked hotel rooms in Chattanooga for the evening. Lola didn’t really pay attention when Koss walked over to the counter to check in, and was puzzled when he returned with a sheepish grin on his face. It only took a few minutes to realize he had booked them into one room. Clearly he didn’t want his friends to know they didn’t share a bed. Lola decided to spare his pride, but she certainly had every intention of giving him hell about it, just on principle, of course. They adjourned to their shared room for a much-needed shower while their friends did the same. “Hey,” Koss said as they entered the room, “you want to take the first shower?” Lola shook her head, somewhat relieved to discover that he’d at least gotten a double room. “No, I think I’ll rest here for a minute. You go ahead.” She flopped down on the edge of one of the beds. Koss lingered in the doorway, then said, “I’m sorry about the rooms. Perk set everything up, and he just assumed…” He shrugged. “I didn’t really know how to tell him that we --” Lola cut him off. “It’s okay, it’s not really their business anyway. Right?” Then when Koss didn’t respond she asked, “Are you okay?” Koss grinned. “Of course.” He looked down at his ankles, covered with scrapes and bruises. “Cut up a little bit, but other than that, I’m fine. How about you?” Lola studied his injuries closely, frowning. The rocks had left him black and blue from his ankles to his knees, and some of the cuts looked fairly deep. “I brought some ointment I can put on those cuts after your shower. God only knows what’s in that water. You don’t want them to get infected.” She wiped a hand over her face. “I’m absolutely whupped, but more than anything, I’m hungry as hell.” “Yeah, me too. We’re going to head down to the Big River for dinner as soon as we get cleaned up, okay?” Lola nodded. Pub grub sounded very appealing at that moment. Koss took a very abbreviated shower and Lola did likewise, though she did linger long enough to let the pounding water ease some of the residual soreness from her contact with the river’s rocky bottom. They dressed in record time, eager to get to the restaurant as soon as possible.

***** The dinner gathering was raucous in the extreme. The beer flowed freely with only Lola abstaining. His friends teased Koss relentlessly about his rafting and directing skills, and he participated in lampooning himself. It seemed to Lola that she was the only one who

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noticed that though Koss laughed as loudly as his friends and even initiated a few jokes, the merriment never reached his eyes. Even she had to chuckle though when their server came to refill their water glasses and all the guys ducked under the table. “Watch out,” Perk called out as he peeked over the table edge in mock fear, his bright green eyes glinting with humor and too much good beer. “He might have a flashback!” Shortly afterward Marco deliberately knocked over his water glass and shouted, “Oh no, Class V rapids! Somebody get him out of the water!” D-Day mimicked throwing a life preserver to his friend. The water jokes kept coming as Koss reminded Perk of a previous kayaking trip when Perk wound up upside down in a drop pool and had to be rescued. Not to mention their sailing adventure the previous summer when their boat had capsized. Everyone agreed that Perk had water issues and seemed to be some type of jinx, but somehow the conversation always returned to Koss. It continued that way late into the evening when their arduous day finally caught up with them. Fortunately their hotel was just across the street from the brew pub, so there was no DUI risk when they sought their beds after the party wound down. With jaw-cracking yawns they paid their tab and returned to the hotel.

***** Lola came out of the bathroom, ready to collapse into her bed. She stopped short when she realized that Koss was still sitting, as she’d left him, on the edge of the bed. “Lola, would you do me a favor?” Lola nodded, transfixed. She’d do anything for him when he turned those soft and liquid eyes on her that way. “Sleep with me?” He waved his hands at her raised brow. “No funny business. I promise. I just want to hold you, okay?” The thought of sleeping with Koss was incredibly appealing and Lola couldn’t resist. She nodded again and walked over to the left side of the bed where she usually slept. He lay down, slipping under the covers. She slid into the bed and turned into Koss’s arms. They shared a brief kiss, then she turned on her side to be enveloped in his brawny arms. In only moments they both fell into a restful slumber. Lola woke at dawn as usual, and decided to check out the hotel’s gym to work out some of the remaining soreness from their unexpected dunking. Not wanting to disturb him, she slid carefully out of Koss’s embrace and slipped into the bathroom. After using the toilet, she washed up and put on her workout clothes. Thankfully, her long weeks of physical therapy were over. The accident had left her with a barely noticeable limp, but aside from that she

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had recovered completely. Amy assured her that if she kept doing the exercises as instructed, even that would be gone in short order. Lola stopped short in the bathroom doorway, surprised to find Koss sitting hunched over on the side of the bed, apparently deep in thought in the darkened room. He was still wearing the boxers and T-shirt he’d slept in. As far as she knew Koss had never seen a sunrise in his life. What the hell was he doing up at this hour? Had she accidentally awakened him? She shook her head at that thought. According to his friends, Koss could, and had, slept through at least one Category Three hurricane. She eased down beside him on the bed’s fluffy depths. “Hey, what’s going on?” Koss turned and stared at her, as though surprised to see her there. “How did you sleep?” he asked, though Lola could tell he had no interest in her reply. He paused for a long moment, rubbing his hands over his face. “You know, I really thought I was going to die out there.” Lola placed her hand over his. “I know, I was scared to death, too.” He blew out a long breath. “That’s never happened to me before.” He resumed his hunched over position. “Really?” Lola asked, surprised. He’d told her about some of the really dangerous rivers he’d kayaked, and he and his friend Perk had had a close call the previous summer. He rubbed his hand over his hair. “I mean, I’ve been in tight spots before, but nothing like that. That damned wave was holding me down like I owed it money. I was trying to dive down to the bottom to get under it, you know, like I taught you?” Lola nodded. “It just kept punching me back up and into the mix. I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t breathe, and I just kept thinking the same thing over and over.” Lola moved closer to him on the bed and placed her hand on his shoulder. “What were you thinking? That you didn’t want to buy it in Tennessee?” Lola tried to inject some humor into the situation. For a transplanted Yankee, Koss was one of the most rabid Alabama football fans she’d ever seen. Dying in the home of one of his team’s greatest rivals was unthinkable. Koss sat up and gave her a brief rueful grin. “That too.” Then he immediately sobered. “Mainly I was thinking I didn’t want to die in front of you. I didn’t want you to have to live with that. Not after all the other shit you’ve already been through.” Lola caught her breath. She couldn’t believe that at a time like that, a time when he might literally have been dying, he was only thinking about her and how she would feel. Nobody had ever felt that way about her. No one had ever said anything so wonderful, or even considered her feelings before. Her breath hitched in her throat as her heart expanded in her chest. She could only stare at him wordlessly. Then the tears began burning behind her eyes as she moved into Koss’s arms. The first kiss was like the many others they’d shared. Intense, but cautious, as if they both knew they could only go so far. Then, this time became

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different. Their mouths devoured, as though they wouldn’t be sated with anything less than consuming one another. They paused for a brief gasping moment, then Lola took Koss’s hand. No further words were necessary as he followed her down on the bed. They fell across the bed with a desperation fed by long-suppressed desire. The fear they’d experienced the day before stoked the flames between them. Lola straddled Koss’s hips as she quickly slid out of the T-shirt and sports bra she’d donned earlier. When she slid her hands under his shirt, the taut flesh underneath was almost sizzling hot. Lola pulled the shirt over his head, pressing her lush bosom against his chest. The feel of his bare flesh against her own felt so good she couldn’t wait to remove the rest of their clothing. Koss suddenly grabbed her head and pulled her back down to claim her mouth with his own. His hands slipped down to her hips, grinding her pelvis against the thickness of his erection, forcing a groan from her lips. Lola gasped again when she suddenly found herself on the bottom of their embrace as Koss flipped her over. He unfastened her capri pants and slid them and her panties over her hips with her eager assistance. Then they both giggled helplessly as her clothes caught under her hips and she had to twist away from him to slip them off. Koss quickly slid off the bed and knelt beside it. Lola felt an almost shattering arousal when Koss whispered, “Tell me if I’m doing this right,” as he spread her legs. Lola’s pussy was glistening with her juices and Koss’s tongue slid across the lips in a soft caress. She arched her back off the bed in response to the first contact. Koss continued the licking motion along the entire slit, pausing only to ask, “Is this okay?” Breathless gasps were Lola’s only response as she grabbed his hair and pressed him harder against her cleft. “Come on, baby, tell me.” Another long lick. Lola tried to answer, but words were beyond her. Koss had taken her clit between his lips and was gently sucking on it. She held back a scream at the sensations streaming through her body. Ever the scientist, Koss continued the double-blind study by resuming the long licks. “Do you like this? Or this?” He thrust his tongue deep inside, mimicking the motion of the lovemaking to come. He looked up at her from the juncture between her legs. “Tell me, Lola.” He took her clit between his lips again, tugging at it gently. “Keep that up,” Lola whispered between clenched teeth, as she forced her trembling legs even closer around his head. He licked again. “Yes, that, right there. Harder. Again.” Koss obeyed, sending Lola nearly into orbit. She wanted to scream, but managed to whisper, “Don’t stop. Whatever you do, don’t stop.” Her head rolled back and forth on the bed. The sleek muscles of her thighs tautened as she gradually climbed the peak of ecstasy. Just a little bit more… Lola couldn’t believe it when Koss groaned and stopped suddenly, climbing up and then collapsing beside her on the bed. She studied his face for a long moment as he drew in several deep, shuddering breaths. Why the hell had he stopped? Her legs were still shaking. Dammit, she’d been so close.

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“What’s wrong?” she asked. “You were doing great,” she encouraged, thinking maybe he was still concerned about his technique. Dude had nothing to worry about. His technique rocked. Koss blew out another heavy breath, then groaned. “I had to stop. I’ve got to calm down, or I’ll come before I even get inside you.” “Is that it? Then get inside me already.” “I thought you might need a little more foreplay.” She grabbed his hand and slid his fingers against the opening of her soaking wet pussy. “Does that feel like I need more foreplay?” Koss closed his eyes as his finger slid inexorably into her satiny hot wetness. He cleared his throat as he replied, “No, I guess not.” She crawled over to the side of the bed and reached over to pull a pack of condoms out of her overnight bag, handing one of the foil packets to him. “Do you want me to put it on you?” Koss groaned again. “I don’t think I could live through that.” He slid his boxers off, baring the cock Lola had been dying to see. She didn’t know why she was surprised that this part of his body was as gorgeous as the rest. His penis was thick and lightly veined, with a bulbous mushroom head. She licked her lips in anticipation of how fabulous it would feel thrusting deep inside her waiting pussy. Koss struggled only briefly with the condom, then followed her down as she slid into a reclining position on the bed. She opened her legs as widely as possible to accommodate his bulk as he pressed her down into the mattress. Koss slid his cock up and down her slit a couple of times before he found the opening, then slid gingerly inside. At that same moment, Lola lifted her hips to achieve the deepest penetration possible. She didn’t try to hold back her groan as his thick length filled her. Her own pleasure intensified when she felt the shudders race through his body as his heavily muscled arms trembled and he gritted his teeth, clearly trying to maintain his control. Knowing that she had the power to arouse him so fiercely brought her even closer to her own climax. Lola began to slowly grind her clit against the base of his cock, setting off a set of delicious tremors in her own body. She closed her eyes to focus on the sensation. When she opened them again she met Koss’s fiery gaze as he began pounding uncontrollably into her. The tremors grew more intense with the fierce thrusts until an explosion of exquisite pleasure went through every nerve in her body. Just as she reached her climax, Koss shouted as his hips surged against hers one last time. He collapsed against her as his own orgasm ripped through him. They lay in boneless silence for a long moment, neither wanting this unbearable ecstasy to end. As soon as he could, Koss shifted his weight off her. “Damn. I can’t believe I tackled you again! Are you okay? How are your ribs?”

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Lola reached up to hold Koss in place. She stroked her hands over his delicious muscles. “No, don’t move yet. You feel so good.” She closed her eyes, luxuriating in the feel of his large body pressing down on her own. Being of considerable size herself, she’d never experienced the glory of being physically dominated. Koss did it with ease. She sighed again. Yummy. Then she remembered. Oh shit! The condom. She looked down to where their bodies met. “Do you know how to pull out?” “It’s okay, Lola. I’m still hard. It’s not going to slip off.” He leveraged himself off her, holding the base of the condom, then got off the bed and went into the bathroom. She heard the toilet flush, then water running briefly before he returned to the room. He handed her a towel, then rejoined her on the bed. “By the way, just because I’ve never done this before, doesn’t mean I’m totally clueless. I’ve had sex ed.” Lola felt the heat rise beneath her skin. Okay, so she’d overdone it. How was she supposed to know that he would know what to do? Better safe than sorry. She rose from the bed and went into the bathroom. After taking as long as she could using the toilet and washing her hands, she paused in the middle of the room. What was he going to say when she came out? What would she want him to say? With any other guy the answer would be simple. As little as possible. Actually, she’d always avoided bringing a guy home for this very reason. Under normal circumstances, once they were done with the sex, she wasn’t interested in further contact. This whole thing with Koss was different. For one thing, they were living together. Would she be okay if he didn’t say anything? How would she handle living with him after this? Would it be as casual and comfortable as it had been? After all, it wasn’t as though they’d declared undying love or anything like that. To him this might not be a big deal. Lola couldn’t believe that she was actually cowering in the toilet in fear of what a man would do. Geez, get a grip and get it over with already. She stood up straight, wishing for only a moment that she’d stopped to get her robe from her bedroom. Her nudity had never bothered her before, but now… Lola reentered the bedroom, and her knees almost buckled when she saw Koss still lying on the bed. Oh, this really is pathetic. Koss patted the bed beside him. “I was about to come get you.” He grinned. “You want to get some breakfast or something?” Lola rejoined him on the bed. “I’m not really hungry yet. It’s kind of early for you too, isn’t it?” Koss agreed. Lola put her head on his shoulder, draping her leg across his. “I don’t think you got much sleep last night anyway. Why don’t we nap for a while, then go out for breakfast?” Koss raised his brows. “When you say nap, do you mean nap or…” “Yes, I mean nap! It’s not going anywhere anytime soon. No point in wearing it out in one day.”

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Chapter Ten The hands held her pinned to the mattress. Cold, clammy probing. It went on and on. No matter how she struggled there was no escape. Their groping hands kept invading the most private parts of her body until there wasn’t an inch of her flesh that remained untouched. As time went on, other hands joined in until there were more hands than she could count, leaving no part of her body unmolested, leaving her no place of sanctuary. No matter how great the depravity and pain, her body refused to respond to her commands. She couldn’t move. It was as though she were paralyzed from her head to the very bottoms of her feet. Only her eyes were capable of movement, but in the tarlike darkness enveloping the room they were as useless as her immobilized limbs. Her diaphragm spasmed as she struggled to force air past her immobile throat. Gooseflesh rose over her as the hands continued using her body as an object for their own gratification. It was possession that in no way related to her as a person. Choked by a fear that left her unable to speak or move, Lola screamed silently over and over again, trying desperately to make Koss hear her. Oh God, he had to hear her. Her desperation increased as the agony continued, eroding her belief in the possibility of being rescued. Would he hear her? Was he there? Would he care, or would he think she’d lost her tenuous hold on sanity? Time droned on while Lola struggled with the demons within her own mind. The torture continued as she gradually felt her personhood slip away. She stopped struggling and let them do as they would. Looking down as if it were another person, she watched what was happening, but no longer felt fear. No longer felt much of anything at all. She didn’t know how it happened. She must have made a sound, or forced her unwilling body to move just a fraction of an inch, but suddenly Koss was there. His arms surrounding her, pulling her back from those who sought to take the last vestiges of her soul and humanity. Then the tears came. How could she ever be free? The nightmares, the night

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terrors came more frequently now as though unleashed by her newfound happiness. Koss continued stroking her back as she trembled in his arms. Try as she might, she could no longer resist the knowledge that she only had one avenue of escape, and unfortunately it wasn’t in Koss’s arms.

***** Lola grinned as she heard Koss’s bellow from down the hall. In fact she had no doubt their neighbors on the first floor had heard him as well. She shook her head. He’d been yelling off and on all morning. Why didn’t the man simply get a graduate assistant to help him with his notes? She’d never met anyone who hated to write as much as he did. Lola put down her textbooks to go find out what had set her cantankerous lover off this time. “What’s going on?” she asked from the doorway of the study. Koss sat as his desk, staring absently into space. “Need some help?” Koss looked up. “No, no. I’m just trying to get my notes organized.” Lola walked over to look over his shoulder at the motley assortment of notes that littered his desk. For such a neat freak, he certainly seemed to take his lab notes on whatever scrap of paper he happened to find. Was that a gum wrapper? Damn! She shook her head as she picked up the sticky notes and at least one dry cleaning ticket. Undoubtedly for his one sport coat -- which he hadn’t been able to locate for the last faculty tea. And his handwriting. It didn’t look like anything produced by a human hand. “I hope you have some kind of magic decoder ring for this. What the hell is that, by the way? Sanskrit?” At least now she understood why he hadn’t gotten anyone to help him. No point in driving a poor, unsuspecting graduate student over the edge. The curriculum was bad enough. Koss picked up a stack of papers and began arranging them into a neater pile. “Are you here just to ride my ass, or did you want something in particular?” he snapped. “Oh, I’m definitely here to ride your ass, but I think I can help. I’m a pretty good typist, and with a little effort I think I can make out those hieroglyphics you call handwriting.” “Trust me, by the time you finish grad school, your handwriting will look like crap, too. Do you really think you can help? You’ve got your own classes --” Lola rolled her eyes. “I’m taking one history class and an English class I should’ve taken years ago. I don’t think I’m in any danger of flunking out anytime soon. It’ll be cool. Your work is so interesting. I wish I’d been there when you were off in the field making these discoveries. It sure beats the hell out of reading some play about a guy who never shows up. Sounds too much like Ginger’s love life.” Koss seemed to ponder the idea for a moment. “I could certainly use the help. Of course I’ll give you collaboration credit…”

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“For what? Doing clerical work? Please! Besides, the last thing we want to do is draw attention to us. You could get into all sorts of trouble.” Lola shook her head vigorously. “I already told you. I don’t give a damn about that. You’re not my student. And you’re unlikely to be my student for at least another year.” “Actually, Koss, I could finish up in December. That’s why I’m getting these core classes out of the way. I’ve already applied for the grad program.” She shrugged. “I probably won’t get in, but I’ve applied.” “You’re kidding? Why didn’t you tell me before?” Lola bit her lip, uncertain herself why she hadn’t shared the news. “I don’t know. I guess I wasn’t sure I would be able to do it. I didn’t want to let you down. ” “Lola, you’re not going to mess this up.” He pulled her into his arms. “You’re too smart for that.” The gentle kisses eased all her fears. Too bad he couldn’t be there to kiss her twentyfour hours a day. She reached over to take his notes. Studying his penmanship ruefully, she shook her head in dismay. Apparently even the most brilliant people had to have some flaws. Koss paused at the keyboard, distracted by Lola’s sprawled position on the floor. She lay on her stomach, which made the graceful arch of her back curving into her magnificent derriere even more prominent than usual. Her waist was so narrow that more than once he’d wondered about its ability to hold up the glorious curves of her backside. Lola had laughed and teased him about his fascination with her ghetto booty. He’d never been to the ghetto, but if all the women were built like her… Every time she changed position Koss lost his place in his work, while she worked with fierce concentration to get his notes in a reasonable order. What a gorgeous distraction. With her hair trying, as usual, to escape from her braids, and wearing the soft cotton outfits she favored at home, she looked as though she’d just gotten out of bed. In fact, he could recall few moments in the last weeks that they hadn’t been in bed, and that’s exactly how he preferred it. He smiled at his body’s familiar response to her lithe movements. He’d had a hard enough time keeping his hands off her before. Now it was impossible. The only thing that saved him from complete humiliation was the fact that she welcomed his attentions and wasn’t shy about initiating her own. He shivered as Lola reached over and slid her hand up his calf. He knew she’d read his mind when she asked, “Ready for a study break, Dr. Koss?” She grinned up at him. Of course, it didn’t take much to read his mind these days. He spent almost every spare moment either making love with Lola or thinking about it. He slipped off his desk chair to join her on the floor. “I think I’ll take you up on that.” Like every other time they made love Koss wanted to grab Lola and immediately thrust himself as deeply inside her as possible. He’d thought those strong urges would lessen with

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time. Instead they seemed to grow stronger each time they came together. But she’d taught him the joy that could be found in waiting, in holding back his orgasm until he thought he’d die if he couldn’t come. Then, and only then, could he follow her into absolute ecstasy. Lola lay on her back on the floor, offering herself up like some type of sumptuous feast. He traced the lush contours of her mouth, reliving the endless pleasure he’d found there. He moved downward, stroking his fingers over the very tip of one of her breasts. He smiled when he was rewarded with a slight moan and her squirming hips. He slid her shirt up, immediately tracing the contours of her sleek torso with his tongue. Lola’s groan was louder this time, and she reached for him. “Koss…” “Uh, uh, uh,” Koss scolded. “Not yet.” He couldn’t resist slipping his hand into the waistband of her trousers until he found her slick wetness. Koss gritted his teeth. Damn, he loved the way she responded to him. He couldn’t hold back his groan when Lola stroked him through his pajama bottoms, then reached inside to wrap her hand around his fierce erection. When he felt her lips surround the head of his cock his whole body went rigid as he arched his neck back to keep from exploding on the spot. Every muscle in his body tightened as he leaned back on his elbows so he wouldn’t grab her head. She slid her tongue lovingly down his shaft, then followed by engulfing his whole length in her mouth. Koss couldn’t take another minute. He pulled her up from his cock, and his mouth found hers in a kiss that left them both gasping for more. “I want to be inside you when I come,” he whispered as he slid her pants off. Then he remembered. The condoms were in the bedroom. “Wait right here.” He quickly returned with the packet, then lay back on the floor to enjoy the most exquisite pleasure he’d ever experienced -- Lola putting the condom on him. She slowly unrolled the membrane down his length, dispersing gentle licks and kisses with each movement of her fingers. The sensuous touches sent shivers down his spine, until he had to beg her to stop before he came in her soft hands. He quickly pulled her astride him, sinking his cock as deeply into her silken depths as he could. Koss clenched his fingers on her hips to hold her in place for his strong thrusts. He knew if she moved, even by so much as an inch, he wouldn’t be able to keep from coming. He met her glazed expression with his own. Her eyes were half-closed; her lips looked almost bruised from the onslaught of his kisses. Her nipples stood up dark and turgid against the paler flesh of her breasts, signaling the depth of her arousal. He slid his hand to her clit and began stroking it rhythmically. Up and down. Thus freed from his embrace, Lola began to grind herself against his cock, gasping and shuddering as she reached her orgasm. Koss grasped her hips again as with one final thrust he felt his own release roar through his body. Lola collapsed atop him, still shivering from her completion.

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Koss could keep only one coherent thought in his mind. He loved Lola with everything in him, and he wouldn’t be content until she was his, and only his, for all time.

***** Lola lolled in the warm water of the small lap pool in the basement of Koss’s building. She’d always loved swimming and since Amy had recommended it as good therapy for her ankle she’d tried to do it as much as possible, especially in the evening when no one else was likely to be in the pool. She turned on her back and began a series of desultory backstrokes, focusing on using her feet with little assistance from her arms in order to give her ankle the optimal workout. Lola particularly liked swimming on her back and the sense of isolation and detachment from the world it gave her. Just as she turned to swim the length of the pool again strong arms suddenly pulled her under the water. She came up sputtering, prepared to scream, even though she knew almost immediately that Koss had joined her. She’d left him working diligently on his paper. Apparently he’d decided to take a break. She dove to the bottom of the pool, grabbing him by the ankles to pull him down just as he surfaced. It didn’t take him long to dive under her, lifting her out of the water, then dropping her with a huge splash. They continued playing in the water like a pair of young otters, dunking one another time and again. Lola finally sprang up and wrapped her legs around Koss’s waist, intending to pin him underwater, but she was distracted by a sudden awareness of his powerful erection. She immediately felt her own answering arousal as her nipples tightened and she looked up to meet Koss’s tempestuous gaze. “You ready to go back upstairs?” he asked. Lola gave him a considering look. He’d gained a lot of experience in the past few weeks. He hadn’t lied when he said he was a fast learner. Public sex was an advanced skill, but he was a certified genius, surely he could catch on. She looked around the room, fairly certain that no one would be coming into the pool area at that late hour. And if they did, she shrugged, then they’d certainly get a hell of a show. Lola gave Koss a mischievous grin, then slid her hand down into the waistband of his swim trunks. She delighted in his gasp when she began stroking his erect penis. “Somebody might come down here,” Koss warned while he could still think. “I should hope so,” Lola returned, delighted with the double entendre. Koss backed up against the wall of the pool with Lola’s legs still around his waist. He leaned back, his eyes closed, as she slipped under the water. Lola took his hard cock between her lips. Feeling its engorged length against her tongue aroused her even more and she couldn’t contain the wicked purr that worked its way up through her throat. Nothing turned her on more than the knowledge that she had this strong man totally at her mercy. She surfaced for air, taking a brief moment to lick droplets

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of water from Koss’s highly contoured abdomen. He opened his eyes briefly to look down at her, then pulled her up for a sizzling kiss. “Come on, Lola. Stop playing,” he urged. “Let’s go back upstairs.” Lola pulled away with a wag of her finger. “I don’t think so.” Then she dove down again to resume her sensuous assault. She rolled her tongue around the bulbous head of his cock again and again, feeling the tremors that the movement set off through his body. He grabbed her shoulders when she came up for air again, but Lola wouldn’t be deterred. She loved sucking his cock. Providing him with that pleasure turned her on like nothing else. Something about having to hold her breath while she did it kicked the erotic component into a higher gear. She took his balls in her hands, gently stroking them as she returned to her ministrations on his cock. Following the thick vein with her tongue, she took his whole length in her mouth, bobbing her head up and down. This time when she came up to catch her breath, Koss wouldn’t be denied. He grabbed Lola and pulled the briefs of her tankini down in one motion. Then he turned around and lowered her so that her bottom was balanced on the edge of the pool. He slipped one, then two fingers inside her, stroking in and out in a continuous motion, while his thumb rotated on her clitoris. Lola burrowed her face against the side of his neck, keening her pleasure as he continued finger fucking her. He sped up the movement, rhythmically matching her hip thrusts. Just when Lola thought she couldn’t take it for another moment, he spread her legs wide, leaving her totally open to him as he thrust his cock as deeply as possible into her soaking wet pussy. Lola was incapable of further thought as the feel of the broad head of his cock parting her nether lips set off a chain of orgasms the like of which she’d never experienced. Just when she’d come down off one, Koss would begin pounding into her even more strongly, initiating the sequence all over again. He continued that way, his face pressed into her neck, his fingers gripping her hips so tightly she knew she’d have bruises the next day. She could feel the muscles bunch tightly under his shoulders as he gritted his teeth to hold back his groans when his release slammed through his body. Koss stood still, the shudders rippling through him as Lola raised her head for a long, lingering kiss. She pulled away, then grinned up at him. “And just imagine, for a moment there, I didn’t think you were ready to do it in public. Just wait until you see what I’ve got for you next time.” Koss returned her smile with a bemused grin of his own. “I can hardly wait,” he murmured, lowering his head for another kiss.

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Chapter Eleven The crisp fall air was redolent with the universal smells of a state fair -- the overly sweet scent of cotton candy, contrasted with the heavier aroma of fried dough from funnel cakes. Lola took a deep breath as she and Koss stepped off another death-defying ride. Lola swayed a bit, then turned to her companion. “I swear, if we ride another one of those I’ll either throw up or pass out…or both.” Koss placed a massive arm around her shoulders. “C’mon, Lo, it’s not that bad. Besides, I told you it was a bad idea to eat the funnel cake and the candy apple.” Lola gave him a speaking glance, then began walking toward another refreshment booth. Koss shook his head at her until he realized she was simply buying a bottle of water. After taking an appreciative sip of the water, Lola passed the bottle to Koss and motioned toward one of the arcades. “Look, if you shoot the ducks you can win me a big old diamond ring.” She looked down at her bare hands. “It’s about time you got me a little bling.” Koss nodded, then took her arm. “Sounds good. I think I can impress you with my marksmanship.” Koss made short work of the duck shoot, then turned to Lola with his prize. With a flourish, he dropped to one knee on the still-warm pavement and presented the ring to Lola. “Lola, will you marry me?” Lola looked down at the tacky brass ring he’d just slipped on her finger and couldn’t help but giggle at the silliness of his gesture. “Sure, Koss. I’ll marry you.” Koss immediately leaped to his feet and began spinning Lola around. “That’s great. How about some celebratory cotton candy?”

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Lola grabbed her tummy and groaned out loud, but she couldn’t resist his enthusiasm and followed him to the next concession booth.

***** “I was thinking next spring would be a good time to get married. I’ve always thought an outdoor wedding would be nice. I wonder if they have weddings up at Ocoee? It would be beautiful,” he mused. “What?” Lola screeched, bumping her head on the cabinet she had reached into to retrieve a pot. He raised the lid on the gumbo she’d been cooking all day, took a deep breath to inhale the aroma, then continued the conversation. “Okay, so you don’t want an outdoor wedding. No big deal.” Lola stood up, the pot for the rice forgotten as she stared at Koss. “Why are we talking about weddings?” She asked the question slowly, as if talking to someone she suspected might be a bit slow. “Sweetheart, I don’t know much about dating, but doesn’t a marriage usually follow an engagement?” “Koss, we’re not engaged.” “We most certainly are. Remember? I proposed two weeks ago.” He raised her left hand. “You’re wearing my ring.” Lola snatched her hand back out of his grasp. “Koss, this isn’t a ring; it’s a joke. I thought you were kidding.” “If you thought I was kidding, why are you still wearing my ring?” Lola stepped away, confused by the question. Somehow she’d never been able to bring herself to remove the trinket. “I dunno. I thought it was funny.” She reached down to remove it. “Koss, you can’t propose to somebody with a toy ring.” Koss grabbed her hand, preventing her from removing the ring. “I thought you might say something like that. That’s why I got this.” He removed a small jeweler’s box from his pocket. Suddenly there wasn’t enough oxygen in the room. Lola doubted there’d be enough on the entire planet as she gazed down in amazement at the massive diamond ring Koss was holding out to her. Had he really asked her to marry him? The roaring in her ears made Lola doubt her hearing, and her sanity for that matter. “It’d be nice if you’d say something,” Koss said. “Is it the ring? The jeweler said I could bring it back if you didn’t like it.”

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Lola shook her head. Who wouldn’t like the gorgeous princess-cut ring in a platinum Tiffany setting? She reached for the box as tears seeped from the corners of her eyes. “Koss, it’s absolutely beautiful, but…” “But what?” “I can’t marry you.” “What?” “I can’t marry you.” “Why the hell not? I love you, you love me, what’s the problem?” “You love me?” Lola didn’t know why that made a difference, but it did. Nothing could be crazier than the idea of this brilliant scientist marrying a stripper. She had to be out of her mind, but she wanted to do it so desperately. “Of course I love you. All of western civilization knows I took one look at you and lost my freaking mind. How could you doubt it?” Koss’s hair literally stood on end in his irritation. The tears came faster, and Lola put down the ring and picked up a towel from the counter. She mopped up the tears, then picked up the ring again. “You never told me you loved me.” “What are you talking about? I told you the night I asked you to move in. I told you I’d probably screw up, but it would never be on purpose. And that I’d do everything in my power not to hurt you. What did you think I was saying?” What indeed? It was as clear as mud when he put it that way. “Koss, sometimes a girl just needs the words, okay?” Koss took the ring box back. “Okay, I’ll try again. Lola, I love you. Will you marry me?” He extended the ring again, his eyes glowing with emotion -- a gleaming liquid silver that always had the power to melt her heart. “Don’t you think it’s too soon for all this? Shouldn’t we take some time to get to know one another…” She met his gaze with her own, trying desperately to be reasonable when in actuality she wanted to wrap her arms around him and never let go. Marry him? She wanted to be surgically attached to him for life! Koss shook his head vigorously. “I thought we agreed that we weren’t going to do things that way? We’re just going to skip all the craziness and get down to what’s important. I love you, Lola. Do you love me?” Lola couldn’t form words. She just nodded as she wiped her eyes once again. “Given that you love me, and I sure as hell love you, why shouldn’t we get married?” he asked, sounding very much like a professor giving a lecture. Lola sniffed loudly. There was that impeccable logic again. She couldn’t refute it, so she said the only thing she could. “Yes, Koss, I’ll marry you.”

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Koss removed the ring from the box and slid it on next to the tacky brass one he’d won at the fair. It should’ve looked ludicrous, but Lola had never seen a more beautiful sight. She stood in Koss’s embrace, trying to stanch the flood of tears. This should be the happiest day of her life. The man she loved reciprocated her feelings and had just put five carats on her finger to make sure the whole world knew it. She knew she should be overjoyed, yet joy was the least of her emotions. At the moment she was almost overcome by a deep, overriding fear. Stuff like this didn’t happen to girls like her, and when it did, they almost always screwed it up. Somehow she knew this wouldn’t be any different.

***** “Good morning, Soon-To-Be Mrs. Koss,” Koss greeted her, as he had every morning that week while presenting her with yet another yummy breakfast. Lola sat up, looking at her fiancé in amazement. For a man who’d never seen the sunrise before in his life, he’d suddenly become a regular morning glory. “Hey, I’ve already said I’d marry you. You don’t have to go through this much trouble. You know you’ll never be able to keep this up.” She laughed. Koss set the tray down over her hips, then joined her on the bed. “I’m not taking any chances. Who knows when I’ll screw up again. I’ll have all these wonderful breakfasts to fall back on.” Lola looked down at her favorite soft scrambled eggs with cheese and fruit. He’d even placed a single pink rose on the tray. The man was serious. The room fell silent as she began eating her breakfast, and Koss sipped a cup of coffee he’d brought in on her tray. It took her awhile to realize that the silence was a bit unusual. Typically they would discuss the progress on his paper, or they’d talk about the news of the day. This morning he seemed distracted, staring off into the distance. She waited a bit, and when he still said nothing she raised a questioning brow. “What?” he asked in response to her silent query. “What’s going on? You’ve been awfully quiet these past few days. You haven’t even been yelling while you worked on your paper…” Koss shook his head. “Nothing…” he dismissed, then continued as if he’d thought better of it. “What do you think about moving to Atlanta?” “Atlanta?” Lola took a sip of her own coffee. “What’s in Atlanta?” “The CDC,” Koss replied succinctly. “The CDC? You mean a job?” Lola pursed her lips in puzzlement Koss nodded.

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“But you’ve always said you didn’t want to work there unless you could be a chief of one of the centers or something.” She inhaled sharply in sudden excitement. “Koss! Did they --” “Special pathogens chief?” At her nod, he continued. “No, you know I don’t have the chops for that yet.” “So why are you going? You always said you could get all the experience and none of the bullshit right here at Birmingham U. That’s pretty much a direct quote.” Koss slid off the bed and began pacing across the elaborately patterned bamboo floor. The entire room had an organic zen feel to it with its strongly Asian influence enhanced by the soft neutral tones and natural materials he’d chosen. “I know what I said, Lola. Would you stop repeating my words back at me?” he barked at her. Then he took a deep breath, rubbing a hand over the top of his head. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bite. I think I’d just like a change of pace, that’s all.” Lola frowned; something about this didn’t seem right. Leave BU, where he was sitting pretty and exchange it for an entry-level job he’d never wanted at an agency he hated? It simply made no sense. With his temperament he wouldn’t last fifteen minutes, and he knew it. She moved the tray off their bed and walked over to the window where Koss stood looking out onto the view of the park below. Wrapping her arms around his waist from behind she asked a question she really didn’t want answered. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on, or am I going to have to go to my sources?” Koss turned around with a smirk. “I’m surprised you don’t already know. Your sources probably know better than I do.” He wrapped his arms around her waist. “It’s really no big deal. I told Dean Stewart we were engaged, and he decided to give me some advice, that’s all.” Lola rolled her eyes at him. “I’m not even going to ask why you’re running around telling people we’re engaged.” Koss leaned back in their embrace to look down at her. “Uh…because we are.” He raised the hand where the ridiculously large token of his love resided. “Yep, it’s still there.” Lola didn’t bother to respond about why it wasn’t a good idea to broadcast their relationship and instead returned to the original topic. “So, let me guess, the dean didn’t approve of his star professor marrying a black stripper.” Koss let out a bark of laughter. “That’s the funny part, he doesn’t even know about you being a stripper. And he didn’t mention the race thing, either. He and his secretary are so tight I couldn’t imagine that he’s racist.”

Not as tight as the secretary would like, Lola mused, but thought it better to keep that bit of information to herself. “You know how conservative this school is. Having black friends and coworkers is one thing…”

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Koss shook his head firmly. “It’s not that. He’s worried about me marrying a student. Said it might not look so good. That it might give me a little trouble with achieving tenure.” “Oh, sweetheart, I’m sorry, but I did warn you…” Lola counseled. “I know, but I’m not worried about it.” “Atlanta, Koss? You’ve spent your entire career here. I don’t think you’re ready to leave yet.” “I’m not ready, but I’m not giving you up for anything, and I’m certainly not going to listen to any bullshit about our relationship. It’s no big deal, sweetheart. It’s not like there’s a job shortage or something. And, as you keep reminding me, I have plenty of money. I don’t have to work.” Lola slipped out of his arms, wandering back over to the bed. “Yeah, that might be so, but you know you have to do this. You love your work.” Koss joined her on the bed. “Not nearly as much as I love you.” He leaned down to give her a tender kiss. Lola wrapped her arms around his neck, luxuriating in the feel of his warm body pressed against hers. She returned his kiss eagerly, wanting to quiet the doubts that had been aggravating her since he’d placed the ring on her finger. For now, just for now, she’d enjoy the thrill of being Koss’s fiancée, even knowing it was too good to last.

***** Lola awakened with a gasp, her body covered in sweat. She curled into a ball, shuddering as she struggled to choke back the horror. Not wanting to awaken Koss, she slipped out of the bed in the darkened room and crawled into the bathroom. Having used up all her energy to make it out of the bedroom, she collapsed on the floor, her back against the tightly closed door. Lola pressed her eyes against her upraised knees, desperate to shut out the horror. The dreams were becoming more frequent now, leaving her limp and exhausted from the struggle. She’d been trying for years to escape their grasping hands, their merciless invasion of her body, but now she knew she’d never be free. A wave of nausea shook her as she struggled to make it to the toilet. As her body responded to the misery that dwelled so deeply inside her, Lola made her decision.

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Chapter Twelve “Ohmigod! Look at that thing!” Lola wrenched her hand from her friend’s grasp. “Ginger, will you please quiet down?” She tried to muzzle Ginger’s ear-piercing outburst. “I don’t want everybody all up in my business.” Ginger studied her hand more closely, touching the sideshow ring. “But what the hell is that tacky shit?” she asked. Lola gritted her teeth. “It’s a long story. Now let go and pipe down.” Ginger relinquished her hand. “I can’t believe he proposed,” she said in a softer tone. Then she frowned in obvious confusion. “But what the hell are you doing here?” Her gesture encompassed the dressing room at Clyde’s. “Why aren’t you at home playing footsie with Mr. , Gotrocks?” “I want to see if I can get back on the schedule,” Lola replied. “What?” Every eye in the room turned toward them again at Ginger’s crystal-shattering screech. Lola grabbed her arm and pulled her down the hall toward the showers, away from prying eyes. “Will you keep your voice down?” she hissed. “I told you I’d be coming back here when I got back on my feet. I’ve got to work on my tan too.” She motioned toward the tanning bed the club kept available for the dancers. “I’ve gotten really pale while I’ve been laid up, and you know that won’t do. I need to darken up a little bit, otherwise I’ll lose my ‘exotic’ image.” She derided the fact that she had to be dark enough to stand out from the white dancers, but not so dark that she lost the cachet her fair complexion gave her with the black customers. Men! There was simply no pleasing them, but she was paid to try. “But you’re engaged. Do you really think Koss is going to let you work in this place?” Ginger asked, ignoring the last half of Lola’s statement. She’d heard her friend complain

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about having to tan before. She avoided it like the plague. Her customers loved the contrast between her flaming red hair and milk-white skin. “I’m a grown woman, Ging. Koss knows I’m going back to work. I can’t…” She paused and took a deep breath. “I can’t, I won’t be dependent on anyone ever again.” She gave her friend a speaking glance. “You know what’s up.” Ginger looked around, realizing that they were still the center of attention. “C’mon, let’s get the hell out of here. We’ll go down to Mooney’s and get something to drink.” They took the brief walk down the block to their favorite twenty-four hour coffee shop. The owner actually made his living as a fence, using the small café as a cover for his more lucrative enterprise. Therefore, the restaurant lacked any type of ambience, except for perhaps that of a garage sale when Mooney wasn’t able to turn over the stolen merchandise in a timely manner. Hygiene standards were not an issue as the place mysteriously never appeared on the health inspector’s map. Surprisingly good food guaranteed return customers, especially because the prices made up for what it lacked in atmosphere. It was also patronized by the local working girls, but this time of day it was reasonably empty. They each ordered a glass of iced tea. Ginger waited until the waitress left the table with their order. “What the hell is going on with you?” “I’ve been taking care of myself for a while,” Lola replied. “I’m not going to be dependent on anybody else. When you do that they can treat you any way they want.” “You’re too smart for this shit, Lola. That big old boy would take out his heart and hand it to you if you wanted it. The man who put that ring on your finger isn’t going to mistreat you, and you know it. I’ve been at this gig a lot longer than you. This is stripper brain, plain and simple.” Lola rolled her eyes at her friend. “Oh, please. Give me some credit. I’ve got my issues, but I don’t have stripper brain. Do you see me wasting my money on a whole bunch of nonsense? I don’t even own a fur, and I certainly don’t buy designer shoes,” she said pointedly. Ginger’s affinity for shopping was legendary, even by stripper standards. “No sports car, either. Hell, even my cell phone is basic!” she snorted. “And I sure as hell am not strung out on drugs. I spent sixteen years in that hell known as foster care because my mama couldn’t turn that shit loose, so you know I’m not touching it. Bottom line is, I just need to make a living, okay?” Lola gritted her teeth, annoyed that she’d allowed herself to be dragged into this pointless conversation. Where the hell was self-absorbed, amoral Ginger when she needed her? Talking to the girl was like playing Magic 8-Ball sometimes. She never had a clue who would turn up. Analytical, insightful Ginger cut too close to the bone for comfort and was best taken in very small doses. “There’s more than one way to have stripper brain, Lola. You’re definitely fucking up your life by throwing this guy away. And don’t tell me you need the money. Even I know

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you can just go in debt out the ass like every other broke-ass college student out there. This isn’t about needing money. This is about power.” Ginger reached into her bag, rummaging around a bit before pulling out a stick of gum. “Goddamned cigarettes,” she muttered beneath her breath before resuming the conversation. “I swear to God every strip club in this fucking country is a nightly sexual abuse survivor’s meeting. Just once I want to meet a dancer that didn’t have somebody poking at her when she was still in diapers.” “Do we have to go there?” Lola asked. “I dealt with my life a long time ago, and it’s certainly not influencing my decisions now.” Ginger barked a harsh laugh. “Sure you’ve dealt with it. That’s why you’re chewing off your leg to work in a goddamned titty bar when a man, and a decent one at that, is offering you the world. You’re reliving that shit. You think if you can just get it right you’ll have control over men, and they won’t be able to hurt you anymore. Take it from me, honey, I tried it for years. It never works. I’ll bet you’re still having those nightmares too.” Lola lowered her eyes, refusing to confirm what her friend already knew. “Did you think I wouldn’t know what’s going on, Lo? I lived with you for years. I know you, and now you’re just running scared.” “You’re a fine one to talk,” Lola fired back. “If I’m screwing the pooch, what the hell are you doing with your five hundred dollar shoes?” “At least I know I’m fucked in the head. You’re so deep in De Nile the crocodiles are chomping at your crotch,” Ginger retorted. “Besides, I’m not with Harold anymore. What the hell do you think I’m doing back at Clyde’s?” Lola’s eyes widened in astonishment. “You’ve left your house?” “Hell no. I told you the minute he put it in my name I was going to kick his ass to the curb.” Ginger tossed her hair in a patented gesture of indifference. “What? Ging, have you lost your mind? Dude is rich as all shit. He’s not going to let you get away with this!” “What can he do? Shoot me? I don’t think so.” Ginger snapped her gum for emphasis. Lola closed her eyes and prayed for the strength to ignore her friend’s gum-snapping habit; she could hardly complain since it was she who’d insisted that Ginger stop smoking. Lola suspected that before everything was over with, smoking would be the least of their concerns. She sighed, then finished her iced tea. “I’m going back to work. I’ve got to do it. I admit I really don’t know why, but I’ve got to. I love being with Koss, but it scares me too. It’s like I can’t breathe sometimes.” She sighed heavily. “I can’t explain it. Hell, maybe it is stripper brain.” She snorted derisively. “It won’t be the first time I’ve screwed something up royally. Koss will be okay with it.” She shrugged with a carelessness that she didn’t feel. “If he’s not, he’s not.” She met her friend’s stormy gray eyes with her own. “I do wonder sometimes, though, if we’re not all fucked up beyond repair.”

*****

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“I think I’m going back to work at Clyde’s,” Lola said as she reached down to pick up another piece of laundry. “What?” Koss asked, looking over his shoulder from the dinner he was preparing on the cooktop. “My ankle is all healed up now. It’s time for me to go back to work.” Lola finished folding the towels and moved on to the sheets. The laundry area occupied a small corner of the kitchen and they shared the space as they completed their respective tasks. “Fine, go back to work, but why does it have to be at Clyde’s? You’re a good typist, you’ve helped me a lot with my research and papers.” “Goodness knows nobody else on earth would ever have been able to translate those hieroglyphics you call writing.” Koss ignored her sneered comment. “Can’t you get a typing or clerical job?” he asked, distracted by a flare-up from one of the chops he was grilling. “Koss, I’m a full-time student. I need to make lots of money and have flexible hours. Jobs for folks with a GED that pay lots of money aren’t exactly thick on the ground.” Koss frowned. Giving up on the chops, he removed them from the grill and turned to give Lola his full attention. “Sweetheart, you don’t need to make lots of money. Matter of fact, you don’t need to make any money. I thought we talked about this already.” Lola bristled. “I told you when I moved in. I’m not going to let anybody support me. I’m not going to live off you.” Koss moved toward her, taking her ring hand as he pulled her into a loose embrace. “I’m not just anybody, Lola,” he chided, “I’m your fiancé. Soon to be your husband. Who should support you if not me?” He shook his head as though bemused. “I can’t let you do this.” Lola took a deep breath, her thoughts whirling through her panicked mind. I’ve got to do this. He’s not listening to me. How can I make him listen ? Her breath hitched as she thought of the one way she’d always been able to get people to listen to her. Her mind shut down as she began to move, grinding her body against his. She pulled his head down for a carnal, open-mouthed kiss. For a moment he struggled against her, but quickly succumbed when she began stroking his rapidly hardening erection. Confident in her actions, Lola sank to her knees in front of Koss. He slumped back against the kitchen cabinets as though a puppet master had suddenly clipped his strings. She slid his zipper down and removed his cock from the confines of his trousers. She deep throated him on the first stroke, engendering a near-scream as Koss clutched her head like a man going down for the third time. Lola slid her mouth up and down on his shaft, tracing the thick vein that ran along its length with her tongue. Then she pulled back until only the bulbous mushroom head remained between her sinful lips. She grasped the base of his cock with her hand, then

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pulled away, her mouth making a delicious popping sound as it slid off the head of his penis. She slowly rose from her knees, still holding his cock. She began to stroke him slowly, speeding up as he gasped, his face contorting into an almost painful grimace. She stopped, tightening her grip on the base as she leaned forward to whisper in his ear. “Don’t come.” Koss shook his head from side to side, so close to the edge that he was beyond comprehending mere words. Lola ratcheted up the intensity with more lingering strokes from the base to the tip, bringing Koss off the cabinet and up on his tiptoes. He was so close… Lola turned and began walking toward their bedroom, still holding his penis. Koss followed still in thrall, near orgasm. They stopped when they reached her bedside table. Lola pulled a tube of lubricant out of the drawer and placed it on the bed. Watching his reaction closely, she slowly began an impromptu striptease, her every move calculated to destroy what little control Koss had left. His eyes had glazed over; his lips were full, swollen with desire. She could tell that he was so caught up that he barely knew his own name. He’d do anything she wanted; she had complete control. She shivered in delight as she watched Koss’s excitement increase. The shudders that racked his body set off a similar response in her own. Having the power to bring this man to his knees was as heady as any aphrodisiac. Driven past reason, Koss grabbed her by the waist and bore her down onto the plush comforter. Lola looked up into eyes turned stormy with lust, then pressed against his chest as she rose into a sitting position. “I want to try something different,” she whispered as she rose up on all fours. Koss groaned at the unbearably sensual picture she made with the luscious globes of her brown ass on display. It amazed him that the top of his head hadn’t already exploded from the force of his arousal. He looked down at his cock, which had been leaking precum for what seemed like hours. It took him a moment to understand what she was asking. Sex in this position was certainly nothing new. He doubted there was a position left that they hadn’t tried. Her ass was incredibly tempting and he had often fantasized about taking her this way. It was so carnal, so goddamned erotic that as much as he wanted to, he couldn’t resist. Her blatant manipulation was almost enough to cool his ardor, but the temptation of sliding his cock into her was too strong. God, if he didn’t have her soon… Koss moved closer to her, clumsy from the lust thrumming through every cell. He palmed the delectable globes of her ass, gritting his teeth to hold back the eruption threatening to overtake him. He picked up the lube, pausing a moment in uncertainty. He met Lola’s gaze, his eyes following the movement of her tongue as she licked her lips. Instinct took over as he squeezed a generous amount of the lubricant onto his fingers, then found her tightly puckered asshole.

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Lola gasped and squirmed beneath him as he gently probed her opening with one, then two fingers, letting him know he was the doing the right thing. She shivered in tandem with his movements her arched back a blatant invitation to much greater penetration. The tightness that surrounded his fingers was almost unbearably arousing to Koss’s already overstimulated senses. Still sliding his fingers in and out of her ass, he reached underneath her and strummed her clitoris. He pressed his overheated body against hers as his talented fingers found just the right rhythm to set off Lola’s first orgasm. Incited by her tremors of satiation, he began finger fucking her at an increasingly furious pace. Lola’s moans grew deeper, and she dropped her head, totally strung out by the double penetration. Her hips were moving frantically beneath him now, egging him on to completion. Unable to hold back even another moment, Koss slipped another generous dollop of lube on his throbbing penis, then moved his hips forward until the head was pressed against her asshole. Lola was panting now, “Please, Koss. Please hurry up.” He grabbed her hips, careless of the marks that were bound to be left from such force, and pressed his cockhead past the tightness of her anal ring. It was all he could do not to come immediately. In this position he could see the marked contrast of his pale cock penetrating the richness of her velvety smooth, darker skin. The sight sent another shaft of lust through his balls. His back arched as he struggled to contain himself; he didn’t want to hurt her, and had to struggle against the urge to bottom out in one thrust. Inch by inch he slowly penetrated her, panting from the exertion of holding back from his own instincts. Lola was pushing back against him; her throaty moans were enough to make him forget himself, and before he knew it, he was balls deep in her succulent ass. He slid in and out again, and again, his body jackhammering against hers. They writhed together. The sound of their sweat-slickened flesh meeting and parting alternated with the gasps and groans that reverberated through the room as they cried out with a pleasure too intense for any other communication. Just when Koss didn’t think he could take another moment, Lola’s shudders signaled her impending orgasm. Watching her reach completion sent him right over the edge. He grabbed her hips in a death grip as he slammed into her again and again. He was beyond thinking, capable of only feeling the tightness around his cock. His back arched and he couldn’t contain the animal-like growls that came from deep in his throat as he came with a power he’d never experienced before. Too weak to move even the few inches it would have taken to fall on the bed, he collapsed against Lola’s still-shuddering back. Their bodies glistening with sweat, she raised her head to share a soul-destroying kiss, then Koss mustered just enough strength to slip down beside her on the bed. After what could have been an hour or only minutes, Lola stirred beside him on the bed. “I could use a shower.” Koss recognized an invitation when he heard one. He smiled but didn’t open his eyes. “You go ahead. I still can’t feel my legs.”

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She smirked at him as she rose from the bed, and he settled back for a quick nap, knowing that she thought she’d won their argument. His breath caught on a brief moment of panic. There had to be a way to make her understand that she didn’t need to go back to that place. He could take care of her, if she’d only let him.

***** “I can’t let you do this.” Lola paused in the midst of braiding her hair. She’d forgotten her shower cap and the thick mane had expanded tremendously in the humidity of the shower. She looked over her shoulder at Koss from her position in front of the dresser. He lay back against the bed’s leather headboard, his relaxed posture as deceptive as his mild manner. She turned back toward the mirror, inhaling deeply as she tried to think of what to do next. “I told you, I have to make a living. You knew I was a stripper when you met me. If you had a beef with it, you should’ve left me alone.” “You know it’s not safe. You told me yourself that sometimes guys follow you home --” “That was years ago, and I worked in a different kind of place then.” “Oh yeah, Clyde’s has a much more upscale clientele. Do you really think money keeps people from being crazy?” “Clearly not.” She gave him a pointed look. Koss got up from the bed, resplendent in his nakedness, and walked up behind her, placing both hands on her shoulders. “Baby, we can work this out.” Lola shivered lightly at his tone. It was so deliciously tempting to just let go and let him take care of her, but… She swallowed as the old fears rose up, burning the back of her throat. She struggled to breathe. He was too close. There wasn’t enough room for her. Bile rose in her throat in a hot, sickening wave as she swallowed back the choking fear. Never again. No one would ever think he could do what he wanted with her body just because he took care of her. Her survival instincts, honed by years of subsistence living, kicked in. She leaned forward, ducking under his arm in a practiced move to get away from him. The clammy sweat that signaled a full-blown panic attack slowly crept up her body. This was it. The posh designer bedroom faded away and she was back in any number of confined spaces while someone used her body for his own gratification. Small. Powerless. Helpless. No. Never again. Lola gritted her teeth. She wouldn’t lose control this way. She jumped up from the chair and stood in the doorway of the dressing room. “Can’t let me? You can’t let me do this?” she asked, the quiver in her voice signaling her rage. “I’m a grown woman and I’ll do whatever or whoever the hell I want, whenever the hell I want.” Then she turned and stormed into the dressing room. The room vibrated from the force of the slammed door.

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Koss stood in the middle of the floor, absolutely flabbergasted. What the hell had just happened? He was still pondering Lola’s strange behavior when she swept into the room, her backpack tossed over her shoulder. “Just in case you’re wondering. I’m going to Clyde’s. I’m working the late shift tonight. Don’t wait up.” The door slammed behind her. D-Day’s cautionary words flashed briefly through Koss’s mind. Clearly he’d been far too optimistic when he’d assured his friend that Lola wasn’t a crazy stripper chick.

***** Clyde’s was jumping. The air thrummed with excitement. Koss looked around, taking in the gaudy luxury of the club. The mirrored walls reflected what seemed like acres of burgundy vinyl and brass, but he didn’t see Lola. He made eye contact with Juicy working the bar and made his way through the crowd to the big man. He ordered a Newcastle, then watched as Juicy and the other three bartenders worked at a frantic pace to keep up with the overflow crowd. Finally, during a lull, Juicy made his way over to him, a frown marring his already scarred features. “What the hell is Lola doing here?” he asked without preamble. Koss sighed, relieved to at least know that Lola hadn’t sent him on a fool’s errand. “I really don’t know.” He took another sip of his beer. “We had some kind of crazy fight, and she left the house.” “What do you mean you don’t know?” Juicy rubbed his forehead vigorously as though to erase words he didn’t want to hear. “Dammit, Linda’s going to have a fit. She only shut up about you because I convinced her that you’d keep Lola out of this place.” He moved back down the bar to take another drink order. Koss took a long sip of his beer. Linda and Juicy were two of Lola’s closest friends. If they didn’t know what the hell was going on, how was he supposed to figure it out? One minute she was all over him, and the next she was stomping out of the place. He licked his lips as memories of being buried deep inside her sizzled along his nerve endings. Even with her questionable motivations, she’d just given him the fuck of his life. It was hard to believe that she could just walk out after something like that. He looked up as Juicy rejoined him at the end of the bar. “So, what did you two fight about?” “She told me she wanted to come back to work here. I told her she couldn’t --” “You told her she couldn’t?” Juicy interrupted. “Of course I told her she couldn’t. What kind of man lets his fiancée work in a place like this?” Koss growled at the preposterous notion. Juicy exhaled a short, irritated sigh. “You do know most of these girls have boyfriends? Some of them are even married.”

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Koss bristled but thought it wise to keep his opinions about such men to himself. “Are you saying I shouldn’t have a problem with it? I thought you and Linda wanted her out of these clubs.” “Of course we do. But you can’t just tell these girls what to do, especially not Lola. Most of them are here to get away from some man telling them what to do.” His expression turned even grimmer as he continued. “And usually it was something too sick to discuss in public.” Koss’s heart sank as Juicy confirmed what he’d already suspected. Lola had been horribly abused. He’d been awakened too many times by her screams in the middle of the night not to know that there was terror in her past. He choked back the rage that the thought of someone hurting her when she was small and vulnerable evoked in him. He could understand her a bit better, after all. He was already clued in enough to know that despite what she claimed, money wasn’t her principal motivation for being a dancer. But surely she didn’t think that he… Koss cut off his thoughts as he watched Juicy bum a cigarette from one of his coworkers, then signal him to follow as he made his way out the back door into an alley behind the club. There was a brief pause as Juicy lit the cigarette. “Don’t tell Linda,” he said, exhaling through his nose. Koss nodded, amused that the man clearly didn’t want to get on his wife’s shit list, although he doubted the eagle-eyed attorney missed very much. Juicy took another fierce drag on the cigarette, then continued the conversation. “You know that Linda and I’ve known Lola almost since she first came to town. We knew she was underage, or damned close to it, but we also knew if we reported her to CPS she’d just take off again. Girls don’t last very long on the street. At least, not without getting majorly fucked over. We thought that maybe if she stayed here we could take care of her. So we just did what we could for her. What she’d let us do for her. You got me?” Koss nodded and the big man continued. “Obviously she was running from some bad news. It took us years to find out just how bad.” “What happened to her?” Koss asked, still feeling sick inside. Lola had never discussed her past with him. He’d wondered about it, but each time he mentioned it, she changed the subject. To be honest, he hadn’t pushed, not altogether sure he wanted to know. Juicy opened his mouth as though to answer, then closed it around the cigarette, taking another long drag instead. “I guess that’s her business.” He shook his head firmly. “Sorry, man, it’s not my place to tell. Just take my word for it. It’s a miracle the girl survived as well as she did, okay?” Juicy shook his head as though to clear it of bad thoughts. “Anyway, over the years we’ve gotten her to do things to get her out of the life, but it’s taken a long time. You’re going to have to be patient.” Koss exhaled heavily. “Patient. You got me?” Koss nodded. “I got you.”

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“I don’t think Lola wants to be here any more than we want her here. But she’s got to figure that out for herself. If you push, she’s just going to run.” He looked toward the door as a roar came from the crowd in the bar. “That’s probably Lola going on now.” He grabbed Koss’s arm to halt his eager return to the bar. “Hey, man, just want you to know. That girl is crazy about you. Even Linda has to admit that, and God knows she doesn’t want to. Lola doesn’t take shit off anybody. I’m amazed she didn’t go upside your head with a little Sanity when you told her she couldn’t come back here. Nothing but love would make Lola put up with that, okay?” He opened the door. “You’ve just got to let her come to you. Let’s get back inside. It’s crazy in there tonight. Couple of rappers had a big show down at the Civic Center. Now they’re in there making it rain.” Koss followed him back inside the club. “Making it rain?” he asked, unfamiliar with the term. “Yeah. Throwing money at the stage like it’s fucking confetti. Drives the girls crazy.” He shrugged. “I can’t complain. I get my cut too. Hell, baby needs a new pair of shoes…all the damned time.” When they reentered the club Lola had already begun her set. Quite a few men crowded the meat rack, and several of them were showering her with twenties like there was no tomorrow. Koss stayed near the bar, knowing he wouldn’t be able to restrain himself if any of the men actually touched Lola. He could only take patience so far. To his surprise, she didn’t even bother to pick up the money. Nor did she approach the meat rack, even when at least a dozen men beckoned her with large denomination bills. He realized very quickly that unlike the other performance he’d witnessed, tonight Lola was just going through the motions. She didn’t make eye contact with the crowd and didn’t even dance her usual foursong set. Lola left the stage quickly after dancing only two songs, sparking hisses and boos from an angry crowd. Koss assumed Lola would be coming out again to work the crowd, so he remained at the bar as the next dancer began her performance. However, Lola remained backstage for only a brief moment before she reappeared and walked over to the bar, taking the bottle of water one of the bartenders proffered. Clearly she had no intention of hustling tonight. She even had her glasses on, something he knew she’d never done on the floor of the club before. Lola had told him about the stiff appearance fines the dancers had to pay for such transgressions. Even with her glasses on he knew she couldn’t see him. Between the sharp right angle of the bar and the huge crowd clamoring for their drinks, even a man his size didn’t stand out in the least. He instinctively moved to approach her but, remembering Juicy’s admonishment to be patient, he checked himself and remained in place. From his superior height he could see her turn to return to the backstage area. He watched curiously as Lola paused, apparently watching her friend Ginger dance. She moved a couple of feet toward the stage, then leaned forward as if studying the other dancer intently. Suddenly, she began to scream and run toward the stage.

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Koss followed her, not sure what had caused her anxiety until he saw the man standing at the meat rack with the gun pointed directly at Ginger. Koss could feel his heart stutter out of rhythm as he ran as hard as he could, knowing he would never make it in time. At that moment the gun went off. Even with the deejay spinning a deafening hip-hop beat, the sound of the gunshot reverberated through the close confines of the teeming club with the concussion of a mortar explosion. Patrons and dancers alike fell to the floor as Koss reached Lola at last. With a maneuver that was becoming a habit, Koss tackled her to the floor, but not before she was sprayed with most of what had once been Harold Watkins’s head.

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Chapter Thirteen Harold hadn’t shot Ginger. Apparently he’d never had any intention of shooting her. Lola shivered under the blanket Koss had retrieved from one of the paramedics at the scene. They’d checked her for injuries and, finding none, had moved on to the rest of the crowd. Harold had come to the club that night to kill himself in front of her friend. To exact some bizarre vengeance that only he could understand. Lola shuddered at the image of the man’s head exploding right before her eyes. Blood and brains had gone all over everything and Harold was dead and he was lying there on the floor and there was no question he was dead with half his head gone and the blood was all red and black. Why hadn’t anyone ever told her that blood wasn’t just red? It was gray and black and the smell…she choked back a scream as she brought those thoughts to a halt. She’d always known dude was bad news, but she’d never thought it would end this way. Damn! She pushed herself deeper into Koss’s arms, wishing she could just be absorbed into his brawny mass. Then she wouldn’t have to deal with the horror of it all. The police were questioning witnesses, and the body still lay where it had fallen, uncovered, while the crime scene technicians took photographs and measurements. Fortunately she and Koss sat in a corner booth as far away from the sight as possible waiting for the police to give them permission to leave. Most of the dancers and customers were still there. The addition of a couple dozen law enforcement officers and technicians to the standing room only crowd made any type of movement nearly impossible. The house lights, usually kept dim to create an air of intimacy and privacy, had been turned up so the officers could do their work. Their brightness magnified the dichotomy of a crime scene being worked within its luxuriously appointed confines. The smell of gunpowder and the metallic scent of blood hung ominously in the air, overriding the ever-present aroma of expensive liquor and even pricier perfume.

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Lola shuddered again, looking down at her hands. She’d taken a shower and changed into street clothes as soon as the police told her she could. Funny, she’d never imagined that her body would ever be processed as a crime scene, at least not while she was still alive, but apparently every bit of evidence had to be collected, even when the body wasn’t a corpse. The shower had felt good, but despite a vigorous scrubbing, she still felt as though she was covered with the ghastly backspray from the gunshot. She reached up to touch her still wet hair, wondering if it would ever be clean again. She hadn’t bothered to braid it after her shower. Even that mundane task was simply overwhelming at the moment. It had already swollen to an impressive mass, and would be totally unmanageable by morning. God, how the hell had this happened? She pressed her face against Koss’s throat, reassured by the strong heartbeat she felt pounding there. He could’ve been shot, killed, and it would’ve been her fault. He had been in the club because of her. She couldn’t hold back the sobs that welled up from her throat. Jesus Christ, Lola, she thought to herself, this time

you’ve really fucked it up. What the hell were you thinking? Koss had no business being here, and he wouldn’t have been if you hadn’t gone nuts. “It’s going to be okay,” Koss murmured to her as he placed a lingering kiss against her forehead. Lola nodded, reaching up again to touch her hair. “I don’t think I’ll ever get all that…” she took a trembling breath, “all that stuff out of it.” “It’s okay. When we get home I’ll put you in the tub and scrub you from head to toe.” Lola sighed, comforted by his presence, and snuggled more deeply into his lap. “I never thought Harold would do something like that. I told Ginger he wouldn’t let her go, but I never thought he’d…that he’d shoot himself. I’ve never been so scared in my life.” Koss shook his head in disbelief. “Just promise me you won’t ever do anything crazy like that again. When you see someone with a gun you don’t run toward them!” Lola hiccupped over a sob. “But I thought he was going to shoot Ginger --” “And what the hell were you going to do? Take the gun from him?” Koss asked, his voice rising in consternation. Lola pulled away from the anger in his voice. “I don’t know what I was going to do.” She shook her head frantically, worsening the mess she’d left her hair in after the fierce scouring in the shower. “I really don’t know. I just saw the gun and freaked.” Koss pulled her back into his close embrace. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.” He kissed her gently. “I shouldn’t be on your ass about this. You’ve already been through hell. But I almost died when I saw you running toward that guy.” He stroked his hand up and down her back softly as she snuggled into his body. Koss looked up as Juicy approached them. “I think I’ve talked them into letting y’all go. They’ll have follow-up questions and a shitload of paperwork, of course.” He looked pained at the thought of the even longer night

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he would have writing up reports of that evening’s events. “But there’s no point in you just sitting around here.” He looked down at Lola’s bedraggled form, then raised his brows at Koss. “You sure she doesn’t need to see somebody? Maybe get some pills or something?” Koss shook his head. “I think she’ll be okay. Besides, you know she won’t take anything. If things look bad when we get home, I’ll call Marco.” Juicy nodded, then sighed as he continued. “Can Ginger stay with y’all for a few days? Seems like that sonofabitch burned down her house before he came here.” He gestured toward Ginger, who huddled with a couple of other dancers in another booth. “She’s a mess too, man. Probably doesn’t need to be alone. I’d let her come home with me, but we’re bursting at the seams as it is.” Koss nodded. Linda and Juicy had at least eight kids, in some combination of biological, foster, and adopted that no one had ever really explained to him. Once he’d asked Juicy which of the children were his biological offspring only to have the man tell him that he and Linda weren’t able to keep track since they’d been with them for so long. “Damn!” He shook his head as Lola began sobbing again at the news. “Of course she can stay with us. Was anyone hurt in the fire?” “No, nobody was hurt, but a couple of families lost their homes, too. Her building was wiped out.” He shook his head in frustration. “I just don’t know how that sonofabitch got in here with a piece. Regular or not, this shit shouldn’t have gone down like this. I’m going to kick the doorman’s ass. That is if he has any ass left once Clyde is finished with him.” Lola turned toward her friend. “Can we just get Ginger and leave? I’m so tired.” She looked around the club. “I don’t ever want to see this place again.” Juicy nodded. “I’ll just get Ginger and walk y’all out. They’ll probably be calling you in the next few days with more questions. Just hang tight, okay?” They both nodded.

***** Ginger stood in the kitchen, frying up eggs and home fries even though none of them had much of an appetite. After their return to Koss’s apartment, they quickly realized they were too keyed up to sleep. So Ginger did what she always did on such occasions. She cooked up food, and lots of it. Koss and Lola sat at the small kitchen table, sipping cups of coffee, while Ginger chattered on about the previous evening’s events. “Did you see Clyde?” Ginger asked. Lola nodded. The club’s owner had spent most of the evening after the shooting pacing the floor, calling in favors and tap-dancing so fast he looked like something from Riverdance, all in an effort to keep his club open. Lola assumed he’d succeed. Clyde had been in business for a long time. Presumably because he knew where the bodies were buried and who to pay

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off to keep them that way. Besides, his political connections ensured that he wouldn’t miss a dime of revenue and the club would be back in business the next night. Ginger shook her head. “He told me not to come back.” “You’re kidding?” Lola asked, though she suspected she wouldn’t be welcome at the club either. To be honest, she had no desire to return, but was worried for her friend. “Clyde always was an asshole. I’m sure that after all the publicity dies down --” Ginger interrupted her. “I don’t want to go back. I’ll probably have nightmares for the rest of my life as it is.” For once her emphatic head shake wasn’t done for effect. “I’ve gotten too old for this shit. I don’t know what I’ll do, but…anyway, I know I’ve said this already, but I really am sorry. It never occurred to me that Harold would go nuts and --” She rushed on as Lola tried to interrupt. “I know. I know. You told me, Lo. But you know I’ve been around the block a time or two, and I learned to read men before I could read a book! It’s certainly more profitable.” Her laughter sounded forced in the silence of the predawn hour. “I’d been seeing this guy for years. How could I have missed that he was batshit crazy? She shook her head ruefully. “I must be getting old.” “That isn’t what I was about to say,” Lola said softly, not looking up from her cup. “I was about to say that dude was just crazy. You’re not responsible for that. Though what you did was trifling as hell.” Lola looked up as her friend remained silent, apparently struggling with the knowledge that she’d brought the circumstances on herself. “Okay, okay, I won’t argue that point. But Harold was a big boy. He knew the rules of engagement.” Lola cut a sharp glance over at Koss, who was staring at Ginger as though she’d suddenly sprouted another appendage. She watched the muscles in his jaw move as though he was physically biting back his words. Lola knew him well enough to know there was no chance of that occurring. Koss wasn’t exactly housebroken and had never been introduced to the concept of tact. She shook her head as he spoke up to Ginger, knowing this conversation couldn’t lead to anything good. “You know a lot of people could’ve gotten hurt behind this. Both at the club and at your house. Somehow I don’t think Harold was a big boy quite cuts it.” Koss responded with a mildness Lola knew he didn’t feel. Still, she couldn’t help but feel grateful for his admirable restraint. Now, if only Ginger could do likewise, they might be able to go to bed without any further pyrotechnics. Ginger turned away from the stove, arms akimbo as she gave Koss the stare down. “Well, what more do you want me to say? I’ve said that I’m sorry, and I really am. But I didn’t shoot anybody, and I sure as hell didn’t burn my house down,” she snapped. Lola quickly interrupted the conversation. Ginger was obviously tired and not thinking clearly. She suspected that her friend was using bravado to cover guilt and fear -- at least she hoped so. “Okay, Ging, let’s just leave this topic alone for now. Look, I don’t think any of us feel like eating anything, so you can stop cooking. We’re all tired and liable to say stuff that

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we don’t mean. The guest bedroom is made up for you. Why don’t we all just call it a night?” She glanced over at Koss, who was already walking toward the door, his every step emphasizing his anger. “I’ll see you in the morning. Holler out if you need anything, okay?” She gave Ginger a brief hug as she passed her on her way out of the kitchen. Ginger returned the embrace and Lola was somewhat mollified when she heard her friend give a faint sniffle. “How in the hell could you be friends with that woman?” Koss asked in an exasperated hiss once they were cuddled together in his massive bed. Lola yawned widely. God in heaven, she was beyond tired. “Ginger’s good people. Sure she’s got some issues, but who doesn’t? She’s been my friend for a long time, and she was good to me when I first came here. The girl lent me money and costumes when I needed help starting out. She even moved in with me when I started school and had to get a roommate. She could’ve afforded a much nicer place, but she stayed with me so I could save money. She’s been good to me, and I’m not going to kick her to the curb just because she’s…” Lola shrugged. “Look, Ginger is who she is. She’s not going to change, but at least she’s real about it.” “Good people? Good people? The woman’s a goddamned predator, a piranha. She lured that guy to his death just so she could get a house,” Koss said in a fierce whisper. “Koss, I’m really too tired for this conversation, but Ginger did have a point. Dude was a married man basically trying to buy himself a piece of ass. He just got pissed because she outplayed him. The player got played and he couldn’t handle it.” “You really believe that?” Koss asked, disbelief apparent in his tone. “That’s the way it went down. Guys are always trying to buy the girls in the club. What’s funny is Ginger is the one who always taught me not to fall for that shit. ‘You can make plenty of money without losing your integrity’ she always said. I don’t know what happened to change her mind.” Lola chewed her bottom lip, then frowned up at Koss. “You’re really dogging Ginger. What makes you think I’m all that different?” Koss pulled her tighter into his embrace. “You’re nothing like her. Don’t ever say that. You don’t use people to get what you want. Look at the way you’ve worked your ass off to get an education.” Lola didn’t say anything more. She knew in her heart that in many ways she was as much a predator as Ginger. She wouldn’t have survived in the clubs for any length of time had she not become one. It was the nature of the business. The clubs were full of sharks, and there was a part of her that scented men with money like chum in the water. It was no place for guppies. She doubted she’d ever be able to change that aspect of her personality. Unfortunately, Koss didn’t see her that way. Mainly because she’d worked damned hard to keep him from seeing that woman. She knew he could never love her if he saw who she truly was. Lola pressed her body more closely into his, knowing what she had to do, but trying to smother the thoughts for as long as she could.

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***** “Koss, I’ve got something I need to talk with you about.” Lola and Koss were sitting on the living room sofa of their apartment. The detective had just left after finishing the second round of follow-up interviews. The investigation had hung over them for weeks while the police tried to sort through the mess Watkins had left behind. They’d concluded that Watkins had simply snapped and killed himself. Apparently Ginger wasn’t the only issue he was dealing with at the time. More than one government agency had initiated investigations into his business dealings. They weren’t forthcoming with the details, but the feds rarely showed up with good news. Ginger had really freaked out when she realized that in all likelihood she would have lost her house anyway. Watkins had only bought it to launder some of his ill-gotten gains. The story received nationwide coverage. Fortunately, Lola and Koss had both managed to avoid media attention. Ginger, however, hadn’t been so lucky. Finally she’d relocated to Juicy’s home in an effort to dodge the press. The questioning by the police had gotten pretty intense, but now they had no further interest in additional interviews. This was the news Lola had been waiting for. “What is it, baby?” Koss asked, frowning in concern. Lola took a deep breath. If she didn’t do it now, she’d never have the strength again. “I’m leaving,” she said without preamble, struggling to get the words out. “What?” Koss pulled away to stare down into her eyes. “What did you just say?” “I said I’m leaving,” Lola repeated, toying with her engagement ring, then sliding it off her finger, leaving the brass ring in place. “I’m sorry. I should’ve never agreed to marry you, and now…now I know it’ll never work.” She handed the ring to him. She watched as Koss took a couple of deep breaths, clearly trying to gather himself. “Could you please tell me what’s going on?” “Koss, I’m a stripper.” She continued over his attempted interruption. “I’m trying to be something else, but right now, I’m not sure I’ll ever get there. That night…that night in the club, you wouldn’t have been there if I hadn’t freaked out. You could’ve been shot, and it would’ve been all my fault. Don’t you understand? I can’t live with that!” “Lola, I’m a grown man who is perfectly capable of deciding what I want. I knew you were a stripper when I asked you to move in with me. If that’s what you want to be” -- he took a deep breath -- “if that’s what you want to be, I guess I’ll just have to learn to live with it.” “That’s just it, Koss. It’s not what I want to be, but I don’t know if I can be anything else. And, and I don’t think I’ll ever find out if I stay here with you.” “That doesn’t make any sense. Why can’t you find out while you’re here with me?”

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“If I stay here with you and I screw up, I’ll drag you down with me. I can’t take that chance. You’ve got a brilliant career ahead of you. Your whole life will be totally fucked up if I stay here. But if I make it…if I make it on my own, it’ll be the first time I’ve really accomplished anything. I know it’s hard for you to understand --” “It’s fucking impossible for me to understand.” Koss ground out. “Lola, don’t do this. We can stay together. We’ll make it work.” Lola shook her head sadly. “I have to do it. Koss, please understand.” Koss stared at Lola, his mind whirling with dizzying emotion as he struggled to comprehend what she was saying. How could she sit there shredding his entire world and expect him to understand? Understand what? Understand that she was leaving him, supposedly for his own good? How could her leaving him ever be a good thing, and how could she possibly expect him to see it that way? The only thing that could ruin his life was losing her. Why didn’t she know that? Even now, her mere presence had the power to take his breath away. Life without her was simply unthinkable. “This isn’t going to happen, Lola. I won’t let it.” Koss forced back the rising pain. Air filled his lungs as he inhaled deeply. He struggled to maintain reason. “We can work this out. I’ll stay away from the club --” Lola threw up her hands. “That will never work, and you know it. You won’t be able to stay away if you think I’m in danger. And what happens when people find out?” Koss lowered his head; he couldn’t dispute that. What could possibly be more dangerous than her half-naked in front of a bunch of drunk men? “Besides, this is about more than you being at the club when Harold went nuts.” Koss leaned over to grasp her shoulder. “I can’t let you do this. I love you. You know I’d do anything for you, please,” he whispered, placing frantic kisses across her cheek and forehead. “You’ve got to listen to me.” Koss could feel the desperation rising again in his throat, almost strangling him when Lola didn’t respond. “Stay here and love me. That’s all I ask. Marry me.” The kisses became more insistent now as he took her lips. He thrust his tongue inside, mating inexorably with hers. Then he pulled her beneath him on the sofa, his body shivering with sudden need. Koss could barely think when he felt Lola begin to respond. He worked a hand between their writhing bodies to slide her trousers down over her hips. Then he slid his finger along her wetness, setting off another round of shudders of pleasure between them. His desire rode him hard as he quickly freed his engorged penis. Lola pulled him down for another fiery kiss as he pulled her legs apart and thrust into her to the hilt. The feel of Lola’s body accepting him when her mind would not nearly drove Koss mad. He drove into her repeatedly, his body compelled to make his imprint on her the only

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way he could. Koss arched back into an impossible position as he felt his orgasm ricochet through his body, howling out his pleasure. He continued thrusting, compelled by a need to give Lola the same completion he’d just experienced, holding her tightly as she cried out when she reached her own climax. Koss lacked the strength to support himself on his arms any longer and he collapsed onto Lola’s still-shivering form. He felt her sliding her hands up and down his sweaty flanks, almost as though trying to comfort him. After he regained the strength to move off her, he stood up, reaching down to gather her into his arms to carry her into the bedroom they shared. Lola looked up at him; her soft brown eyes glowed luminously in the half-light. “I’ll always love you,” she whispered softly as he set her down on the bed. Koss, driven by a desire to dispose of the last physical barriers between them, moved quickly to remove her loose knit top and bra, then doffed his own clothes and joined Lola on the bed. Driven by overwhelming despair at the thought of losing her, Koss felt compelled to love Lola over and over again. Even past the point of exhaustion when his body astounded him with its response. Until finally, as dawn chased the last bit of darkness from the eastern sky, he gathered her into his embrace, and held her tightly as they finally succumbed to a weariness that even their physical need couldn’t subdue. When Koss awakened hours later, he knew Lola was gone even before he opened his eyes. When he checked the apartment he quickly realized that in her haste Lola hadn’t even taken her books and had left most of her clothing behind. The engagement ring still lay on the living room floor where he’d dropped it during their argument. Leaving it there, he returned to his bedroom and crawled back into the bed that had been the scene of their last demonstration of love. He picked up her pillow, the pillow that still held her scent, and, choking back the tears, he finally acknowledged that Lola didn’t want to be with him. And somehow, he’d have to learn to live with that.

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Chapter Fourteen Five years later Loeletta Bordenaux. Koss studied the name on his roll as all the other names vanished, grayed out. He speculated on the peculiar fact that a collection of letters on a piece of paper -- and really a name was no more than that -- had the power to tilt his whole world on its axis. Koss looked down at his hands, willing them to cease shaking. When had she come back to Birmingham? Where had she been for five years? And most importantly, what the hell was she doing in his class? He stood up behind his desk, wiping his hands over his face as he took a deep breath to collect his thoughts. He would have ten students this semester and he watched as they began filtering into the classroom. He studied each one as they found their seats, searching for the one face he knew as intimately as he knew his own. Even so, he almost missed her when she came in. There had been some dramatic changes since he saw her last. The long mane of crinkly black hair that had been her trademark when they were together had been cut into a closely cropped ultrachic afro. The severe no-nonsense style only served to emphasize the dramatic tilt of her eyes and her cheekbones’ exotic slash. Even the low-key outfit of a pair of sharply pressed chinos and a soft rose pink polo shirt could not dim her appeal. Against the delicate color of the shirt, her skin glowed as if lit from within, and the chinos, an almost androgynous look for others, hugged the curve of Lola’s hips like a stock car driver on the last turn before the checkered flag. Some things were impossible to alter. At six feet tall, Lola would stand out in any crowd, but her dramatically curvaceous figure could, and had, literally stopped traffic. Apparently she’d given up on wearing contact lenses as well. Instead of curtailing her striking appearance, the trendy tortoiseshell glasses only accentuated the similar tones in her large almond-shaped eyes. Lola met his gaze with her own. She gave him a shy glance then a tremulous smile as she took her seat. Koss didn’t return the smile, instead returning to his desk to begin his

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usual introduction to a new class. He leaned against the desk in a relaxed pose, belied by the thudding of his racing heart. He launched directly into his lecture. Fortunately he’d done this many times before and even though if asked later to recall what he had said he would have been unable to do so, he knew he had done a good introduction to the course. When the two-hour class ended, he moved to the back of the classroom as the students departed, positioning himself to prevent Lola from exiting the room. Seated next to the wall, she would have to brush past him to get out of her chair. He knew from experience that she would go through great pains to avoid physical contact with anyone, and thus would remain seated until he moved. Koss waited until the class emptied, then he looked down at the woman he’d once loved to the point of madness. He inhaled sharply, his voice bristling with hostility as he asked, “So now, Ms. Bordenaux, do you want to be so kind as to tell me what you’re doing here? You had nothing to say when you left five years ago. What the hell do you want now?” Lola gasped as she met his pale, icy blue glare. Strange. She’d forgotten how the warm aquamarine color of his blue eyes transformed into the silvery hue of ice cubes when something angered or annoyed him. The silver ring encircling his aquamarine irises only magnified the glacial flecks. The past five years had engendered some changes in him, she noted. He’d finally let his hair grow out into a fashionable hairstyle; the sides were still cropped short, but with much longer tresses on top. Koss wore it well. He probably had no idea how sexy he looked each time he brushed that one errant white-blond lock back from across his forehead. He’d never noticed such things before, and she doubted he did now. She’d watched that large hand avidly throughout his lecture, helplessly recalling the sensation of it stroking her bare flesh, and the fever of desire he could ignite with one caress. She longed to brush the wavy strand back, luxuriating in its soft silkiness as she had years before. He seemed more comfortable and confident too. Whereas he’d once been awkward and shy, he had a commanding presence in the classroom that she’d only had brief glimpses of when they were together before. She had prepared herself for his anger and hostility, or at least she thought she had. Now as she quaked before him, she realized she could not possibly have been ready for this. He’d never turned this side of his personality on her before. Throughout their relationship he’d always been unfailingly tender and patient. Neither of those loving emotions were to be found in his eyes’ frosty depths today. Even knowing that she deserved his rage and more, she wasn’t sure if she could handle it. As she reflected on their relationship, she knew she had to be willing to brave anything, even Koss at his worst, to rekindle what they’d had. She could live without Koss, indeed she’d done so quite well, but she didn’t want to. She’d worked hard to achieve her goals, and now she squared her shoulders as she looked at the man at the top of her agenda, Koss. Meeting him had precipitated monumental changes in her life. Had totally altered its course. If she’d had an inkling the night he showed

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up at Clyde’s that nothing would ever be the same again, she probably would have run and never looked back. She’d left town to transform her life. Now she was back and knew exactly what she wanted. Unfortunately, before they could have a future, they would have to deal with the past. A past that began that night at Clyde’s almost five years before. She took a deep breath; it was now or never. Lola stood up, deliberately brushing her body against his. She met his gaze dead-on, never breaking eye contact, as she parted her lips and softly pressed them against his. Koss stood as if frozen as he watched her approach. Knowing he should get away, he suddenly found himself incapable of movement. He had never stopped wanting her mouth, and damn her rotten soul to hell, she knew it. Even a five-year separation hadn’t lessened that. As her arms moved around his neck, his hands, in a practiced motion, automatically went to her waist. His body knew exactly what it wanted -- Lola’s body as close to his own as possible. The kiss left him breathless and shaken, so much so that he almost didn’t hear her response to his question. Her succulent mouth, made even more sumptuous by the tempestuous kiss they’d just shared, turned upward in a slight smile as she murmured, “Surely that’s obvious, Koss. I want the same thing I’ve always wanted. You.” Koss looked down at the woman who had returned to his life like some hellish specter determined to consume what was left of his soul, turning everything upside down again when he’d barely survived their first encounter. He hardly recognized the woman who had pressed her body so firmly against his own, but his body knew her immediately, and he was having a hell of a time resisting the urge to pull her back into his arms. That knowledge only made him angrier. This woman had thrown his love back in his face like it was garbage. Abandoned him to a hell that had almost killed him. He pushed her away from him. Even now he couldn’t do it with the force she deserved, but she had to know she couldn’t just walk back into his life on a whim. “I know I couldn’t have heard you correctly. Did you really just say you want to be with me?” Lola nodded as Koss gave a sharp bark of laughter. “What the hell would make you think I’d be interested in getting the shit kicked out of me again, Ms. Bordenaux?” He walked back over to his desk where he picked up his class roll again. Against his will he said, “Apparently you’ve been busy. Enrolled in a seven-hundred-level course…” Lola nodded again. “I’ve got my master’s now and I’m working on my doctorate.” Koss raised his brows. “Where did you go when you left here?” “Trop U,” Lola replied shortly. Koss couldn’t help but be impressed. “University of the Tropics. Never thought to look in Miami,” he replied softly. “No, I was enrolled at the New Orleans campus. I wanted to study under Dr. Congo.” She paused. “You looked for me?”

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Koss shoved his paperwork into his disreputable-looking mailbag. “Not really. I checked a few places. I was worried about you, and I just wanted to know where you’d gone. Make sure you were okay, and all that. Pathetic, I know, but that’s who I was then.” Lola gasped. “Koss…” He continued as though she’d not spoken. “Linda and Juicy eventually told me you were all right, so I finally found some pride somewhere and let it go. But for a while there…” He sneered in disgust. Then picked up the topic again. “Congo? I’m astonished you made it through his program, he’s the biggest asshole I’ve ever met.” Koss frowned as Lola’s eyes suddenly filled with tears. “What the hell’s wrong with you?” “Dr. Congo’s dead. That’s why I’m here,” she whispered softly. “What? I mean, I think I heard that Congo had died, but why would that make you come back to BU?” Lola sniffed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “It’s a long story, Koss. We can talk about it this afternoon.” Koss turned away from her. “I don’t think so. You’re in my class. I don’t have a choice about it, but other than that, we really don’t have a goddamned thing to talk about. I’ve got to go. I’ve got an appointment.” Lola followed him, her long legs enabling her to match him stride for stride. “I know. I’m your appointment.” Koss stopped abruptly. “That’s not possible. My appointment is with a new student I’m mentoring…” He looked down at her as realization dawned. “You manipulative bitch. How the hell did you pull that off?” Lola felt the heat rising in her face as swiftly as her anger. He had every right to be angry with her, but she wasn’t going to put up with name-calling, especially when she wasn’t guilty. “I didn’t manipulate anything. I applied to transfer here after the hurricane, and I got matched up with you. I don’t know how it happened.” Koss resumed his rapid stride as he made his way to the department’s administrative offices. He’d barely opened the door before he began bellowing for Daisy, the department secretary. Lola followed as quickly as she could. “Could you kindly tell me if I’ve been assigned as Ms. Bordenaux’s advisor, and if so, could you also advise as to how such a thing happened?” Daisy stood up behind her desk, her petite form dwarfed by its massive dimensions. She gave Koss a sharp look, then turned her nose up as though she couldn’t even be bothered to speak to him. Still ignoring Koss, she gave a delighted squeal when she saw Lola enter the office behind him. She scurried around the desk to give Lola a hug. “Hello, baby, it’s so good to see you again. How have you been?” She assessed Lola’s lithe figure. “Looks like you’ve lost a little weight. I’ve got just the thing.” She hustled back around her desk to reach into a

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drawer to pull out a large slice of plastic-wrapped pound cake. “I was saving this for the grouch,” she nodded in Koss’s direction, “but now, I don’t think so.” She patted her own ample hip. “And it’ll certainly look better on your backside than it does on mine.” Daisy followed the statement with self-deprecating laughter. Koss moved closer to Daisy’s desk, clearly trying to intimidate her with their size differential. “If you two are finished with old home week, do you think you could be bothered to explain how this happened?” He directed a glare toward Lola when he heard her barely contained giggle, then returned its glacial power to the department secretary, who apparently wasn’t at all cowed by his nasty attitude. “Dr. Koss, we talked about this weeks ago. Even before classes started,” she replied, a frown marring her pretty, pecan brown face. “I told you that the dean had agreed to accept some transfers because of Hurricane Katrina. You know Trop U’s New Orleans campus was practically wiped out, and with Dr. Congo’s death, they had to shut it down. The dean said you’d take a student to mentor. I tried to give you the list, but you told me not to bother you. I think you were in the lab at the time looking at some of your slides from whatever hellhole you went to last summer. You told me to pick one, so I did.” She slanted a glance in Lola’s direction; they shared a grin when Koss began to grind his teeth. “Do you think you might have bothered to tell me that one of them was a former student?” Koss asked through a jaw clenched so tightly it was a wonder any words could escape. Daisy eyes widened, a portrait of supreme innocence. “Whatever for? I didn’t think it would matter. And you were so busy, I knew you wouldn’t want me to bother you with the details.” Koss knew Daisy missed very little. No doubt she, like everyone else in the department, knew that he and Lola had been lovers. He didn’t put it past the two of them to have engineered the whole thing. Then again, it was his own fault for not paying attention. He’d been irritated with the dean because mentoring took even more time from research than teaching, but for once the dean had been firm. Trop U had some brilliant virologists. It’d be a major feather in BU’s cap to get some of them on board. On that he wouldn’t be swayed. “Let me see the list, Daisy. I’m sure I can swap with someone else.” Daisy handed the printout over to Koss. “I don’t think so. There were only five of them. They’ve already met and started working, so I don’t think anybody’s going to want to change at this late date. Everybody’s so busy this semester, and you haven’t been an advisor or on any of the boards for a long time.” She gave Koss a long, disapproving look. “You know Dean Stewart will probably do it for you, but the other professors are starting to talk, and frankly, he doesn’t need any more grief right now.” Koss returned Daisy’s look with a glare of his own. He knew if he asked he could get out of the assignment, but she was right about the politics of the situation. Daisy was fiercely protective of the dean. It was clear to everyone in the department except their less than

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astute boss that Daisy was madly in love with him. She wouldn’t help Koss with anything that would cause him any trouble, and Koss knew that without her help the situation would not go smoothly. Accusations of favoritism could result in a no-confidence vote against the dean. A definite career-ender. Knowing he’d been outmaneuvered, Koss tossed the printout back onto Daisy’s desk, then stormed into his office without giving either of them a second look. Lola and Daisy, their eyes bright with suppressed laughter, shared a long look, then collapsed in helpless giggles. “Daisy,” Lola gasped, barely able to catch her breath, “what on earth did you do?” She hadn’t realized until they entered the office just how much she’d missed her old friend, confidant, and vital information source. Daisy always kept things hopping and wasn’t the least bit shy about manipulating events or people to make things turn out the way she thought they should. She’d been running the department as well as Dean Stewart’s life for as long as anyone could remember and no one, not even Koss, dared cross her. “I knew Dr. Koss was going to be an idiot about the situation, so it was easy to make the assignment,” she said. “But how did you know I’d want to work with him?” Lola asked. Daisy gave a brief snort. “You came back here, didn’t you? There are dozens of schools you could’ve chosen, especially with your grades. I knew you’d be back for your man. It was only a matter of time. Besides, that other idiot I work for started the whole mess to begin with.” She rolled her eyes. “The man obviously knows nothing about relationships, but he decides to try to give love advice. People really should know their limitations.” “I told you, the dean talking to Koss isn’t the only thing that made me leave. There were a lot of reasons for me to go.” She shook her head. “Too many to count, but I’m still amazed at your abilities. You’re something else.” Lola paused, giving Daisy an arch look. “So what have you done about your own love life?” Daisy smiled at her friend. “Some things just aren’t fixable,” she said sadly, then immediately perked up. “But you and Dr. Koss are.” She resumed her seat, her flashing brown eyes sparkling with mischief. “Y’all can thank me later. Daisy would make a pretty name for the first girl.” Lola smirked at her friend. “You know what? If this works out, I might actually have to consider it.” She paused for a moment, not sure how to frame the question, then finally decided to ask it anyway. “Daisy, is Koss seeing anybody?” She’d been terrified the whole time she was gone that he would be married with a passel of kids by the time she was ready to come back. Daisy shook her head. “Would I have done what I did if he was seeing somebody? I’ll be honest with you, though. That first year after you left I thought the boy was going to lay up with every woman in town. He was spending way too much time with Dr. Day, and you

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know what a dog that boy is. He was drinking like a fish too. He calmed down after a while though. He dated regularly, but never got serious with anybody.” Lola barely restrained herself from doing a happy dance. “Thanks, Daisy, for all your help. You’ve been a good friend.” Daisy walked over to give her another hug. She reached up to touch Lola’s cropped hairdo. “Girl, what on earth did you do? I can’t believe you cut all that pretty hair off.” Lola sighed. “You just don’t know, Daze. It was definitely more trouble than it was worth. I wish I’d done it years ago when I was still a kid and getting daily ass-whuppings because I was ‘light-skinned’ with ‘good hair.’” She and Daisy had discussed color issues more than once, and she knew her friend understood where she was coming from. “It just got to be more of a curse than a blessing.” She glanced at the clock across from the secretary’s desk, then at the closed door to Koss’s office. “I don’t suppose I’ll be meeting with my new advisor this afternoon, so I might as well scurry on home. After that flight from Miami, I’m dead tired. Talk to you later, girl.” As Lola walked down the hall she passed D-Day, Koss’s friend, obviously on his way to the administrative offices. Lola heard his shocked “What the fuck?” and they each paused for a moment of mutual stare down, then continued on their way. Clearly Koss wasn’t the only member of the faculty who was less than thrilled by her return.

***** D-Day burst into Koss’s office. “Did I just see Lola in the hallway?” He looked down to where his friend sat pounding his forehead on the desk. “Well, I guess that answers my question.” He sank into the chair opposite Koss’s desk. “What in the hell is she doing back in town?” Koss raised his head to give him a bleak look. “She’s going to school here. What else would she be doing?” He decided not to share the rest of her stated purpose. He was struggling hard enough to forget it himself. And he definitely had to forget the kiss they’d shared. Yeah right, like that was going to happen. “Where the hell has she been, and why is she back now?” D-Day asked, frowning in consternation. “She’s been at Trop U. You know they got washed away in Hurricane Katrina.” D-Day sprang from his chair and began pacing the room. “Dear God, is there no end to the destruction and misery from that goddamned storm?” he asked. His melodramatic tone drew a wry chuckle out of Koss. “Man, you don’t know the half of it.” “I don’t? Could’ve sworn it was me and Perk who pulled you out of the bottom of more than one bottle.” “And joined me there more than once,” Koss replied.

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“Hey, what kind of friends would we be if we weren’t willing to take one for the team? The ultimate sacrifice.” D-Day shook his head. “Man, you were a mess.” He leaned against one of the massive bookcases that dominated Koss’s office. “Trop U, huh? I wouldn’t have thought she had the chops for it.” He shrugged. “Of course, it was the NOLA campus, not the one in Miami --” Koss interrupted. “Trop U is Trop U, man. You know its reputation for tropical disease research. And get this, she was under Congo.” D-Day gave a derisive snort. “Wasn’t everybody?” He continued in response to his friend’s pointed look. “That asshole? Damn, she must be something else, all right.” He walked over to the small refrigerator Koss kept under his credenza. Taking a long pull of the soft drink he found there, he turned back to his friend, slipping into a rare serious mood. “Hey man, can you handle this? I mean, seriously? You’re the dean’s boy and all. I’m sure he could find some excuse to get rid of her.” Koss slowly lowered his forehead to his desk once again. “Much as I’d like to, I can’t do that. Its hardly ethical.” D-Day snorted. “Seriously, man, it’s just not. Look at her transcript.” He passed the document to his friend. “She’s a good student, no matter what else she is or has done. She’s worked her ass off. I won’t play dirty and take this away from her. She doesn’t deserve that. I survived her leaving. I can live through her return. So, no pillow talk with the dean, okay?” D-Day studied the transcript, his brows rising higher as his eyes traveled down the page. He exhaled on a sharp whistle. “Hell, with these grades she could have my job. Of course, the janitor’s more qualified than I am.” He tossed the transcript back onto Koss’s desk. “This is too fucked up, but I’ll let you handle it. After all, it’s just one class.” “Actually, I’m her dissertation advisor.” “Her what ?” “You heard me.” “You have lost your mind. You can’t do this. She’s going to destroy you. Again. I don’t know if my liver can survive another trip through Hurricane Lola.” Koss gave his friend a soft smile. “I appreciate your concern, but I’m older and wiser now. A smart man only catches his dick in his zipper once.” D-Day winced, then chuckled in return. “Glad to hear it, man, glad to hear it.”

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Chapter Fifteen Lola closed her eyes in a fruitless attempt to stop the endless round of regrets and should-have-beens that kept her awake despite her exhaustion from the long flight. After traveling almost nonstop for the past several weeks, she was just grateful to rest on something that wasn’t moving. Her apartment was tiny, as befitted a doctoral student on a stipend, but she knew she’d enjoy the bright airy rooms and living without a roommate for the first time in her life. Lola had changed into a pair of comfortable knit pajamas upon returning to the apartment with every intention of taking a nap, but now her mind raced along in a manner not conducive to rest. She hadn’t been prepared for this Koss. She’d expected anger, but not this impenetrable coldness he’d directed her way. In all their months together even at his most irritable, he’d never looked at her with such disdain. Lola sighed and pulled a soft throw around her shoulders. Had she made a mistake? Did reconciliation with this man have any chance at all? Leaving him had been the hardest thing she’d ever done, but she didn’t regret it, not for one second. Her mind had been entirely too bent to deal with a relationship at that time. Her life had been a mess, and dragging Koss down into the sewer with her would’ve only resulted in more tragedy. Now she finally had it together. She had a fellowship for grad school and could afford her own place. She had an advanced degree and was well on her way to acquiring another one. It had taken a lot of work to transform herself into the woman she’d once only dreamed she could become. The fully actualized woman that Koss deserved. Lola sighed as she slipped into an exhausted slumber. Koss was the only man she’d ever loved and she’d get him back, or die trying.

*****

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Lola smiled as she greeted her students. As a graduate assistant, she hadn’t had much time to prepare for the semester. Fortunately she’d always excelled at statistics and this entry-level class wouldn’t be particularly difficult to teach. Most of the professors preferred to teach as little as possible and left that mundane chore to their graduate assistants. The statistics class was the only one on her schedule this term, but she would also have to assist with two other classes. Reading and grading papers would take up a considerable amount of her time. Her fellowship paid her tuition and a stipend for living expenses, but the university would certainly get its money’s worth. She only had eight students, and all of them had taken the subject as undergrads, so this would only be a refresher course for them. Working their way through chi-squares didn’t take long at all. Lola appreciated the projection screens and software program that eliminated writing long equations on a chalkboard. She’d always hated getting covered in chalk dust each time she taught a class. Before long she realized she had a few students’ rapt attention, but for something other than her skills in regression analysis. This didn’t surprise her, as she no longer consciously dressed to disguise her attractiveness. The neat teal green suit she wore had a nipped-in waist that accentuated her figure and stopped just above her knees, showcasing her long, shapely legs to their best advantage. She’d even applied a modicum of makeup -- if a neutral lipstick and mascara could be called such. Apparently the students appreciated her efforts, and gathered around as she collected her laptop and papers and shoved them into her bookbag. As they were discussing class issues, she could hardly dismiss them out of hand, though she suspected the questions were less than legitimate. They continued walking with her as she made her way back to the administrative offices to put the computer away. She could have melted into the floor when they passed Koss on his way out of the building. He studied her, surrounded by the young male students, then raised a brow and smirked. “Good to see you’re not missing your old job, Ms. Bordenaux.” Lola managed to nod in his direction as though they had exchanged greetings, frustrated that Koss had been avoiding her. She hadn’t managed to see him once since she’d been back, despite his role as her supposed mentor. Now, the one time she saw him, she was surrounded by male admirers. The students were perfectly harmless, and Koss had to know that as well, but that hadn’t kept him from making an issue of it. Especially given that he was looking for any excuse to think badly of her. She watched as he continued on through the door, then quickly rid herself of her young admirers. Her workload didn’t allow much time for socializing.

***** Lola straightened her shoulders and switched the bag she was carrying to her left hand in response to Koss’s bellowed, “Come in.”

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She took another breath, coaching herself to courage as she finally worked up the nerve to open the door, stopping just inside when she met Koss’s glare. “What the hell are you doing here?” “I just came from the cafeteria. They had that yummy baked potato soup you like so much, so I brought you some.” “That’s okay, I’ll get some later.” “They’ve already closed. For God’s sake, Koss, you love the stuff. I promise I haven’t poisoned it!” Koss stood up from behind his desk, then walked over to take the bag from her hand. “Fine, I’ll take the soup. Thank you for going to the trouble. I just don’t want you thinking we can just fall back into our old routine.” Lola raised her hands in a gesture of surrender. “Why on earth would I ever think such a thing?” Never would she ever admit to him that she’d practically danced a jig when she saw the soup on the menu. Recalling the many late nights in his office that had begun just this way, with them sharing a meal as he worked late. Oftentimes they’d stay there late into the night, and more than once they had taken advantage of the sofa that he kept in his office for more than sitting. Koss looked into the bag as Lola turned to walk out the door. “There’s enough for two here. Have you had dinner?” Lola shook her head, surprised by his gesture. “I just got out of class, I’d planned to eat mine when I got home.” Koss motioned toward the chair. “Well, you might as well eat it now while it’s hot.” Lola took the seat and removed both bowls and some bread from the bag. Handing one helping and a spoon to Koss, she nodded in his direction. “What are you doing here so late? You weren’t teaching tonight, were you?” Koss dipped his bread into his soup, then took a bite, closing his eyes as an appreciative expression crossed his face. He chewed for a moment, then answered Lola’s question. “No. Dean Stewart had some administrative stuff he wanted me to take care of for him. Who were you teaching for tonight?” “Dr. Randall’s out with the flu.” Koss nodded. “Isn’t everybody?” They continued the rest of their meal in silence, then Koss interrupted Lola’s wandering thoughts. “I’ve been meaning to ask you about that barracuda of a friend of yours. Ginger. She disappeared around the same time you did. What happened to her?” Lola finished chewing a piece of bread, then flashed a big grin. “You won’t believe it. She’s well on her way to becoming a top chef back in New Orleans. We thought for a minute

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she’d have to relocate after the storm, but the restaurant where she works opened back up pretty quickly.” Koss shook his head. “You’re kidding me? Who would’ve thought she’d ever earn an honest living?” “Koss…” Lola warned. “Like I told you before, I wasn’t particularly different from Ginger back then. You just didn’t want to admit it.” Koss finished the rest of his soup, shaking his head emphatically. “I didn’t believe it then, and I don’t believe it now. You’ve got your issues, but you never tried to take advantage of me.” After a considering moment, Lola decided to leave the subject alone and stood to begin putting their trash away. Then she took a deep breath. “Koss, when are you going to talk to me?” “Talk to you? What have I been doing?” “You know what I mean. You avoid me, and then when I do see you, you bite my head off.” Koss brushed his hair off his forehead with an impatient swipe. “Look, Lola, I don’t know what you have in mind --” “I told you what I have in mind.” “Yeah, well, that’s not going to happen. Are you finished?” Koss stood up. Lola shook her head, moving over to where he stood. “Not by a long shot.” She pressed her body up against his, watching intently as his pupils dilated in response to her nearness. Koss grabbed her upper arms to move her away. “I told you I didn’t want any part of this. We are over and have been for years.” Frustrated by his stubbornness, Lola decided to go for broke. “If that’s the case, why are you freaking out so?” Lola murmured softly. “If I don’t mean anything to you, you could just fuck me right here and now, and it wouldn’t mean a thing.” Koss stared down at her as if uncertain of what he’d just heard. “What?” “You heard me. You’re not seeing anyone. I’m not seeing anybody. We could just have a nice little fuck right here, and it wouldn’t matter. It’s not like we haven’t before.” She gestured toward the sofa. “Right there on that couch.” “I am not having sex with you!” he shouted. Then as though the words forced themselves out against his will, he continued, “We made love before. I never fucked you.” Lola stifled a grin. “I’m glad you remembered. We made love before. What’s wrong with fucking now?” “Did it ever occur to you that I no longer find you sexually attractive?” Lola reached down to stroke the erection that was making its presence felt against her thigh. “Apparently Mr. Happy didn’t get the memo.” She stretched up on tiptoe to glide her

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tongue along a spot just below his ear. She was rewarded by the violent shudder that ripped through his body. As she gradually moved over to place her lips over his, she felt the harsh grip he had on her upper arms loosen briefly before it tightened again. Koss pulled her closer. Then he abruptly pushed her away. “Get out of my office, Lola, and don’t come back. I’m not going to fuck you, or even see you alone again. Do you understand?” Lola had difficulty suppressing a triumphant grin. She stepped out of his office, her confidence boosted by his reaction. He might fight against them, but his feelings hadn’t changed. Now she only had to get him to admit it.

***** D-Day popped the top on the soft drink he’d removed from the small refrigerator Koss kept in his office. “Let me get this straight. You want me to chaperone you for your appointments with Lola. A chaperone. What a concept. Damn, I must be doing something really wrong these days that you’d even consider such a thing.” He doubled over again with laughter, his eyes beginning to stream with tears of hilarity. Then he straightened up, a sudden frown marring his forehead. “By the way, make sure you don’t tell anyone else about this. I have a reputation to consider.” Koss gave him an impatient look. “Dammit, Day, it’s not chaperoning. I just want you to sit in on a few conferences. She needs help with direction and focus. You’ll help us brainstorm some ideas.” D-Day shook his head, his hazel eyes practically dancing with amusement. “You, need me to help you brainstorm? Uh, you have noticed that I’m barely a professor? You don’t have to resort to lies, man. You have to be the only guy on the planet who actually wants a cock blocker. What did she do that’s got you running for your chastity belt?” Koss relayed the events of the previous evening as D-Day listened in increasing disbelief. “I don’t suppose you got any of this on tape?” he asked, almost breathless in anticipation of such a treat. Koss threw the football he kept behind his desk at Day’s head. “Get real, man.” “So all this brainstorming bit was pure bullshit? You really are using me as a chastity belt.” D-Day’s laughter echoed throughout the room. “Fine. The truth of the matter is, I can’t seem to keep my hands off her. Okay? Is that what you wanted to hear?” “Uh, dude, she seems to want your hands on her. So explain to me again what the problem is.” “You said it yourself. The woman’s nothing but trouble. She fucked me over once. No point in jumping back in for a repeat.” Koss glared at his friend in disgust.

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“Oh, yeah, that’s right. Sorry, the blood hasn’t returned to my brain yet after your description of what went down last night. Damn, that’s hot.” He shook his head, sending his mane of chestnut hair flying. “Okay, that’s better. Look, man, it’s not like I didn’t warn you that you weren’t ready to get involved with a stripper. But no, you had to start at the top.” He tossed the football back to Koss as a knock sounded at the door. “Hello, Dr. Day, Dr. Koss,” Lola murmured as she entered the office. “D-Day’s going to hang around and give us some feedback on your project. It’s always a good idea to have as many heads as possible in these sessions.” Koss lowered his head as Lola gave D-Day a questioning glance. He winced as he realized that she knew him too well, and had immediately understood why he’d asked D-Day to sit in on their meeting. She took a seat directly in front of him, while D-Day remained on the sofa across the room. “Like I told you before, Dr. Koss, I’m having a tough time narrowing my focus. Dr. Congo said I was so damned undisciplined he doubted I’d ever complete my research,” Lola said. Koss felt a familiar stab he refused to acknowledge as jealousy when Lola mentioned her mentor. “I read the e-mails you sent me. I think your notes on the impact of climate change on emerging viruses is very interesting. Where do you want to go from there?” Lola looked down at her notes for a moment, then looked back up at him. “That’s the point, I’m really not sure. I think we’re going to see an explosion of these viruses in the developing countries. As it gets warmer, they’re going to start showing up in the US and other western countries as well. Even worse, we’ll see the return of diseases that we eradicated in this country long ago, like yellow fever and malaria. Dengue fever is nipping at our heels as well.” Despite himself, Koss was entranced by her sharp-minded analysis of the impact the environment could have on disease and its manifestation. “You’re right on target there. There’s a lot of good research showing that two of the worst pandemics we’ve had on this planet -- influenza in 1918 and of course, plague in 1348 -- were both precipitated by environmental disruption. But I agree with Congo.” He couldn’t contain a slight wince. “That subject is still too broad for a dissertation.” Lola shuffled the backpack she’d placed on the floor upon entering the room. “Yes, I know. It’s really frustrating. I was just wondering…” She trailed off, her eyes unfocused for a moment, then she returned to the conversation. “Well, I was just wondering, what about public health?” Koss raised his hands in inquiry. “What about it?” He’d almost forgotten how much her incisive mind turned him on. He glanced over at D-Day, who still wore the smirk he’d had on his face throughout the entire meeting. He felt like a total idiot having to ask a friend to watch his back this way, but he’d already proven that he couldn’t be trusted around her. He focused on Lola again, not that she’d ever not had his attention. Her lips pursed as she

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resumed the conversation. Koss was hard-pressed not to groan out loud at his body’s immediate response. “Well, Dr. Congo hated public health.”

Geez, there she goes again. What’s with her and that guy ? Koss couldn’t deny his irritation, though he knew he was being unfair. Grad students invariably fell in love with their advisors. He had adored his and had grieved deeply when he died. “Yeah, his disdain for the field was well-known. Wasn’t flashy enough for the old guy. No opportunity for glory in street sweeping.” Koss shrugged. “But you’ve always been very keen on it. That’s why I couldn’t understand why you were with Congo.” Lola’s soft smile lit up her face as she related her mentor’s cantankerous nature. “Congo thought vermin eradication was beneath him, but he was one of the best investigators in the world. I was willing to put up with his snobbery, and, trust me, there was plenty of it. But it was worth it.” Koss gritted his teeth at her ruminations. “So you want to explore the public health implications?” “I think I want to study climate change and the impact the emergence and reemergence of these diseases will have on our shaky public health system in this country.” Koss pursed his lips. “I think that’s great. You should find plenty of good material. I think I saw a report that the CDC is beginning to be concerned about this issue, especially dengue and yellow fever.” He leaned back in his chair. “But you’re going to have to get some fieldwork in, you know.” Lola nodded eagerly. “Yes, I know. Will you --” Koss shook his head firmly. “I don’t have anything planned that would help you, but maybe you can get together with some of the folks over in Atlanta. I’ll look into it. They’re usually looking for research assistants. You’d just be doing scut work as an RA, but it should be enough to satisfy the qualifications.” He glanced down at his watch, relieved to find it was time for his next appointment.

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Chapter Sixteen Their pattern of encounters continued that way throughout the entire semester. Despite her best efforts, Lola hadn’t managed to see him alone again, not even for a brief meeting. Each time they had a conference they were chaperoned by, of all people, Dr. Day, who usually drove her to distraction by spending the entire meeting laughing helplessly at the irony of his role. She couldn’t be too annoyed as she’d made some major inroads into her research. Koss was a good mentor, with a totally different style and mindset than Dr. Congo. Both had pointed out that her topic was too broad, but Koss had the patience to pick her mind and force her to narrow all her conflicting interests into a cohesive project. Congo tended to just yell at her to be more disciplined, even while telling her that her lack of discipline made her a better scientist. Lola smiled as she reflected on some of the bittersweet memories from her time as Congo’s protégé. Having nothing but disdain for public health, he would never have approved her final topic. However, deciding to study the coming public health implications of tropical diseases in America as a result of climate change had energized her work considerably. The plan to combine her two primary interests -- emerging viruses and public health -- had been a stroke of genius that had come together after several meetings where she bounced her ideas off Koss. Having to defend her views from his incisive mind had helped her narrow her focus and spurred her excitement about the course of her research. Though her academic endeavors had met with great success, her efforts to win Koss back had come to naught. She’d been so hopeful that she would make some headway in the seminar he taught, but he wouldn’t even make eye contact with her. The whole situation was so disheartening she was tempted to drop the class, but there really was no point. He acted as though she were no more interesting than old wallpaper. Besides, she’d only have to take the seminar later, further derailing her career plans.

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She looked at him again as he strode comfortably around the classroom explaining research methods, typically a totally dry subject, with such enthusiasm and clear joy in procedure that he had his students’ rapt attention. Koss loved this work with the passion of a true believer. Lola was constantly amazed that a man of his temperament would put in endless hours with infinite patience to do an experiment over and over when she’d seen him have a meltdown over being caught at a traffic light. The dichotomy was intriguing, and made Koss without a doubt the most fascinating man she’d ever met. Right now he was talking about virus isolation, an absolute obsession for almost all the students in the class. Though every one of them knew the rudimentary process by rote -- it was one of the basics of their field -- they followed Koss’s every word with an attentiveness rarely seen outside a neurosurgery suite. Lola sighed as she went over her notes on the virus isolation process they’d done thus far. They’d taken blood serum from someone presumed to be exposed, then put it into flasks of monkey cells. When the cells died, or popped as they commonly called it, then they were infected with something and it was time for step two. They’d drawn some of the fluid from the flask and injected it into a living monkey and waited to see what happened. When the monkey died it was time for the postmortem. They’d done the postmortem on the monkey the previous week and retrieved the animal’s spleen. Koss had already sliced the monkey cells with a diamond knife and now they were each looking at the results through the scope. The Grotto, as everyone called the vast room that housed the electron microscope, was in the subbasement of the microbiology building. The extraordinary sensitivity of the equipment made it crucial to keep it in as stable an environment as possible. Good thing none of them was claustrophobic. The low ceiling, combined with the massive machine, made for an oppressive atmosphere. They were all so focused on what they were doing she doubted they would have noticed if the microscope was kept on Pluto. The room lit up with an eerie green glow reflected from the viewing screen of the scope. The machine was huge and all the gauges and knobs made Lola feel like she was sitting in the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. Looking down into the viewing screen, she immediately recognized the yellow fever virus. Having come from a school that specialized in tropical diseases, she had learned almost all of them by sight by the time she’d finished her undergraduate studies. For some reason, the yellow fever virus had always reminded her of Rice Krispy treats. Though the virus was innocuous looking, the disease had killed millions around the world, and she suspected that with climate change there was a good chance it would make a comeback in the United States. The prospect of such a deadly disease at their front door, so to speak, was chilling but exciting as well. Lola moved over to let another student take her seat in the electron microscope and managed to catch Koss’s eye. Giving him her most brilliant smile, she made her way over to where he stood with the remaining students, most of whom seemed totally enthralled by whatever it was he was saying. Not surprising. More than a few of them harbored crushes on him, a fact that hadn’t changed over the years. Thankfully, he seemed as oblivious to their

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ardor now as he had been years ago. Lola sighed as the particularly attractive young coed who took her place in the scope waved her arm enthusiastically to get his attention. Or to make sure he noticed her tits, Lola thought, sighing when Koss immediately rushed over to the young woman’s side. Lola scolded herself. After all, she’d spent the entire semester doing exactly the same thing. But I had him first, she retorted to herself. Oh yeah, that’s real mature, Lo. Why don’t you stick out your tongue? That’ll show him. She looked down at her notebook, surprised to find that she’d been taking very good notes the entire time. When Koss dismissed the class she didn’t bother to linger as several other students did, knowing that he’d exit the room as though the very hounds of hell were in pursuit of him to avoid being alone with her. She gathered her books into her bookbag and left the classroom with as much dignity as she could muster.

***** Weeks later she still hadn’t had any success in her plan to recapture Koss’s heart, or even to get him to acknowledge his feelings for her. Patience had never been her strong suit, and after weeks of total frustration Lola found herself resorting to desperate measures. Fondling the key in her pocket, she took a deep breath, trying to muster her courage. She hadn’t dared share her plans with Daisy, her coconspirator. Even Daisy would know this was a crazy idea, and would probably have her locked up as a danger to herself or others. Lola knew if she didn’t do it now, she’d never have the nerve to try again. Her breath hissed between her teeth in response to the distinctive click of the door opening as she let herself into Koss’s empty apartment. Koss stood in the doorway of his bedroom, speechless as he tried to convince himself that he had to be hallucinating. He could find no other explanation for the fact that Lola, a temptation the likes of which had not been seen since God last wagered with Satan over the soul of poor Job, lay sprawled on his stark white comforter, wearing so little clothing she might as well not have bothered. “Good evening, Koss. Another late night at the office?” she purred at him, pure honey dripping off each rounded syllable. Koss brushed back a wayward lock of hair with an abrupt gesture. “Lola, what in the hell are you doing here?” Lola arched her back in a languid motion, accentuating succulent breasts topped by diamond-hard nipples that had haunted his memories for years. Just as he’d decided to run for his life, Lola parted her legs and stroked her hand up one lusciously rounded thigh until it came to the juncture between her legs. He stared transfixed as she caressed the tiny bit of lace nothingness that covered her. Even in his most ardent fantasies he’d never imagined Lola doing something like this. His body hardened with need, as it did every time he was anywhere near her. He’d almost given in that night in his office, and damn her to hell, she

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knew it. How would he work up the strength to resist her again? As if drawn by an invisible magnetic field, he couldn’t look away from the show she was putting on just for him. His erection throbbed so intensely it was all he could do not to come in his pants. Lola continued stroking the lace while she teased one of her provocative nipples into even greater hardness. When she slipped the bit of lace aside and began sliding her fingers over her wet folds while locking her slumbrous brown eyes with his own, he knew he didn’t stand a chance. With almost supernatural speed he joined her on the bed, pulling her into his arms and immediately taking her mouth under his own. Almost beyond reason, he pressed her down into the mattress, his whole body shivering with a need he knew could only be assuaged by this woman. He heard her gurgle of laughter as he struggled to remove his clothing without separating his lips from hers. “Wait a minute, Koss. I’ll do it,” she purred as she began leisurely unbuttoning his shirt. He didn’t recognize his own voice as he brushed her hands aside and growled back. “No, I’ve got to get inside you. Now.” Thanking God he’d removed his shoes when he first entered his apartment, he reached down and unfastened his pants, shoving them and his underwear over his narrow hips so quickly he was surprised it didn’t give him windburn. He immediately reached over and ripped the tiny lace thong off her hips. Sliding one long finger into her slit, he groaned out loud when he found her wet and ready for him. He picked up the condom she’d left on the bedside table, and sheathed himself with as much speed as possible. Not wasting another moment, he parted her legs and slammed his cock into her as deep as he could go. He heard Lola gasp at the forcefulness of his thrust, and gritted his teeth as he willed himself to wait until she’d had a moment to adjust. Soon he felt her hips flex against him, an unmistakable sign that she was ready for him. He pulled out and slammed in again just as hard as before. God, it was just as he’d remembered. Her pussy clasped around him in an exquisite embrace, sending shards of pleasure radiating from his cock through his frame. Withdrawal was agonizing as his body demanded that he return immediately to the ecstasy to be found only within her. Perspiration pooled at the base of his spine as he thrust again and again like a man possessed. He grabbed her hips, tilting them up to meet him as he pounded into her relentlessly. “It’s not enough. It’s not enough. I’ve got to have more,” he growled under his breath as he lifted her long silken legs and anchored them on his shoulders. In this position he could go deeper than he ever had before. Lola’s eyes were tightly closed; her teeth clenched her sensuous bottom lip as she groaned. He could feel her response through his body and the shivers down his spine went directly to his cock and radiated through every cell. Nothing had ever felt this good and nothing ever would. His body accepted this fact while his mind was too caught up in the ecstasy to even respond. He felt Lola’s back arch as she ground her hips against his, her whole body tightening like a bowstring as her orgasm ripped through her. Knowing just what to do, Koss reached down to strum her clitoris with his thumb, to drive her pleasure even higher, then his body took over from his mind as her explosive

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pleasure set off his own and he came with a power that pushed him into near unconsciousness. Koss awakened slowly. His heart leapt in his chest when, for one disoriented moment, he thought perhaps his separation from Lola had somehow been some type of nightmare. The dim glow of his bedside lamp illuminated something he’d never thought to see again -Lola in his bed, their bodies intimately entwined as though they couldn’t bear to separate after their thunderous encounter. He leaned down to inhale her spicy scent and the combination of sensual aromas made by their joining. Then the pain washed over him as he remembered another time when he’d awakened in their bed with nothing but that same scent surrounding him. After what had to have been an eternity, Koss gained enough strength to move away from Lola. He lay beside her, still unwilling to believe that he’d done the one thing he’d sworn he’d never do. He spared her another glance from the corner of his eye and almost groaned at the memories sparked by her satiated expression. His body responded immediately, and he forced himself to sit up lest he fall prey to her spell again. He reached over to shake her awake. “Time to go, Lola. You got your fuck. Now get out of my house,” he forced himself to say with a callousness that was far from his true emotions. Lola awakened immediately, but blinked at him, clearly confused by his demeanor. “What?” “You asked to get laid and I obliged. By the way, give me back my goddamned key. It was fun, but I can’t be bothered with a repeat performance.” Lola sat up and without a word removed his key from a chain she wore around her neck. Koss studied her closely, then grabbed the chain. “What the hell is this?” Lola swatted his hand away. “You know what it is. It’s the ring.” Koss frowned. “The ring? You left it, remember?” He couldn’t check the brief flash of pain at the totality of her rejection. She’d abandoned him and a hundred-thousand-dollar ring as if they were nothing to her. “Obviously you didn’t want it any more than you wanted me.” Lola sighed and walked over to the chair where she’d left her clothes. “It’s the ring you gave me at the fair. And I always wanted you. I just didn’t want to ruin your life. If I had stayed…” “Wasn’t that my decision to make?” Koss interrupted. “You weren’t thinking rationally at the time.” “I wasn’t thinking rationally? You were the one who wouldn’t stop hanging out in a fucking strip club, even after a guy blew his brains out all over you.”

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Lola shrugged. “Hey, I admit I was crazy. I had cause. I spent five years in therapy getting uncrazy. What was your excuse?” Koss gritted his teeth. “I loved you. I was a stupid kid, but I loved you.” Lola lowered her head and didn’t respond for a long moment. Finally she whispered, her voice thick with suppressed tears. “I know you did, Koss. You’re the only person who ever loved me. And I know you don’t believe me, but I loved you too.” Koss looked around the room, wildly trying to think of anything to distract himself from her pain. He knew if he gave in to the impulse to comfort her he’d be lost for sure. He noticed the livid mark on her hip. “What the hell is that?” Lola glanced down, then smiled. “It’s a tattoo,” she said, briefly touching the bright pink drawing of her favorite pair of dance shoes. “Doesn’t pay to forget where you came from.” She finished shimmying into her jeans in a movement that made saliva pool in Koss’s mouth. He swallowed heavily. “Look, Lola. This can’t ever happen again. I just can’t go there with you. Besides, it had been a long time for me --” Lola whirled around on him. “What? Are you saying you only gave in because you were hard up?” Koss couldn’t stop his blush, so he stood up to pull on his boxer briefs. “Lola, you’re a beautiful woman. I don’t have to tell you that. But you’re not what I want or need.” He shrugged. “I’ve been working really hard and haven’t dated in a long time, so read what you want into it. But any man is going to fuck a woman who shows up half-naked in his bed.” He was satisfied to see the furious color rise under her golden skin. “Just leave me alone. I don’t want to hurt you, but I will to keep you away from me.” Lola slipped her arms into her jacket then stormed out of his apartment without a backward glance. Koss looked down at the key that she’d left lying on the bed. He wiped his palms over his face in a futile attempt to obliterate the pain he’d seen cross her face at his harsh words. Maybe he’d been wrong all this time and she really had been trying to do what was best for him. After all, she’d kept a cheap brass ring while leaving one she could’ve gotten quite a bit of cash for at any pawn shop. For a long time after she’d left, knowing she had to be struggling for cash, he’d wished she had taken it with her. At least it would’ve been of some benefit to someone, rather than mocking him from a corner of his sock drawer. He sprawled backward onto his bed. No matter what had driven her decision before, she’d bailed without giving him a chance. He’d gone to hell and back after she left him. He couldn’t take that chance again.

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Chapter Seventeen For the remaining weeks of the semester Lola worked diligently to avoid Koss. She really could’ve spared her efforts as he would clearly rather contract polio than see her. Her degradation was so complete she wouldn’t even share the result of the catastrophic seduction with Daisy, who thought they were still waging a campaign to regain Koss’s affections. Lola picked listlessly at her lunch, while Daisy prattled on about her favorite subject, Dean Stewart. Nothing had changed on that front; he was as oblivious as ever. She agreed with her friend when she said that geek scientists were sexy as hell, but thick as bricks, then tuned her out while focusing on her own misery. A long moment passed before she realized Daisy had stopped talking and was staring at her as if she’d suddenly turned into a Rubik’s cube. “What?” Lola asked. “Where’d you wander off to? I know you haven’t heard a word I said.” “Of course I was listening. You were talking about what a moron Dean Stewart is and I was agreeing with you.” Lola glanced around the nearly empty cafeteria where they were having their usual shared lunch. They preferred to avoid the crowds by dining as late in the day as possible. “Lola, I just said that the dean is really pissed with Dr. Koss,” Daisy said with a pointed look. “Pissed at Koss. Is that even possible?” Lola asked with a snort. Then she had a brief moment of panic. “Koss isn’t planning to leave, is he?” Surely he wouldn’t go to such extraordinary lengths just to get away from her? The expression on his face as she escaped his apartment flashed through her mind. He’d looked like a man who’d barely survived a sojourn through the valley of the shadow of death. She didn’t doubt he’d chew off a limb or two to make a clean getaway.

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Daisy’s gorgeous umber-colored twists danced attractively around her face as she shook her head. “No, he’s not leaving the university, but he is going to Île de Lina again.” Lola immediately perked up. “Why is Koss going there again? He’s been there before.” “There’s been some kind of virus outbreak. The WHO wants some blood samples and Koss has agreed to go.” She frowned. “Why is it that every time I mention that organization I think about a rock band? You think they did that on purpose?” Lola almost laughed out loud at the notion of that staid organization being compared to a rock band. She just shook her head. “I doubt it.” Then she thought about what Daisy had just said. Koss was going in the field again. For a moment all she could hear was the sound of her heartbeat thundering in her chest. Her first instinct was to panic at the thought of him going to such a dangerous place. Then she couldn’t contain her excitement at the prospect of joining him on what could be a career-making junket. The thrill was quickly followed by a wave of disappointment. After their last encounter, Koss would rather set himself on fire than take her with him to Île de Lina. She was startled when Daisy reached out and tapped her hand. “Girl, what’s going on with you? Watching your face is fascinating as hell, but I’d like to hear the story. I know you want to go to Île de Lina, though only God knows why. Are you going to ask Dr. Koss to take you along?” Lola stared at her friend’s pretty, round face. Now that was a helluva question. Finally, the chance of a lifetime presented itself, but she’d have to face Koss again to take it. She leaned forward to update Daisy on the latest in their melodrama. At the very least, she’d have a shoulder to cry on.

***** Although she had to admit she hadn’t tried very hard, Lola was still thrilled when, following a tip from Daisy, she finally found Koss alone in his office. She closed the door firmly behind her, then stood in front of it. At that moment she wasn’t sure if she was trying to prevent his escape or her own. “What, no chaperone today?” she quipped in a dry tone. Koss looked up from the computer screen of his laptop. From the bleary, bloodshot state of his eyes she could tell he’d been looking at the screen for far too long. She stepped away from the door and walked over to his desk. In a practiced movement she reached into the upper left-side drawer and removed the eye drops he kept there. Without saying a word she handed the small bottle to him, then sat down in the chair across from his desk. Koss, clearly remembering the numerous times she’d done this before, grudgingly took the bottle, then, after placing a few drops in each eye, turned to her to ask the question that he’d started to ask when she first came into his office. “I know we don’t have an appointment. What in the hell are you doing here?”

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“Don’t you think you should rest your eyes? You don’t want to get another infection,” she cautioned. Koss’s light eyes tended to be overly sensitive to eyestrain, and got inflamed easily. “What. Are. You. Doing. Here?” Koss asked again, biting off each word with a distinctive click of his teeth. Lola gave him a cheeky grin. “First, I want to thank you for helping me develop a direction for my research. Things are going very well now.” Koss nodded. “And” -- she paused for effect -- “I want to ask if I could go to Île de Lina with you.” “You want to do what?” Koss’s bleary eyes now nearly bulged out of his head as he stared at her in disbelief. “I want to go to Île de Lina with you,” Lola repeated. “How the hell did you…” Koss broke off, clearly realizing that Lola had used her usual source of information. “You know, I could probably bring the two of you up on stalking charges.” Lola grinned at him again. “Yeah, I suppose you could,” she replied, knowing full well that he wouldn’t. She decided to tone it down a bit. After all, their last exchange had hardly ended well. Wouldn’t do to have him throw her out before she got a chance to talk to him about the trip. Rumors were afoot that the virus outbreak was Rissa, the virus Koss had discovered on his maiden virus-hunting mission. Though it was probably another false alarm, he was going in to draw blood samples for the World Health Organization. Apparently, even that formidable organization didn’t have anyone crazy enough to brave the anarchy that was Île de Lina. The joke in the department was that Koss dared go where even the WHO feared to tread. “Come on, Koss, why can’t I go?” Lola didn’t try to suppress the supplication in her tone. “Why can’t you go? Do you want those reasons in chronological or alphabetical order?” Koss snapped. “I don’t even want you in my classroom, let alone my office. Why the hell would I want to be closed up on a transpacific flight with you?” Lola opened her mouth to note that he’d neglected to mention his bed as a place where he didn’t want her, then closed her mouth with a grimace as she thought better of it. He already looked angry enough to strangle her with his bare hands. And of course he had the wherewithal to dispose of any grisly remains. She simply nodded her head to encourage him to continue. Koss then took a deep breath and began ticking his points off on his fingers. “Île de Lina has been in a state of civil war for more than thirty years. At least that’s what the State Department calls it. That tidy little phrase in no way acknowledges the fact that these people have been blowing each other to hell for so long I doubt anyone alive even has a clue why they’re still doing it. As if they don’t have enough homegrown sociopaths, assorted loonies from around the globe have headquartered there too. Nobody in their right mind even calls

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it a goddamned country anymore. Whether you call them revolutionaries or guerillas or even soldiers, it really doesn’t matter. Basically what you have is a bunch of nutjobs with more firepower than is healthy for them, or for us. “They haven’t had a government since time out of mind. It’s the closest thing to Lord of the Flies since the Taliban. At least in Afghanistan there was only one Taliban. Over there they have dozens.” He took another deep breath as though to regroup, then continued in a softer tone, “I’ve been doing this for a while now. I’ve got contacts, and I know the people. I can slip in and out, mostly undetected.” He gave her an appraising look. “There’s no way in hell you’ll ever go unnoticed. Not even in the middle of a genocidal civil war that’s been going on since before either one of us was even born.” Lola preened a bit at his last comment, which directly contradicted what he’d said the last time she’d seen him. Ignoring the rest of his lecture, she thrilled at the knowledge that he still found her attractive. Even dressed casually in a pair of low-waisted jeans and a contoured polo shirt, she turned heads everywhere she went, and Koss, no matter how hard he resisted, was not immune. “You know I know how to disguise myself. After all, no one paid me the least bit of attention when I was here before.” “It doesn’t matter one way or another. We don’t even have time to get your shots --” “I’ve already had them,” Lola piped up. “Daisy’s right, you really don’t pay attention to what goes on with the students, do you? Since pretty much everyone in the department will eventually either be at the NIH or with the Army at USAMRIID, the dean said we might as well get them out of the way now. He had us vaccinated against practically everything we have a vaccine for. You know I need to do some fieldwork and research for my dissertation. Dr. Congo was going to take me to Venezuela to study VEE. You know he specialized in arboviruses. But then the storm happened.” She closed her eyes briefly and let the memories of those horrific days wash over her. In the insane crush of evacuation, Congo had lost his life in a car accident. “And I didn’t get to go. It’s not like opportunities like this are growing on trees. If I’m ever going to have a career I need to get this over with. I already wasted a year in Miami.” Koss steepled his hands as he leaned back in his chair. “Yeah, I meant to ask you about that. I saw on your transcript that you transferred to the Miami campus after the storm. Why didn’t you just finish up there? All this school hopping doesn’t look good.” “You think?” Lola rolled her eyes at him, then slouched back in her chair in disgust. “The short answer is politics. You know how difficult Congo was. He basically started the NOLA campus because he couldn’t get along with anybody in Miami. After he died, those of us who transferred there were treated like crap.” She sighed heavily. “Me especially. I was Congo’s girl. Everybody knew it. He bragged about me incessantly, even when I begged him to stop. We had…I dunno…we had a special relationship…” Koss raised his brows, but didn’t respond.

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Lola knew what he was thinking. What everyone thought about her and the only man she’d loved nearly as much as she loved Koss. “Jesus, Koss, the man was nearly seventy. He wasn’t interested in me that way. I think in a lot of ways I was like a prize pet to him more than anything.” “Hmmm, he wasn’t interested? I don’t think it’s possible for a man not to want you.” Koss made the observation flatly, as though making a simple statement of fact. “Especially Congo. Everybody knows that old boy would hit on anything with a pulse.” Lola shook her head firmly. “He wasn’t like that with me. I don’t think he even saw me as a woman.” She shrugged. “He was absolutely incredible and so brilliant. I couldn’t believe he thought I was worth his time. He believed in me and helped me so much. Just knowing he thought I could do it made it so much easier. I owed him everything. I adored him. Would I have been with him if he’d asked? Yeah, probably. Especially in those early days when I missed you so much --” Lola broke off at Koss’s sharp inhalation of breath. The pain in his eyes was so poignant she had to choke back a gasp. “Don’t go there, Lola. Don’t ever go there with me,” he gritted through his teeth. Lola nodded, chilled to the bone by that glare. She continued, struggling to compose herself. “Anyway, the folks in Miami made my life a living hell. I couldn’t get any research or writing done there. They wouldn’t even assign me an advisor. After fighting with them forever, I finally just left. I figured it would be easiest to reenroll here. After all, I had friends here, and…” She bit off the end of her comment as he gave her another searing look. “So that’s what I did,” she finished lamely. Lola rubbed her forehead as she tried to gather her thoughts, then decided to return to the subject at hand. “Come on, Koss. Let me go with you. You know you’re not supposed to go into the field alone, especially in a place like Île de Lina. And this is just the kind of fieldwork I need to finish up my final. I’ll wear any disguise you want. It’ll only be for a week. This is the perfect time to go. It’s winter break and we’ll be back before the next semester even begins.” She gave him a coquettish glance. “And I promise, I won’t even try to seduce you.” That got his attention. “Seduce me? Just because I lost my mind the other night doesn’t mean I’ll be so stupid again. What does it take to convince you that I don’t want you? I’d cut my dick off before I’d lie down with you again. It’s not going to happen.” Lola managed not to wince at his words. No matter what he said, she knew he still wanted her. “Of course it will. I told you I want you back. I mean, I came back to Birmingham U because I want to finish up. But you were definitely an incentive, okay?” He apparently decided to leave their personal affairs aside, at least for the moment, because he ignored the gauntlet she’d just tossed at his feet and addressed the trip instead. “Lola, this whole thing is preposterous. No way in hell am I taking you to the South Pacific with me. It’s a crazy idea,” he yelled.

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Lola stood up to leave the room. She knew him well enough to know she didn’t stand a chance when he dug in his heels this way. Even worse, she would have to find another way to go into the field for her research. Her shoulders dropped in defeat. Maybe she should’ve chosen one of the other schools. She’d thought she’d have a greater chance of getting what she wanted here at BU. Clearly she’d been mistaken. Koss would totally scuttle all her dreams, partially out of spite, but mostly out of self-preservation. She understood his reluctance, but was frustrated that he wouldn’t even give her a chance to prove herself. Against her will, tears welled up as she turned to go. “I know I hurt you, but I can’t believe you’re letting your anger at me derail my career this way. I’ve worked for almost ten years for this. You know how much this means to me, and now you’re destroying everything. You’re just as bad as those people in Miami.” “What?” Koss roared, his chair slamming against the wall as he rose to his feet. “What in the hell are you talking about? This has nothing to do with our personal --” “It doesn’t? Yeah, right! The first thing you said was you don’t want to spend a week with me. What’s that if it’s not personal?” Lola asked, her voice choked with tears. “Jesus Christ!” Koss sank back into his chair, almost missing it as it had been shoved back a foot when he’d jumped to his feet. “Look, Lola, there will be other opportunities. What with global warming and all, it’s not like we’ll have a shortage of emerging viruses.” They both knew there wouldn’t be other opportunities. Few of the other professors went into the field as much as Koss did. Like the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, viruses all too often traveled with war and famine. War-torn countries were too dangerous for all but the most intrepid virologists. Changing schools again would in all likelihood condemn her to permanent ABD -- all but dissertation -- status. Never completing her dissertation would be a deathblow to any career aspirations she might have had. Lola just shook her head, conveying silently what they both knew. Koss stared at her for a long moment, then threw his hands up in defeat. “Okay, fine, you can go. But you damned well better wear a helluva disguise. I don’t want you drawing any unnecessary attention to us. No joke, that kind of shit can get us both killed. Understand?” he barked sharply. “Are you sure your shots and papers are in order? Lola’s feet weren’t even touching the ground as she smiled through her tears. “Thank you, Koss, thank you!” she shouted. “Yes! I’ve had my shots, I’ve even got malaria pills. I got my passport last year for the Venezuela trip, so everything is good to go.” In her exuberance she ran around the desk to give him a hug, but stopped short when he gave her a quelling glance. She still wasn’t able to resist the need to touch him, so she brushed that errant lock of white-blond hair off his forehead instead. “I’m glad you let it grow out. It’s so pretty now.” Koss moved her hand away with an impatient swipe. “Oh yeah, pretty is something I’ve always aspired to,” he responded in a wry tone. “I didn’t do it on purpose. It just got to be a pain to keep up with the haircuts.” He nodded toward her closely cropped hair. “Looks like we swapped hairstyles. I can’t believe you cut it all off. You were always so proud of it.”

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Lola moved back around to the other side of the desk, unconsciously touching her short curls. “I did it right after I left. I just kept feeling that I’d never get it clean again. It creeped me the hell out to think of having that…” She shuddered. “Now, I really like it. It’s so convenient and I don’t have to do anything for it. Good thing because I don’t have any time to fool with hair these days.” They both fell silent as they recalled the horror of the night that had changed both their lives irrevocably. Then Koss shook his head. “Look, if we’re going to be traveling together, we’ve got to establish some ground rules.” Lola nodded. “Rule number one, no touching.” “None at all? But what if I have to rescue you from crocodiles or some other beastie?” Lola asked. “I doubt there’s so much as a lizard left alive there. Anything big enough to eat has already been hunted to extinction. The whole island is dead. The birds and insects are all that’s left and they won’t be there much longer. Knowing Île de Lina, we’re more likely to encounter a five-year-old sociopath toting a Kalashnikov, but even then, no touching.” He looked down at his desk. “And no seducing, either.” “Right. No touching. No seducing.” Lola tried to maintain a professional demeanor even while she danced a happy dance inside. “Any other rules?” Koss frowned. “None that I can think of at the moment. I’ll let you know as we go along.” Lola grinned back at him. She was so thrilled to be going along she would’ve agreed to wear a burka for the duration.

***** Koss studied Lola as she settled herself into his SUV, a bemused expression on his face. They’d already stashed her one small carry-on bag in the back of the vehicle, and he had walked around to the driver’s side to reenter after opening the passenger door for her. “What?” she asked, returning his look with one of her own as he climbed inside. “Have I got dirt on my face or something?” “No, I’m just wondering how the hell you do it.” Koss continued to study her. “Do what?” “Shut it off, I mean like totally off,” he said. “What?” Lola’s tone made her irritation plain. “I know it’s early for you, dude, but you could at least try to speak in complete sentences. You’re not making any sense.” Koss turned to start the car. “You know, under normal circumstances, you glow, hell, you light up a room. Nobody can take their eyes off you. Then, when you want to, you just shut it down, and fade into the woodwork. It’s not makeup or anything, it’s just you. How the hell do you do that?”

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Lola paused for a long contemplative moment. Then she exhaled a long breath. He had to see her, the real her, no matter how ugly. She hadn’t been real with him before, and that had killed their relationship. She wouldn’t do that again, no matter how much it hurt. She shook her head at her own stupidity. It had only taken a few years of therapy to figure that out. “It’s another one of those survival skills I told you about. When you come up the way I did, well, it pays to be able to disappear in plain sight. Might save you from an asswhupping…” She lowered her head. “Or worse.” Koss gritted his teeth as he resisted the urge to reach out to comfort her. This was why he hadn’t wanted to travel with her in the first place. Even now, hearing about the pain she’d endured made him want to hurt somebody. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.” Lola shook her head. “It’s okay. The memories are never far away, anyway. They’re a part of me, and that’s cool. It just took me a while to learn how to deal.” Needing a distraction from any further conversation, Koss started the car. The drive to the airport was uneventful. Apparently Lola was no more inclined to talk than he was, a fact he could truly appreciate. Knowing he’d made a major mistake, he hadn’t told any of his friends that Lola would accompany him on this trip. Though he had little doubt they’d find out about it through the department grapevine. He didn’t look forward to the ass-chewing he’d receive from them upon his return, especially since he deserved it. He took a deep breath and glanced at Lola, who was still staring out the car window. This was going to be a long trip. For once in his life he doubted he’d survive it, and his reservations had nothing to do with the bloody civil war on Île de Lina.

***** Lola glanced over at Koss, who was sound asleep in the window seat. He’d warned her that on a trip like this it paid to sleep whenever the opportunity presented itself, but she was too excited to even think about resting. The seats on the airliner, even in first class, were not made to accommodate a man his size, but it didn’t seem to trouble him. Koss was infinitely adaptable, and could sleep in a sardine can if need be. Lola studied him for a while longer, her heart aching as it always did when she looked at him. With his face relaxed in slumber and not tensed in the scowl he constantly wore around her these days it was easy to be transported back half a decade to when his heart was still open to her. Lola sighed; surely it wasn’t too late for them, but right now she had to make sure she didn’t totally screw up this opportunity. Koss had given her his notes from previous trips and now she pulled them from her bag. Seeking to minimize the impact of her inexperience, Lola had been studying the notes for several days. Despite Koss’s appalling penmanship, his journaling was precise, thorough, and full of useful information about his experiences on the island. He’d had some close encounters, though nothing truly life threatening. As he’d said before, most of the danger on Île de Lina lay in the various factions trying to wipe the others

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out. They generally left scientists and medical personnel alone, except for when they didn’t. The situation could become tricky if one side somehow became convinced that another faction was receiving help that they weren’t. According to his notes, Koss had been caught in such a quagmire once, but had succeeded in talking his way out. That had been a significantly longer trip. With any luck, they wouldn’t be there long enough to arouse the attention of any of the various warlords. Lola read the rest of Koss’s notes. Then, finally feeling relaxed enough to rest, she placed them back into her bag. Koss snored softly as he slid into deep sleep. Not knowing when she’d get another chance, Lola cuddled up against his side. His clean masculine scent enveloped her and immediately evoked memories of all the times they had slept just this way in the past. With the return to such familiar surroundings, the barriers she’d maintained against those bittersweet memories crumbled. She surrendered to their seductive lure, allowing herself to drift off to sleep comforted by dreams of what they once were and could be again.

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Chapter Eighteen “Come on, Lola. Get up.” Koss shook her shoulder roughly. “Wha…” Lola raised her head from where it had been resting on her upraised knees. After flying for more than twenty-two hours, they’d arrived in Australia that morning. She’d assumed they’d be staying in Darwin, at least overnight, but Koss had quickly disabused her of that notion. Now she looked up at him. Even after an insanely long flight, he managed to look adventurous and sexy in his tropical weight gear. Lola knew she had no such luck. After all those hours of travel she doubted she would have to put any effort into subduing her looks. Koss grabbed her hand, pulling her out of the chair. “Come on, we’ve got to hustle over to the other side of the airport. I finally got in touch with that bush pilot I told you about, but he’s not going to hang around for long.” “Great.” Lola stood up, stretching her long limbs and trying to energize herself. She wished she had a moment to take a quick jog around the building. That would help wake her up, but the impatient look on Koss’s face made it clear that he wanted to move as quickly as possible. After a brief stop at the ladies’ room where she used the facilities and splashed cold water on her face, Lola rejoined a restive Koss on the main concourse. Lola was surprised that an airport in Northern Australia, or the Top End as the Aussies called it, would be so crowded or busy with flights. The loudspeaker constantly announced new arrivals as she and Koss took off in a near sprint to the other side of the building. Just when Lola thought she’d have to beg for a break, Koss stopped. He left her doubled over trying to catch her breath, and hurried to a large, scruffy man. Lola stared at them while they exchanged greetings. A pith helmet? Nobody wears a pith helmet anymore -- if they ever had. Lola righted herself as Koss led the man back to her. “Lola, this is Wild Thing. Best bush pilot in these parts.”

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“Or at least the only one crazy enough to fly to Hell de Lina,” the pilot quipped. Lola took his extended hand and returned his greeting, somewhat disconcerted by his clearly American midwest accent. Wild Thing smirked down at her from his impressive height, clearly understanding her surprise to learn his nationality. “I can say crikey if you like.” Lola narrowed her eyes, but didn’t respond to his flippant comment because she was too dumbfounded by his appearance. Not only was the man wearing a pith helmet, but he had on a Cleveland Indians baseball jacket. And who the hell went around calling themselves Wild Thing? His skin had been tanned to a texture akin to leather by the harsh South Pacific sun. His hair, which hung down long and straggly around his shoulders, was even lighter than Koss’s and had clearly been bleached by that same sun. Lola didn’t know whether to laugh or run screaming out of the airport. This guy looked certifiable, but Koss had apparently flown with him before. She hitched her single carry-on bag up higher on her shoulder and followed him and Koss out of the airport to a small helicopter. Lola again stopped in her tracks. The aircraft looked like something MacArthur might have used on his much-storied return to the area. And were those bullet holes in the side? Great, I’m flying into a war zone with a nutjob in a pith helmet and a World War II vintage helicopter. Wild Thing noticed her frozen expression. “Don’t worry about it, little girl. This bird has gotten me in and out of more tight spots than Vaseline. We’ll make it to Hell de Lina.” “Yeah, but will we make it out again?” Lola murmured under her breath. Koss gave her an impatient glance over his shoulder. “Come on. You’re not going to punk out on me now, are you?” “But Koss, the helicopter is…” She hesitated to enumerate its many flaws. In addition to age and bullet holes, quite a few areas on the craft had been patched with duct tape, and the body was painted at least four different colors, interspersed with a liberal usage of Bondo. Koss gave the helicopter a considering look. “I’m not worried about it. Frankly I’m far more concerned that he’s a Cleveland Indians fan.” He turned to Wild Thing. “Have they ever even tried to win the pennant?” A loud bark of laughter was the pilot’s only response. Lola threw her hands up in defeat as she joined the men in the aircraft. At the very least any number of people would be amused by the tale of her untimely demise at the hands of a man whose name came from a Charlie Sheen movie. The interior of the four-seater helicopter was surprisingly modern, and Lola wondered if Wild Thing maintained its battered exterior for appearance’s sake. Once they had boarded and strapped themselves into the seats, he gave each a pair of high-tech wireless headphones, explaining that once the craft’s rotors were going they wouldn’t be able to hear one another

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otherwise. Lola took the copilot seat because the rear seats could better accommodate Koss’s bulk, a fact she knew he appreciated after being shoehorned into airplanes for almost a full day. Lola fastened the seat belt, then looked around the cockpit at the various buttons and levers on the dash. She watched, fascinated, as Wild Thing picked up what she initially thought was a navigational chart. Then reality dawned. “Hey, isn’t that a map from Captain D’s?” “No,” Wild Thing scoffed, as though insulted by such a ridiculous notion. “It’s from Long John Silver.” Lola whipped around in her seat to face her traveling companion, who listened to the conversation with only mild interest. For a brief moment she wondered if Koss was playing some type of trick on her, then decided it was unlikely. They really were flying into a genocidal civil war with a man who navigated with a map from a fast food restaurant. She met Koss’s gaze with a determined look of her own. If this is what scientists in the field had to do, then she was as game as any of them. Backing down wasn’t an option. She turned to Wild Thing who, she was somewhat comforted to discover, was still going over his preflight checklist. “So, how long is the flight to the island?” she asked “About an hour or so, depending.” Lola frowned. “Depending on what?” “Whether or not we get any crosswinds or gunfire,” he answered in an offhanded manner that totally obliterated the comfort she had taken in his use of a preflight checklist. Then he spoke into the headset to the tower. “Okay, you guys, we’re getting ready to go up.” He motioned toward her headset. “Get geared up.” Lola complied with his instructions, still marinating over his careless dismissal of the possibility of being fired upon. Just what the hell had she gotten herself into? Though everyone who had ever been there rhapsodized over the beauty of Île de Lina, Lola found herself holding her breath, almost distrusting her eyesight as it came into view. Gazing out the window at the island which was perched like a pearl brooch on the azure sea, Lola couldn’t believe that such grotesque violence had existed for so long in this place of beauty. She glanced over her shoulder at Koss, who was, as usual, trying to sleep during the turbulent journey to the island. They hadn’t come under gunfire, but the crosswinds had occasionally made her question their sanity. Fortunately things had quieted down about halfway through the trip. As they passed over the island, they banked to the right, and Lola looked down to see what looked like a fairly well-developed area, including quite a few beachfront hotels and resorts.

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Further along the coast she noticed an airstrip and a modern airport. She felt a leap in her chest at the prospect of sleeping in a real bed that night. That hope died rather quickly when she realized that Wild Thing was making no preparations to land at the airport. Lola frowned in consternation. If they had an airport, why the hell were they flying in with Outback Jack and his Magical Mystical Flying Machine? She posed that question to Wild Thing. “See those flares?” Wild Thing asked, gesturing toward the smoking red flames that were placed haphazardly along the runway. Lola nodded. “That’s a HLZ,” he answered. Wild Thing pronounced the acronym as “hells,” which only further confused her. She raised her brows in inquiry so he explained further. “It’s a hot landing zone. Folks foolish enough to land at that airport either get blown to hell and back, or they have a nasty way of never being heard from again. One warlord or another takes them hostage and holds them until somebody coughs up the cash. Sometimes they come back, sometimes they don’t. Either way, it’s nowhere for a smart person to land. We’re going to the windward side of the island where there’s no development. Little harder to land, but we’re less likely to draw attention and more likely to come out alive.” Lola nodded, glancing again at a still-sleeping Koss. She shook her head at her own ignorance. In a way, she’d hoped he’d been lying when he talked about how dangerous Île de Lina was. Upon closer scrutiny she realized some of the buildings were in bad shape. Most had lost all their windows and were riddled with bullet holes. The airstrip was pockmarked with craters, she assumed from mortar shells. One building had a hole blown in it the size of a large tank. With its wrought iron balconies and colorful buildings, the town reminded her a bit of New Orleans’s French Quarter, but the bomb damage was reminiscent of war-torn countries everywhere from West Africa to Afghanistan. The lack of traffic or any movement at all told its own story: Île de Lina, once a jewel of the South Pacific, was now a hellhole the likes of which Milton had never imagined. She decided to change to a less scary subject and asked the pilot about the origin of the island’s name. “It’s French,” he replied, “I guess they colonized it a while back.” Lola nodded. “Yeah, it means Island of Lina. Who was Lina?” “Oh, it’s your typical virgin in the volcano story. I don’t really know that much about it, but I think she fell in love with someone from another tribe and they threw her in the volcano,” Wild Thing replied casually. “Oh, lovely,” Lola said. Damned island just couldn’t get away from senseless violence, could it? She’d assumed the volcano in the center of the island was extinct, but perhaps she was mistaken. The lush tropical foliage surrounded the feature like emeralds encircling a baroque pearl, so clearly there hadn’t been any eruptions lately.

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She reached over to shake Koss awake when Wild Thing indicated that landing was imminent. Then she watched, fascinated, as the sandy shoreline seemed to come up to meet the bottom of the aircraft. “Man, you only get better at this,” Koss said in amazement at the incredibly soft landing. “I told you I could land this thing on a cow’s ass and not even faze it,” Wild Thing rejoined. Lola rolled her eyes at the bravado, but even she couldn’t impugn the man’s flying skills. His sartorial choices were a totally different matter. They quickly exited the helicopter, and Lola looked around. She saw only thick brush and sand that had a pinkish cast, she assumed from coral. The plants looked eerily similar to houseplants she’d seen over the years. Of course, these plants looked as though they’d been fertilized with HGH and were many times the size of the plants they resembled. Though she’d been to beaches many times, mainly on the Gulf Coast, she’d never seen anything like this. The small cove where they’d landed was somewhat sheltered from the fierce surf, but she could still hear the water pounding relentlessly against the shore. The abundant vegetation was everywhere, and gave off a richly seductive green aroma, redolent with the ripe smell of wild fertility, as though all the plants had come into heat at once. Oddly enough, the smell reminded her somewhat of being in a strip club full of aroused men, their pheromones running rampant throughout the building. She knew Koss wouldn’t think much of the comparison and chose to keep it to herself. Lola glanced up at the morning sun. Though it was intense at this latitude, the continuous breeze made it more comfortable than when she had been in Darwin, brief though her stay there had been. She hitched her one bag higher up on her shoulder, then listened as Wild Thing gave them directions. “I think you remember the village from your last trip here. You know it’s just a few klicks up the road.” Lola frowned, seeing nothing but trees and more trees. “What road would that be?” Koss nodded toward their pilot. “I know where you’re talking about.” He looked around the area. “Do you think they’ll be here with our vehicle soon?” “Sure thing. Here they come now.” Lola watched as two young boys, neither looking old enough to have gone through puberty, pulled up in a surprisingly new-looking Jeep. Of course, the term “new” was relative. The vehicle was at least twenty years old, but from what she’d seen thus far, anything that wasn’t vintage World War II was alien to the area. Wild Thing spoke to the young men, then raised the hood of the Jeep. After examining the engine and checking the fluids, he turned and motioned to Koss, who reached into his wallet and handed them some cash. They smiled, then took off on foot back up the beach.

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“This Jeep should get you where you need to go. Be careful, man. Word is, they’ve been hit pretty damned hard by whatever this shit is. I think you’ll be able to get whatever you need there.” He began helping them load their medical equipment and luggage onto the Jeep. Koss carefully wedged a small liquid nitrogen canister between their carry-on bags. Spilling the contents would leave them with no way to properly store their samples before returning to the mainland. He turned to Wild Thing. “The village headman…oh, what was his name…” Koss brushed his hair back with an aggravated swipe of his hand. “Lambert, that’s his name. Mr. Lambert. Is he still around? We got along pretty well before.” “Yeah, he’s still there, but I think he’s switched sides. I may be wrong about that, though. It’s hard to keep up with this shit without a scorecard,” Wild Thing replied. “I wouldn’t be surprised, there are so many sides to switch to.” Koss tugged on his bottom lip as he considered the new problem. “Tell you what, I don’t think we’ll need a week. Why don’t you meet us back here in three days?” Lola raised her brows. Three days? Would they find the people they needed in so little time? Wild Thing nodded. “Okay. I think that’s a good idea.” He looked around carefully. “I’m sure they know I’m here; I’ve got to get out while I can. Don’t forget now, I only come once, and I only wait for thirty minutes. And if any fucking nutjobs show up I don’t wait at all,” he warned, walking back toward the helicopter. “I remember. We’ll be here,” Koss assured him. Koss turned to Lola. “Let’s get going. We don’t have much time.” They watched as Wild Thing took off again, leaving them on what appeared to be a mostly uninhabited island.

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Chapter Nineteen Lola climbed into the Jeep as Koss took the wheel. She didn’t see the road to the village until they were practically on top of it, then wondered how on earth she’d missed it. It was in surprisingly good shape, though somewhat narrow, and was paved in what appeared to be asphalt or some similar local mixture. Koss clearly knew where he was going, and before long they arrived at a fairly large village. The small cinder block buildings were a surprise. For some reason Lola had been expecting thatched huts, although, given the weather on the windward side of the island, they were probably impractical. Unlike the city, which appeared totally deserted, people were moving freely about here. They were on foot or on bicycles, and an occasional wagon went by, but Lola didn’t see any motorized vehicles aside from their own. Eventually they came to a house that was slightly larger than the others. Koss indicated that it was the home of Mr. Lambert, the headman of the village. They knocked, then waited until someone answered the door. The woman who did so was nearly as tall as Lola. It was hard to guess her age; it seemed that the harsh climate prematurely aged people, but Lola guessed she was fairly young, possibly still in her early twenties, though she looked older. Most of the people she’d seen thus far had been very tall, and Lola thought it might be a tribal trait. Without exchanging any greeting, the woman simply led them into a small room where a very large man sat dozing in a chair. The woman walked over and nudged him awake. He studied them for a long moment, then motioned for them to take the chairs sitting opposite his own. “Dr. Koss, I remember you from your previous visit.” The man spoke in perfect formal English. Lola and Koss took the seats he’d indicated, and he continued. “I don’t suppose I have to ask what brings you here.” He shook his head. “Quite a few members of my tribe have taken ill. We are familiar with any number of tropical ailments and other diseases

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imported from Europeans, but this…” He shook his head firmly. “This is something we have never seen before.” Koss lowered his head in a gesture of respect. “I understand. We’re here to take blood samples, if that’s possible. The World Health Organization would like to test it, maybe find out what is making your people so sick.” The headman, his narrow, russet-colored face bracketed by wrinkles and overexposure to the sun, nodded again. “I think that’s a good idea. You know the island is not safe. I have a young man who can act as your guide.” Koss paused as though caught off guard, then quickly agreed. “That would be wonderful, sir. My French is rudimentary at best, and it’s always better to have someone along who knows the people.” The headman continued, “I’ll try to keep word from getting out, but I think it’s best that the two of you stay here where I can protect you.” Against her will, Lola felt her back stiffen. Hadn’t Wild Thing warned that this man had changed sides? Whatever that meant, it probably wasn’t a good idea to stay in his house. Koss placed a hand on Lola’s knee, clearly signaling her to silence. “We’d be honored, sir. We won’t be here for long, only a few days, but we’ve been traveling for a long time and would appreciate a bath and an opportunity to rest if it’s not too much trouble.” He reached into his bag and pulled out one of the bottles of Scotch he’d brought along. He handed it to the headman with appropriate deference. The headman expressed appreciation for the bottle, then gestured toward the young woman, who had remained in the room after showing them in. “It is not a problem at all. Sarana, show them to the guest quarters. I’m afraid the shower is out of doors, and there is no hot water. Primitive, but quite refreshing.” Koss nodded as they stood up and picked up their bags. He bowed his head again. “Thank you, sir. We appreciate your hospitality.” They followed Sarana down the hall to a small bedroom. After handing them some towels she removed from a small cupboard and inquiring as to whether they needed anything else, she left them alone. Lola quickly rounded on Koss. “I thought Wild Thing warned us about this guy. Why in the hell are we staying here?” Koss placed a finger to his lips in the universal gesture for silence, then opened the door slightly, clearly checking for eavesdroppers. Finding none, he replied in a quiet tone. “I remember what WT said, but situations alter causes.” “What?” Koss took her arm, then moved over to the room’s only window. Other than a full-size bed, the only other pieces of furniture were a chair and a small chest of drawers. “Lola, his offer to stay here wasn’t hospitality; it was an order.” Lola’s eyes widened. “Oh.”

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“It wasn’t like that when I was here before. And we didn’t have to have a guide either. Obviously something’s changed.” He bit his bottom lip. “Wild Thing told me what he could, but I don’t think he knows the whole story either.” He began pacing the concrete floor. “I wish like hell we hadn’t come here, but I guess there’s nothing we can do now.” Lola rubbed her hand over her closely cropped hair. “I didn’t realize. Do you think it’s a trap?” Koss nodded. “Probably. But we know it’s a trap. They probably only want money. The school will give them that…if I promise to reimburse them,” he continued in a dry tone, then he put an arm around her shoulder. “Honey, don’t worry. I think we’ll be okay. We’re probably in no more danger than we were in the first place. We just happen to know about it, okay?” Lola brightened considerably at Koss using an endearment and even touching her voluntarily. She knew it was utterly ridiculous to be so thrilled when odds were they wouldn’t make it off the island alive, but she couldn’t contain the thrill it gave her. Koss gestured toward a door to what was presumably the bathroom. “Why don’t you go ahead and take a shower? I’m sure you’ll feel much better after you take off at least one layer of grime. I know I will.” Lola placed her carry-on bag on the bed, then removed a small Ziploc bag filled with toiletries, some underwear, and her single change of clothing. She went into the bathroom. After a moment, she stuck her head back around the door. “Do you think there are any type of laundry facilities? You told me to bring only one outfit, and this one is absolutely filthy.” She held her lightweight microfiber blouse away from her skin in a gesture of disgust. “Is there a sink in there?” Koss asked. Lola nodded. He tossed her a small packet of laundry soap from his own bag. “Why don’t you rinse them out in the sink? It’s all outdoor wear and should dry quickly in this heat. Don’t use a lot of soap,” he cautioned. “Sometimes the plumbing in these places isn’t up to it.” Lola caught the packet with one hand, then nodded as she closed the bathroom door again. Koss sank down on the edge of the bed in the spartan room, his elbows on his knees, his head resting on his hands. For a moment he gave in to a terror so strong he could hear nothing but a roaring in his ears and the frantic pounding of his own heart. He pulled air into his lungs, trying in vain to calm his racing heart and the thoughts that scurried through his mind like the hamster D-Day had sent on an acid trip the previous year. How in the hell had he gotten Lola into this mess, and more importantly, how would he get her out? He thought about bribing Lambert to at least let her go, but doubted it would work. If they were after money, having both of them would be more valuable than just one. As the situation stood, they had no option but to wait it out and see what developed. The fear in Lola’s eyes had been his undoing. They would have to deal with their problems once they

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got back to the States, but he had to comfort her if he could. Especially since he should’ve known better than to bring her here in the first place. Koss remained in that position until Lola exited the bathroom wearing a pair of soft gym shorts and a T-shirt. “Why don’t you lie down and get some rest?” he asked her. “I’ll take a shower and be out. Are you hungry?” Lola shook her head. “No, I’m too tired to be hungry. Maybe when I wake up.” Koss nodded, then, picking up his bag, walked into the bathroom. As he’d expected, the room was small and utilitarian, containing only a toilet and a sink. A curtain at one end of the room opened to an outdoor shower which was surrounded by a wall made of woven palm fronds. Koss quickly stripped, hanging his clean clothes on the hooks that were mounted to the wall. He put the stopper in the sink and quickly filled it with water, placing his dirty clothes inside to soak while he showered. After a quick wash in the cold water, he returned to the bathroom to dress. He finished washing his clothes in the sink, then hung them outside with Lola’s on a clothesline that had been strung up for that purpose. After brushing his teeth, he joined Lola in the bedroom, to find her sound asleep on top of the bed. Koss sighed heavily. He had made this trip harder than it had to be. They probably should’ve spent a couple of nights in Hawaii, or even Darwin, but he’d wanted to spend as little time as possible in her company. Besides, Wild Thing didn’t adhere to a regimented schedule. Making a connection with him could be quite complicated. Even so, he felt guilty for keeping her on the go for days on end. He looked down at the golden brown limbs revealed by the gym shorts she wore and could barely restrain himself from touching that skin he knew so well. He tensed as a sudden flashback of one of their torrid lovemaking sessions sizzled through his body. He had pinned her against the wall in the shower as she wrapped those impossibly long legs around his waist. They were so strong she’d been able to plunge up and down on his throbbing penis, driving both of them into explosive orgasms. He remembered being so weak afterward that they both sank to the shower floor in a boneless heap. Koss quickly brought that train of thought to a halt when he realized that coils of unrestrained need were snaking their way through his body from his erect cock. It would take very little for him to totally lose control. Realizing this, he knew joining her on the bed was a mistake, but he really didn’t have a choice. Lambert hadn’t offered another bed, and he didn’t think it would be safe to leave her alone in any case. Hoping that his exhaustion would temper his desire, Koss slid Lola to one side then, after covering her with the roughly woven sheet, he slid into the narrow bed beside her. Even in her deep sleep she immediately wrapped her arms around his waist and cuddled against him. Koss sighed, then turned on his side with his back to her. Just as he’d known she would, she instinctively curved her body even closer to his. Despite their imminent danger Koss realized that he felt more relaxed than he had in years. Knowing that this woman’s mere touch had such a strong effect, even in the middle of a war, scared the hell out of him. He’d convinced himself that he’d gotten over Lola, but

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apparently his body still recognized and needed her touch. Given their perilous situation, there wasn’t a whole lot he could do about it. He just hoped he could survive the emotional effects of being in her company for such an extended period. The seductive warmth of Lola’s embrace soothed him in a way he hadn’t experienced since she’d left. Thus comforted, Koss quickly drifted off to sleep.

***** When their guide arrived the next morning Lola looked up from their breakfast of freshly caught fish with lush slices of pineapple and chunks of coconut accompanied by banana fritters. With her first taste, Lola had quickly realized that what she knew as pineapple -- a stringy and slightly sour fruit -- in no way resembled this succulent treat. She’d already gone back for seconds and thirds. The guide, like everyone else she’d seen since arriving on Île de Lina, was tall and well built, but quite young. Lola studied their host closely as he made the introductions, and sensed an undercurrent of unease, but couldn’t really get a grasp of its meaning. She glanced over at Koss, who was finishing his meal. He gave a quick nod, indicating he sensed the tension as well. Thomas, their guide, said that they needed to leave in order to avoid the heat of the day, and Lola reluctantly left her delectable breakfast behind. Koss picked up his small phlebotomy kit and the padded case containing test tubes. Lola retrieved the small liquid nitrogen canister which Koss had rigged with a convenient carrying strap, and after bidding farewell to their host, they followed Thomas out of the house. Walking along the street at such an early hour, they came upon a sporadic stream of people going about their business. They passed a central market in town that seemed to have an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as quite a bit of livestock, especially chickens. Their constant squawking rang out in the morning air. But it was obvious from the empty cages that their supply had dwindled a great deal, probably due to lack of access to the mainland or any of the other islands. There had been a lively trade by ferry to the dozens of islands in the area, but that link had been cut off years before due to the violence. Besides Wild Thing, no one else would take the risky trip to the island. Under a sky so blue it literally hurt the eyes, seeing the bustling village made it difficult to believe that desperate war was being waged just a few miles away. Koss nodded when she mentioned her observations to him. “I know, but you have to keep in mind that war is all most of these people know. Life goes on no matter what.” He shrugged. “From what I saw last time, everything shuts down when the local warlord shows up. He takes what he wants, usually the best livestock, but not too much or the people turn on him. With any luck no women will be raped, though that’s been known to happen too, but usually only when he’s angry with them for something. Then he goes away and continues to protect his village from others like himself. It’s a brutal system. A throwback to feudal days, but not unlike how many inner cities operate in America today.”

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Lola nodded to acknowledge the wisdom of his words, then their guide stopped at a small house, set back a bit from the road. “Almost everyone in this house has been taken with the sickness. Only the mother and an aunt remain,” Thomas said. Koss raised his brows, turning to Lola, as the guide knocked on the door. “This doesn’t sound like Rissa. Rissa’s mortality rate is only about twenty percent. Whatever this is sounds much worse.” Lola nodded, then they both fell silent as they heard someone shuffling to the door. It slowly opened to reveal a very small woman who was so wrinkled she resembled a dried apple core. Thomas exchanged greetings with her in French, then appeared to explain why they were there. The woman invited them into the tiny home, furnished only with a table and some straight-backed chairs. After they each took a seat, she explained through Thomas that she seemed to be recovering, but that her sister was still quite ill. Her sister’s husband, daughter, and her daughter’s three children had all died of the disease in the past few weeks. The village medicine doctor had not been able to help them at all. Koss turned to Thomas when he relayed this bit of information. “Where is the local doctor? I usually like to talk to them in these situations.” Thomas shrugged, indicating that he didn’t know the man’s whereabouts, but Lola could tell by the way he looked down at the ground that he wasn’t being truthful. Koss’s breath whistled through his teeth as he drew an irritated breath, so she knew he suspected subterfuge as well. He changed the subject, so Lola assumed that he’d decided he wouldn’t get any further information. After a long discussion with Thomas, the woman agreed to give Koss a blood sample and Koss began to set up his medical kit on the table while Lola continued talking to the woman through Thomas. She retrieved the informed consent form from her bag and after determining that the woman was literate, requested her signature. Every discussion she’d ever been in about fieldwork emphasized the importance of informed consent, as well as the difficulty it could present in some cultures. While she could reassure the woman that they wouldn’t sell her blood or make ritual use of it, they couldn’t really promise that she’d would gain any benefit from it either. So Lola limited herself to telling the woman that they were trying to find out what the sickness was, and if they had medicine for it they would try to help. Lola felt relieved when Koss gave her a glance of approval as he rubbed his hands with antibacterial gel. He then asked Thomas to explain that he would be injecting a needle and withdrawing a tube of her blood. The woman nodded at the explanation. Koss put on a pair of disposable surgical gloves and lowered a plastic shield over his face. He then took the woman’s fragile arm in his large hands. Lola watched closely as he quickly located a vein in the crook of her arm and tied some medical tubing around her upper arm. She’d taken special training in phlebotomy but hadn’t yet drawn blood in the field. Koss impressed her with his skill as he managed to get the vein with the first stick.

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He pulled the needle out of the woman’s arm, then shook the test tube to ensure even distribution of EDTA, the preservative, inside. He untied the tubing and placed a small bandage at the wound site. Koss deftly labeled the test tube then turned to Lola, who held a condom open for him to drop the tube inside. She tied a knot in the open end, then opened the liquid nitrogen capsule and placed the tube in the rack before carefully closing it again. Even plastic test tubes could break or leak under field conditions and the condom gave them a bit of extra insurance against cross-contamination and total sample loss. They had practiced the delicate maneuver several times before leaving the States, and Lola heaved a sigh of relief that she’d gotten it right. She risked looking up at Koss just as she sealed the container and saw both surprise and pride in his expression before he shuttered his emotions. Lola couldn’t contain her smile, so she turned to the patient and murmured reassuring words. The woman’s sister was in bed in the next room. It was readily apparent that her condition was dire, and Lola suspected she wouldn’t survive much longer. She seemed delirious from the high fever, and her tiny frame was almost skeletal, indicating that she’d been ill for quite some time. Her voluminous gown concealed most of her body, but what was visible was covered in the telltale livid bruising of a hemorrhagic fever. “Koss, isn’t there something…” Koss turned away from the small twin bed and gave Lola a frustrated look. He abruptly pushed the wayward lock of blond hair off his forehead as he snapped at her. “No, there’s not a whole helluva lot we can do. These people have dealt with all manner of disease for generations, including some of ours. If they say they don’t know what it is, and their medicine doctor can’t help them, I doubt even the best doctor in the States could do any better.” Lola crossed her arms, lowering her eyes. Even knowing he was right made the situation no better. The woman’s sister gave her a drink of water from the pitcher sitting on a table next to the bed, and the woman quieted somewhat. Her sister continued talking to her. Koss struggled to get the blood sample, apologizing profusely as he had to stick the woman twice. On the second stick, blood spurted quite a bit and Lola began to wonder silently about the wisdom of their decision not to wear Racal suits, or at least respirators. Their morning continued in much that way, with Koss becoming increasingly alarmed by a death rate that seemed much higher than he’d anticipated. There had been a death in almost every house in the tiny, insular community. The hollow-eyed stares of women who had recently lost children still haunted Lola. Their resolve in the face of unceasing catastrophe left her awed by their strength and fortitude. Throughout their long day, a line from a fourteenth century plague chronicle played through her mind -- Waiting among the dead for death to come. Indeed, the history of this island seemed more at home in those hazardous times than in the twenty-first century. These people had seen so much death that they simply waited, not even daring to hope that this time it would pass them by.

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By noon they had filled their liquid nitrogen capsule, and climbed into the Jeep to return to the headman’s house. The Jeep wasn’t air conditioned and working all morning in tropical heat was exhausting. Both she had Koss had sweated through their lightweight clothing. The heat was the main reason they’d decided against wearing biohazard gear. Schlepping around in tropical heat with a respirator pack on their backs was out of the question. Universal precautions would have to suffice. Besides, the bright orange suits tended to frighten and intimidate people -- hardly effective in gaining the cooperation they needed. Koss was convinced that this particular virus was carried by a vector -- probably mosquitoes -- and wasn’t airborne, anyway. If it were, it would have made such a burn through the tiny island that there wouldn’t have been anyone left. As long as they were vigilant with insect repellent and maintained universal precautions while doing the needle sticks, they should be okay. Lola wiped at the sweat that beaded on the back of her neck. She couldn’t decide if she was more hungry or tired, but knew she wouldn’t turn down another plate of fish and fruit. Their host offered them tall, refreshing glasses of a lightly sweetened fruit drink, and Lola luxuriated in the relative coolness of the cinder block house. Koss still seemed on edge, and aside for asking more questions about the missing medicine man, remained silent as they ate lunch. Lola’s delight in being served more pineapple was tempered by the knowledge that she and Koss were probably in a great deal of danger, and there wasn’t anything they could do about it. After the meal, they retired to the small bedroom Mr. Lambert had assigned to them. Koss checked the door and the window again. “It’s really strange,” Koss said in a soft voice. “What is?” Lola asked, struggling not to whisper. Koss had reminded her that whispers carried much further than muted tones. “When I was here before, Lambert had someone eavesdropping on us all the time. It didn’t really matter because we didn’t care if he knew what we were up to. This time he is totally uninterested in our work.” Lola shivered with unease. “Maybe he’s comfortable with you now, and doesn’t think he needs to listen to you.” Koss shook his head firmly. “No. If that was the case, why assign a guide to us? I think he’s lost interest because he doesn’t expect us to leave.” Lola couldn’t hold back her gasp. She’d never really expected anything more than being kidnapped for ransom. Annoying and inconvenient to be sure, but a damn sight better than death. “Are you sure?” “Of course I’m not sure,” Koss snapped, “but right now it’s the only thing that makes sense.” He shook his head again. “And what’s even crazier is that I don’t know what the hell

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this disease is, but it’s not Rissa. The symptoms are similar, especially the fever and petechiae. They third space like a motherfucker with Rissa too, but from my calculations the mortality rate is like seventy percent. That’s just crazy. Rissa doesn’t kill like that. Praise be to God very few diseases kill like that.” Lola frowned. “I was thinking the same thing. Could it have mutated? You said they might be related, anyway.” Koss shrugged. “Hell, they all mutate, but these kind of numbers…I just don’t know. Ribavirin is effective against Rissa. I brought some just in case we were exposed, but I doubt it’ll do anything for these people. And it’s so goddamned expensive, I doubt the WHO would provide it for them anyway.” Lola nodded again as Koss began to pace around the small room. He stopped and turned to face her. “And where the hell is their medicine man? When I was here before, he was always with Lambert. I think they’re related some kind of way, maybe cousins.” “Could he have died from the disease?” “I suppose it’s possible.” Koss tugged at his bottom lip. “But why not just say so? Lambert knows I always like to talk to the locals. Most of the time they’ve seen these diseases before and can give us some good clues.” He resumed pacing. “Yeah, I know,” Lola agreed. “Congo said that’s how they got a handle on hantavirus so quickly. The local medicine men had seen it before and associated it with prairie dogs.” Koss stopped pacing. “I’d forgotten Congo was with the NIH back then.” “Easy to forget. He wasn’t there long,” Lola replied. “Like another mad scientist I know, Congo didn’t exactly play well with others.” She could’ve saved her sarcasm. Koss either didn’t hear or chose to ignore her comments as he continued discussing the matter at hand. “I’d really like to get some tissue samples, especially spleen from some of the people who’ve died --” Lola interrupted, her horror distorting her features, “You’re not thinking of doing a post under these conditions --” “No. I know it’s hard to believe, but I haven’t lost my freaking mind.” He shrugged. “Sometimes local customs involve removing tissue before burial. Usually it’s the heart, but sometimes they take other organs as well. The medicine man would know where to get them and would be able to obtain the samples without pissing folks off too much. I’d like to leave this place with my head intact.” He shrugged again. “Without his assistance, I don’t have a chance in hell of getting anyone to part with even a microscopic piece of spleen.” Lola nodded, grateful that they wouldn’t be probing around in body parts, even if the spleen was the body’s best reservoir for the virus. Blood samples would have to suffice. Besides, they hadn’t brought the proper equipment for a postmortem, and she sure as hell wasn’t doing one without a hazmat suit, no matter how dismissive Koss was of the danger.

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Koss paused for a long moment, then shook his head in frustration. “Look, we’re just talking in circles here. I’m sure you’d like a shower and a nap. I know I would. I probably smell like a billy goat. We might as well be clean and well rested when they come for us.” He continued in response to her choked-off gasp, “If they come for us.” Too frightened to speak, Lola nodded, then moved over to her bag to retrieve the change of clothing she’d laundered the day before. “Why don’t you go first, Koss?” She tried to be brave despite the tremors lacing down her spine. Koss paused, studying her face intently. She could tell he wanted to offer words of comfort, then thought better of it. “Okay. I won’t be long,” he replied, moving over to the bed to retrieve his bag.

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Chapter Twenty Despite his exhaustion, Koss was not asleep when they came for them less than two hours later. He lay on the bed facing the door, with Lola curled up against his back. They had decided to remain fully dressed, though in the heat of the day fewer clothes would’ve been more comfortable and conducive to sleep. He didn’t move so as not to give away the fact that he was awake when Lambert entered their room accompanied by three young men wearing a motley assortment of clothing that only slightly resembled military uniforms. In particular, he focused on the Kalashnikov rifles with full banana clips each man held. Lambert gestured toward the men to remain near the door, while he approached the bed alone. Koss opened his eyes just as Lambert reached out to shake him awake. Lambert lowered his head in a gesture meant to convey humility, but given the circumstances it merely parodied eastern customs. “I do apologize for the poor hospitality, Dr. Koss. Unfortunately, this cannot be helped. I must humbly request that you accompany these men elsewhere.” Koss quickly grasped Lola’s hip to quiet her as she startled awake. He could imagine her reaction to the large guns and determined that he needed to keep the situation as calm as possible. Never taking his eyes off Lambert, whom he recognized as the real power in the room despite his weaponless state, Koss slowly sat up, placing his bare feet on the floor next to the bed. He gestured to Lola to do the same. “So the rumors are true. You’ve joined the rebels.” Koss wondered at the use of the term. Given that there was no government on Île de Lina, just what exactly were they rebelling against? Lambert gave a Gallic shrug reminiscent of the French who’d colonized the island in the previous two centuries. “As I said, I am sorry for the circumstances. I know you are a good man, and that you came to help my people. However, there is nothing I can do to

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rectify this matter. A certain…” He paused, then resumed. “A certain gentleman has need of your services and will not listen to reason.” Koss raked his hair back in irritation. Why the hell hadn’t he gotten a haircut before he left the States? “Has need of my services? I’m already providing the only service I can give,” he replied, more than a bit puzzled. Mr. Lambert nodded in agreement. “I know. I know. I have explained this to them. Apparently someone very important is ill with this disease and they want you to treat him.” Koss and Lola stared at one another in consternation, then he turned back to Lambert. “Treat him? I can’t treat anybody. I’m not a medical doctor.” “C’est vrai. I told them this over and over again. Unfortunately, desperate situations sometimes make people” -- he shrugged again -- “how can I say it? Less than rational.” Koss threw his hands into the air in frustration but refrained from arguing further. What would be the point? Lambert’s mind had already been made up for him. Clearly he wasn’t happy about it, but would do what his new masters told him to achieve his own ends, whatever the hell they were. “Is it okay if we put our boots on? I assume we’re going into the interior.” “But, of course,” Mr. Lambert murmured. “In fact, as I understand it, the young lady is not to accompany you at all.” “What?” Koss exclaimed, standing up. Lambert made a cautious step backward but gestured to the soldiers to remain in position. “We have made contact with your Mr. Wild Thing, and she will fly back to Darwin to wait until you finish your assignment. Of course, your samples would go as well. I understand that they need to be examined as quickly as possible. If there is treatment available, we need medication.” He raised an inquiring brow, which gave his lean face an almost comical appearance akin to that of Inspector Clouseau. Koss nodded in agreement, finally gaining some insight into Lambert’s motivations. “I appreciate you taking Ms. Bordenaux’s safety into consideration. She will be much safer in Darwin than here.” Lola jumped off the bed, only pausing when all three of the soldiers pointed their weapons in her direction. “The hell you say! You’ve got to be kidding me,” she yelled at Koss. “No way in hell am I leaving you here by yourself.” “Lola…” “No, I’m not doing it. Think about it, Koss. Why would you trust these people? For all we know, Wild Thing is in bed with them too. At least if we stay together we stand a better chance of protecting one another.” “I trust Wild Thing. I’ve known him and people who know him for a long time.” Koss sighed, squeezing the back of his neck to ward off a tension headache that had been growing

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there for days. “Lola, these are soldiers. You know the kinds of things that can happen to a woman in their camp --” Lola shot back. “And you think they’re less likely to rape me if you’re not around? What’s going to stop them?” Lambert protested, indignant that his hospitality had been impugned. “I have given my word that she will not be harmed while in my care --” “Yeah, right,” Lola interrupted again. “Says the guy who’s handing us over to the men with guns.” She rolled her eyes in disgust, then apparently decided to try a different tack. She turned to Koss, her face softening in a pleading posture. “It doesn’t matter. We have no proof that Wild Thing’s even coming back for us.” She lowered her tone. “Koss, let me come with you. I swore that I’d never leave you again.” She raised her liquid brown eyes to meet his, resting a soft hand against his cheek. “I’m scared. I don’t want to be separated from you.” Koss knew he was being manipulated. Under normal circumstances, Lola feared neither God nor man, but he could feel himself sinking under the power of that gaze. Some things never changed. He’d never been able to resist giving her whatever she wanted. Forcing her to leave didn’t sit well with him, though he knew it was probably the best for all concerned. Besides, she was probably right about the prospects for her safety. Either way, they were in deep trouble, and stood a better chance of getting out together rather than separated. He nodded, then replied, his voice gruff with emotion, “Get your boots on and your bag.” He gave Lambert another sharp glance. “I assume these gentlemen are in a hurry.”

***** Lola glanced over at Koss, who was seated beside her in the back of the truck. The vehicle seemed to be an old US Army truck with canvas covering the back. It was stifling underneath, but the waterproof canvas did protect them from the late afternoon shower that suddenly poured down upon them about an hour into their trip. Lola shook her head in bemusement. From the flyover they’d made when they arrived, she never would have believed it was possible to drive for hours and still be on the island. They seemed to be rising in elevation as well, but surrounded as they were by canvas, it was difficult to tell. “There’s a volcano in the middle of the island. A lot of the warlords like to congregate there because they’ll have the high ground. It’s about twenty klicks inland,” Koss said. “Twenty klicks?” Lola sputtered, knowing that a kilometer was less than a mile. “But we’ve been riding for hours!” Koss smirked. “I doubt there is really a road, more like trails cut through the brush. It makes for a long trip.”

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The truck came to an abrupt halt, throwing them against the side of the vehicle. One of the soldiers, his rifle always pointed directly at them, rode in the back of the truck. The other two rode in the cabin. None of them spoke to Lola or Koss the entire trip. One of the soldiers walked around to the back of the truck, and lowered the tailgate so they could exit. Not knowing what to do, and receiving no directives from their captors, Lola and Koss stood behind the truck waiting for what would happen next. Within a matter of minutes other similarly attired men began to materialize out of the thick brush. Before long they were surrounded by several dozen men, all of them armed to the teeth. Lola moved closer to Koss, who placed an arm securely around her waist. Fortunately the rain, which happened daily during this, the rainy season, had stopped as suddenly as it had started. Though she knew it was coming each day, Lola was still disconcerted by sudden deluges that poured from a cloudless sky then ceased as though someone had poured out a bucket of water. One of the men separated himself from the others and approached the soldiers. He gave Lola a cursory glance, then began yelling at the soldiers in French. Apparently dissatisfied with their response, he turned to Koss. “I had made arrangements for the woman to return to Australia. What kind of madman are you that you would bring your woman into this?” he asked in heavily accented English. Koss raised his chin, giving himself an even greater height advantage over the other man. “I saw no reason to send her back, if, as you say, we’re only here to take care of this very important person.” “This is a war zone. You’re perfectly safe with us,” he made a gesture encompassing himself and his men, “but there are plenty of other factions who are not such strict adherents to the Geneva Convention.” He laughed loudly at his own joke. “A woman, even one such as this, will only cause trouble.” His amazingly erect posture grew even straighter in response to Koss’s upturned chin. Koss gave the man an intense glare and then, ignoring his disparaging comments about Lola, asked, “So, tell me, are you the Judean People’s Front or the People’s Front of Judea? Clearly there are too many of you to be the Popular Front of Judea.” Lola elbowed him sharply. She knew that expression. When Koss’s eyebrows came down over those startling blue eyes that way, he was far too annoyed to heed her warning that this was no time for smart-ass Monty Python jokes. Fortunately for them, the rebel leader was apparently not up on his pop culture references, a fact for which Lola was eternally grateful. Koss appeared to be aggravated enough to take their lives into his own hands and continue his flippant attitude even though they were surrounded by this madman’s personal army. Just because he and D-Day could carry on entire conversations in Monty Python and Seinfeld references didn’t mean that the whole world was similarly lingual. Lola eyed the soldiers that surrounded them. The men were so covered in weapons it seemed their guns

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had guns. If their leader ever got a clue as to just how obnoxious Koss was being, there was no doubt they could both kiss their asses good-bye. As it was, he bristled in indignation, clearly missing the joke. “We are no such thing. I’m Ravel, and my soldiers are the Lions of Île de Lina.” If possible, he stood even taller, his back arched to push his chest out further, unfortunately emphasizing his amazing resemblance to Benito Mussolini. “There are lions here?” Koss asked, surprised that there would be such large cats left in the area. “Lions?” the man frowned. “What do lions have to do with…” His face cleared as comprehension dawned, then he frowned even more fiercely. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re too literal minded?” Ravel asked. Despite the dangerous situation, Koss had to choke back a smile when he heard Lola’s stifled giggle. “All the time. Apparently it’s a major character flaw. Please do continue with what you were saying.” He nodded in Ravel’s direction. Ravel was a small bantam rooster of a man, and it was apparent that he was bothered by the size differential between him and Koss. Lola watched in amusement as he picked up precisely where he had left off. “We seek to remove the last remnants of imperialism and colonialism from our homeland. For centuries imperialistic forces have raped our country of its God-given bounty. Feasting from her blood in a cannibalistic orgy. We must cleanse the land of their perfidy. We must establish a system of government that elevates, not exploits, mankind.” Despite the fact that he had a small army at his disposal and Koss was weaponless, Lola had to take deep breaths to choke back her laughter as Ravel stood taller and taller and eventually even rose on his tiptoes, his chin pointing toward the sun in an effort to compensate for his size. Koss pursed his lips as he listened to the man’s rote delivery of standard guerilla warrior revolutionary rhetoric. When Ravel finally wound down from his lengthy diatribe, Koss coughed then deadpanned, “Well, good luck with that,” setting Lola off into a coughing fit of her own to cover her near-hysterical laughter. He looked down at her briefly to ensure that she was all right, then resumed speaking to Ravel. “You do understand that I’m not a medical doctor? I don’t know anything about treating your friend’s illness.” “We know that,” Ravel snapped. “We brought the village medicine man here, and he was no help. Our medic was killed last month in a mortar attack. You’re the best we’ve got at the moment.” He stepped closer to Koss and lowered his voice to barely above a whisper. “My friend is a very important man. If he dies, you die. Do you understand?” Koss nodded slowly, then glanced at Lola. “What about the woman, Ms. Bordenaux? She has nothing to do with this, and has even less medical knowledge than I do.” Ravel gave her an assessing glance, taking in her loose-fitting khaki attire and closely shorn head. “She’s barely a woman, but she’s nothing to us. Unlike the imperialistic forces

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that have scourged our land, we don’t kill women. She’ll be sent back to Lambert, who will probably return her to Australia.”

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Chapter Twenty-one Koss looked down at the very sick man. Even with his limited medical expertise, he knew the poor guy wasn’t long for this world. The fever had ravaged his body, leaving nothing but a skeletal frame racked by dark purple bruises that marked the third spacing, or bleeding out under the skin, which seemed so prevalent with this particular disease. The man had already begun to hemorrhage from his nose and mouth, and probably wouldn’t last more than a couple of days. Koss studied his bearded face closely, trying to identify him in hopes of understanding why he was so important to Ravel. The disease had left the man barely recognizable as human, obliterating any identifying markers. Besides, with the power vacuum that existed on the island, alliances were conceived for such obscure reasons that his identity was probably meaningless. Still, he did look vaguely familiar. He shook his head again. It really didn’t matter. He turned to look down at Lola, who stood slightly behind him in the sweltering heat of the tent as he did his examination. Their eyes met and he could tell that she recognized imminent death when she saw it as well. Ravel paced just inside the opening of the tent, practically vibrating with impatience within its microscopic confines. Koss gave Lola a resigned look, then turned to speak to the other man, but was halted by the barely perceptible shake of Lola’s head. Ravel, who had rushed over to the cot when Koss opened his mouth to speak, grabbed his arm and asked, “So, what do you think?” “Look, I told you I’m not a doctor. I really don’t know,” Koss said, understanding Lola’s warning not to tell the man the truth. “I don’t have much by way of medication, but I’ll do the best I can.” “I know you’ll do the best you can,” Ravel retorted. “You’ll act as though your lives depend upon it -- because they do.” Then, laughing at his own joke, he turned on his heel and left the tent.

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Lola gave the guard who remained in the tent with them a pointed glance, then looked up at Koss. “Do you think the ribavirin will help him?” “I don’t have a fucking clue, but it’s all we’ve got besides aspirin, so we might as well give it a shot.” Lola nodded, “Be careful. He’s not hemorrhaging right now, but his blood is probably hot with virus.” “Yeah, I know.” Koss took the capsule out of his medical bag, then carefully lifted the man and helped him swallow it with a small sip of water. He then gave the man a dose of aspirin hoping it would help with the fever and make him more comfortable. At the very least, if he seemed to improve it might buy them some time. Their guard came over with interest to watch what they were doing. Koss explained that they were giving the man medicine. The man gave no indication that he understood what they were saying, but Koss assumed that he did. He wasn’t one of the soldiers who had accompanied them into the interior, but he seemed to have been assigned to them as he’d been following them around since their arrival. He doubted Ravel would assign someone to them who didn’t speak English. Koss pulled Lola closer to his side. He’d been indecisive as to whether it were better for their captors to believe they were lovers or platonic colleagues, but had finally concluded she’d be safer if they believed she belonged to him. The guard returned Koss’s gaze with an oblique stare of his own, but still made no comment.

***** The camp had finally quieted down for the night. Ravel ran an orderly camp and after a plain but filling meal, he and all of his soldiers went to bed in their respective tents. For a brief moment Lola and Koss hoped that they’d been given accommodations to themselves. Lola was excited by the possibility that she and Koss would be left alone and have an opportunity to develop an escape strategy. That notion was quickly disabused when their ever-present guard took up residence when they retired for the evening. The heat of the day had begun to ease at sunset, but the humidity, especially in the heavy canvas tent, was almost unbearable. Koss and their guard left Lola alone in the tent to change into the T-shirt and gym shorts she’d been sleeping in during this trip. The floor of the tent was covered with a thin pad, and they had no covering -- not that they’d need it in sweltering heat. Canvas tents absorb all the moisture and humidity from the day, and emit a faintly sour odor because they never completely dry in a climate like Île de Lina’s. Presumably though, it was better than sleeping out in the open, Lola thought as she reapplied insect repellent. It bothered her to have to sleep with such noxious chemicals on her skin, but not nearly as much as the prospect of contracting dengue or yellow fever.

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Vaccines or not, in the tropics pretty much anything was possible. She had no interest in joining the long list of scientists who had died from the diseases they’d studied. Lola helped Koss spray his broad back and the backs of his legs, left bare by the knit boxer briefs he slept in. Even under such dire circumstances, Lola couldn’t help the way her breath hitched at the sight of all those muscles shifting under his richly tanned skin. Koss didn’t have much body hair, but that fact didn’t detract from his masculinity one bit, and it reached out to her, making her want to sink into his body in a way that she hadn’t experienced in far too long. The guard in the doorway shifted, reminding Lola of his presence, and she forced her eyes away from Koss and lay down on the floor mat. Koss surprised her by lying down next to her. Though the tent was small, there was plenty of room for at least a foot or more of space between them. He seemed to sense that she needed his closeness, or perhaps he needed to be close as well. At least a girl could hope. She turned to face him, then leaned over and gave him a kiss. She’d intended for it to be a mere peck of a goodnight kiss, but Koss palmed the back of her head and captured her mouth. Lola couldn’t help it; she wrapped her arms around his neck and practically crawled inside him. Even if she died tomorrow, she’d never forget this kiss. Koss finally raised his head, gave their ever-vigilant guard a glance, then turned her so that her back was to his front. Cuddled together that way, despite the stickiness of the noxious insect repellent, they soon fell into a deep slumber.

***** Lola met Koss’s eyes over their supine patient. The ribavirin had bought them some precious time as over the past few days he’d hemorrhaged less and had seemed to improve. Now it looked as though the virus had redoubled its efforts and the man was bleeding profusely from his nose and mouth. Death was imminent and they hadn’t had a moment alone to discuss an escape plan. She gave their guard a sharp glare. When did the man sleep? All night long he’d watched over them as vigilantly as any nursing mother and she and Koss still had no idea as to how they would get away from these people. She met Koss’s eyes again as a thought occurred to her. Though the man carried a weapon, Koss towered over him by at least three inches and possibly as much as thirty pounds. It was possible that the two of them could take him if they got him alone. She turned to the guard. “We’ve been here for a while and I’d really love a bath.” Using two fingers, she pinched her sweat-stained shirt away from her chest in a gesture of disgust. “At this rate we’re liable to contaminate the poor man with some other disease if we don’t clean up a bit.” Lola followed this comment with a brilliant smile. “Is there somewhere we can bathe, or at least wash up?” The man stared at her as though transfixed, then left the tent. Koss shook his head at her. “Damn, you did it again.”

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“Did what?” Lola asked, frowning, disconcerted by the man’s abrupt departure. Where the hell had he gone? What a rude ass. A simple “no” would’ve sufficed. “Turned it on. Poor schmuck looked like he was hit by a Peterbilt. He’s halfway in love with you now.” Lola gave Koss an irritated glare, finally realizing what he was saying. “Give it a rest, okay? We’re alone for the first time in days and you’ve got nothing better to do than accuse me of seducing the man? How the hell are we going to get away from these people?” “I’m not sure” -- Koss looked down at their patient -- “but it’d better be damned quick.” Lola nodded her agreement. “I thought that maybe he would take us out of the camp for a bath, and we’d have a chance…” “Good thinking. That beats the hell out of trying to do it here. I wonder why he left us alone?” They cut their conversation off as their guard returned. Koss slipped another ribavirin capsule to their patient, carefully propping him up for a sip of water to swallow it down. The guard watched his ministrations, then gestured for them to leave the tent. They picked up their bags, then preceded him out of the tent. He had some type of weapon Lola didn’t recognize slung over his shoulder, as well as an additional handgun in a hip holster. He seemed rather comfortable with both guns, causing her to reconsider their chances to disable him, but they weren’t exactly flush with choices. They had no option but to try. The camp was quiet as it typically was early in the day. Most of the soldiers seemed to be on missions or projects elsewhere on the island. Lola had noted that some of them seemed to be assigned to housekeeping duties such as acquiring food, water, and other necessities while some were apparently actually engaged in battles. Though she and Koss had no idea who their opponents were, Ravel’s men would frequently return to the camp in the evening with assorted injuries, at times even carrying the body of a fallen comrade. Several of the soldiers seemed to have some rudimentary knowledge of first aid and would bandage the wounded. She hadn’t seen what they did with the dead bodies. She and Koss walked with their guard for several hundred feet until they came to the area where the vehicles were kept. She felt a wave of disappointment when she realized there was already a soldier sitting in the bed of the small truck their guard directed them toward. Koss grabbed her arm, and she nodded, understanding his cautionary gesture. They would definitely have to reconsider their plan, but still stood a better chance up against just two guards than with an entire armed camp. Somehow the knowledge wasn’t as comforting as it should have been. They climbed into the back of the truck as their guard indicated, joining the soldier who already sat on the disreputable-looking truck bed. Obviously the tropical climate played

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hell with any type of maintenance schedule, but if the truck’s appearance was any indication, its upkeep had been neglected for years. Lola was surprised when she realized the soldier clearly intended to tie their hands with the rope he had slung over his shoulder. They hadn’t been bound while in camp. Apparently Ravel assumed that nearly a hundred armed men were sufficient security against two displaced scientists. Obviously they weren’t going to take any risks, and the soldier quickly tied their hands behind them while their guard watched silently. Once they were secured, their guard climbed into the cab and started the vehicle with surprising ease. They rode in silence deeper into the jungle. The foliage seemed to get thicker, the sky no longer visible as the trees met overhead, forming a thick forest canopy. The guard couldn’t possibly be following any type of road, at least none that Lola could discern. She suspected that if she stood still for more than a few minutes, she too would immediately be covered by dense vegetation. Eventually they came to a small clearing and what seemed to be a cave, its entrance almost totally concealed by lush jungle growth. Still not uttering a word, their guard climbed out of the vehicle and gestured for them to follow. The soldier jumped down from the cab, then helped Lola and Koss, made awkward by their bound hands, alight from the truck. They followed the guard with the other soldier trailing behind them carrying their bags. Their guard turned on a flashlight as they entered the cave, and Lola couldn’t stifle her gasp of pleasure when she realized that the gurgling noise that echoed throughout the cave came from a small hot spring. After spending what seemed like an eternity without any hot water, Lola could barely restrain the urge to strip out of the clothes she’d been wearing for days and leap immediately into the softly bubbling water. “Do you intend to bathe us? I don’t think we can do it with our hands tied up like this. I’m sure Ravel will be pissed if we drown or something.” Koss raised his hands to demonstrate the difficulties he described. The soldier glanced at their guard, who nodded abruptly. Then he quickly moved behind them to untie their hands. Lola shimmied her shoulders to relieve the discomfort of having spent nearly an hour with her arms tied behind her, then she knelt beside the spring, dipping her hands into the fabulously hot water. Koss raised his brow toward their captors, the gesture a clear challenge to their authority, yet they only shrugged and stepped out of the cave, maintaining their vigil near the opening. Lola paused for a moment, considering the wisdom of getting naked in front of a couple of men who probably hadn’t seen a woman in quite a while. Then she shrugged. Hell, she’d done the exact same thing for years. Besides, if they’d wanted to rape her, they could certainly have done so back in the camp. Koss’s steady gaze gave her a moment of uncertainty, but even that wasn’t enough to make her miss the opportunity to finally be clean again. She quickly doffed her clothing and slipped into the water. Koss continued

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watching her for a long moment. She’d seen that soft slumberous look in his eyes many times before, but was surprised to see it under their current precarious circumstances. It still had a predictable effect on her body. In an effort to conceal her suddenly taut nipples she slid as deeply into the water as possible, but she knew he’d seen the effect he had on her. Determined not to make eye contact with him again, she glanced out toward the front of the cave, momentarily alarmed when she realized their guard had been staring at her the whole time. His dark brown eyes had an assessing look, and his full lips curled in a halfsmile. She narrowed her eyes in a baleful glare, and he grinned fully, displaying an even row of surprisingly white teeth. Most of the soldiers she’d seen thus far had what could best be described as unfortunate teeth. He clearly had greater access to oral hygiene than the others. Perhaps he’d simply not been in the camp for very long. She continued to give him the evil eye until he turned back toward the other soldier, presenting his back to the cave’s interior. Lola turned when she heard Koss make a hissing noise between his teeth as he began to rise from the pool. She couldn’t restrain a sigh of annoyance when she realized he’d seen the exchange with the guard and as usual had made the worst possible interpretation of it. Now he seemed prepared to take the guy on -- bare-assed naked and weaponless. She grabbed his arm. “Don’t be a fool, the timing isn’t right. All he did was take a look. It’s not like he’s the first.” She hurried on as Koss made a sound that seemed suspiciously like a growl. “What’s your problem anyway? You don’t want me, remember?” Lola prided herself that she’d managed to make that last statement with little emotion, even though it brought back searing moments of their last encounter back at his apartment. Koss sank back into the water. “No matter what went down between us, I don’t hate you. Whether I want you or not, I wouldn’t want to see you raped by a bunch of hard up soldiers. Why the hell did you have to flirt with him? He’d hardly noticed you before that. Now he can’t stop looking at you! I’m surprised he didn’t just shoot me and bring you up here by yourself.” “Koss, don’t start that bullshit with me again. How else was I supposed to get us out of that damned camp? I can’t believe we’re arguing when we need to be figuring out how the hell we’re going to get away. At least let me enjoy my bath in peace. Who knows when we’ll see hot water again.” She removed a small piece of soap and a washcloth from her bag, which the soldier had left behind, and began lathering up. The soap didn’t lather as profusely as she expected, presumably from the mineral content of the water. The spring was probably fed directly from the volcano at the island’s center and smelled faintly of sulphur. Lola didn’t really mind. Hot water was hot water, and she was thrilled to be able to immerse her entire body. Lola finished her ablutions, then dunked her dirty clothes into the water for a wash as well. She’d managed to wash her underwear each night, but she hadn’t had the opportunity to wash the rest of her clothing because water was carefully rationed in the camp.

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Koss quietly swirled his dirty clothes through the water too, then he spoke up. “You know, Lola, if we get out of this alive, we’re going to have a lot of stuff to talk about. Meanwhile, I’ll try to control my feelings. I’m sorry I acted like an ass, okay?” Lola nodded. “With a little luck, I think I can take both of them.” “The hell you say. I’m not going to let you take on two armed men alone.” “Lola, don’t be crazy. I’ve been in tight spots before, and I know how to fight. I doubt you’ve been in anything worse than a catfight over mascara.” “You’d be surprised.” Obviously he hadn’t spent much time in strip clubs. “Look, they’re not expecting both of us to come at them. With the element of surprise we have a chance. You by yourself? Not so much.” “I’m flattered by your confidence in my combat skills. Look, if anyone’s going to get shot, it’ll be me. I should’ve sent you back with Wild Thing in the first place. You don’t have to die for my fuckup.” Lola wrung out the last of her clothes, knowing it was futile to argue with Koss any further. If ever there was a poster boy for stubbornness, he was it. She settled down to listen to the plan he outlined.

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Chapter Twenty-two Koss emerged alone and walked casually up to their guards, standing between the two of them as they sat on boulders at the mouth of the cave. Both stood immediately, grabbing his arms, though he made no move to escape from them. “Where is the woman?” the soldier asked in almost indecipherable English, glancing back into the cave’s murky depths. “She went behind one of the rocks to pee. She’ll be out in a minute.” Koss turned his back to the soldier and stood passively to have his hands retied. As the man moved closer to wrap the rope around his hands, Koss suddenly stomped down on his foot, eliciting a sharp yelp. Unlike Koss, the man wasn’t wearing boots. Then Koss rounded on his foe with a sharp elbow to the side of the head. The soldier fell to the ground, surprising Koss with his quick capitulation. Obviously the element of surprise was more of an advantage than he’d thought. Koss didn’t waste time pondering his good fortune, making a deft turn to follow through with the guard. He raised his arm to deliver a forceful blow, but the man grabbed his elbow in a fierce grip. “Whoa, brother, we don’t want to go there, now do we?” Koss paused, staring as the man asked his question in perfect English with a pronounced southern accent. Before he could make a move to break away, Lola charged out of the cave, both hands clasped around a large stone. Showing amazing reflexes, the guard placed Koss between himself and Lola. “Come on, little sister, if you scramble my brains I won’t be any help getting us out of this hellhole. And believe me, y’all are going to need all the help you can get when Ravel’s partner dies.” He spared his watch a quick glance. “I suspect he’s already dead.” Then he gave Lola that brilliant grin that had so surprised her earlier. “Roll Tide, little sister. You’ve got yourself a genuine southern good ole boy at your service.”

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“What the hell…” Lola began as Koss and their guard tied the soldier up. Apparently the man had hit his head as he fell, and was just now returning to consciousness. After removing his guns and ammunition, they began dragging him back into the interior of the cave. Lola picked up the weapons cache and followed them inside. “Hey, wait a minute. He can’t get away. Aren’t you afraid something might eat him?” Koss shook his head. “Any big predators on this island were killed a long time ago. They did have a constrictor-type snake, but they went extinct even before the war began.” Their guard nodded. “He doesn’t have anything to worry about. Though he will be better off if one of the other groups find him.” He shook his head mournfully. “Ravel tends to get ugly when people mess up.” Koss stood up and took the soldier’s weapon and ammunition from Lola. He studied them for a moment, then carefully shouldered both. Lola stared at him, surprised by his apparent ease with what amounted to a small arsenal. Koss was now giving their guard an appraising glance. “Okay, so who the hell are you, and why are you helping us?” He continued the stare down. “For that matter, can we start with your name?” “You can call me Nate.” “Is that your name?” Koss asked. The man gave Koss a bemused look, as if surprised by his forthrightness. “Believe it or not, yes, it is.” Lola looked up at him through narrowed eyes. “Are you a mercenary? This place has to be crawling with them. I’ll bet you work for that company, Backwater.” She didn’t try to hide the disgust in her tone. Nate grinned again, “Actually, it’s Blackwater, and no, I don’t work for them.” “So are you with the government?” Koss asked. “You could say that.” “Which one?” Nate choked off his laughter. “Ours.” “Oh, so now you’re some kind of secret agent man. If I had a dollar for every time some guy fed me that line…” Lola continued. Nate looked her up and down. “I’m sure you’ve heard lots of lines in your former line of work.” He didn’t bother to address the rest of her accusation. Lola started toward him. What the hell? How did he know she used to be a stripper? “Lola,” Koss warned. “Let me handle this.” He turned back to Nate. “I don’t know who you are, or what the hell you’re doing here, but I don’t want to get tangled up in whatever the hell it is you have going down.”

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Nate lost his air of bonhomie in an instant. “Aren’t you the astute one? They weren’t lying when they called you a genius, were they?” “They who? Who are they? What the hell are you doing here, and what do you know about me? For that matter, who, or what, are you?” “Hey, I’m not going there, brother, let’s just say I have my reasons for being here. And now I have my reasons for getting away. Got it? I’m willing to take you with me, as long as you’re not too big a pain in the ass. Now, are you with me or not?” Koss stared at him a bit longer. “I have no idea. The way people switch sides around here…” “You can be sure I’m not on anybody’s side. I’m a lobo. I don’t do team stuff, okay?” “Okay, but if anything happens to Lola, I’m coming for you…brother.” Lola stood to the side watching this exchange in amazement. Koss might be willing to throw in with any Alabama football fan he encountered, but Roll Tide or not, she was a bit more skeptical. On the other hand, at the moment he seemed to be their only chance to get out of this hellhole alive. He definitely seemed to know what he was doing. “I don’t think he’s going to answer any questions.” She glared at Nate. “It’s probably better for us if he doesn’t. God only knows what kind of craziness brought him here. But for now, I think we have to throw in our hand with him. You know I can read people, and he’s definitely all kinds of trouble, but I don’t think he means to direct it at us.” Nate grinned again. “Thank you for that” -- he cleared his throat -- “glowing assessment.” “Trust, I’m not trying to do you any favors. Just trying to get out of this place alive. It might be a good idea if we got the hell out of here before our friendly neighborhood head case discovers we’re missing,” Lola said. Nate raised a brow. “She does have a point.” “She usually does,” Koss returned with a smile. “You have any idea as to how we’re going to get off this island?” Koss directed his question to Nate. “Wild Thing will be back in two days.” “You know Wild Thing?” “Doesn’t everybody?” Koss silently conceded that point. “So our timing could’ve been better.” “Yeah, but I had to get y’all away. That guy wasn’t going to make it another two days, I hoped he would, but…” He shrugged. “Who the hell is he anyway?” Nate shook his head. “Damned if I know, but he’s not who I came here looking for, and that’s a goddamned pity. I’d love to send that bastard to hell bleeding from every orifice.” “Can we stay here until it’s time to meet Wild Thing?” Lola asked.

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“No. All the men know this area too well. It’s best we get as far away as possible. Besides, Wild Thing can only land on the beach,” Nate replied. “I know a few other places we can go. I’d hoped we could go back to the village. Lambert --” Koss shook his head in strong dissent. “No, he’s turned. He’s the one that gave us to Ravel.” “Damn, a lot of folks are going to be really pissed off to hear that. It makes things a bit more complicated, but we’ll still manage,” Nate said. Lola continued to study Nate. “So, did you graduate from the UA?” “More or less,” Nate replied. “Geez, dude, do you ever give a straight answer?” Lola asked. “Sometimes.” “I really wish I’d hit you with that rock.” Nate laughed again. “You really are something else, you know that, little sister? It’s been a long time since I had this much fun talking to a woman.” “Stop calling me that.” Lola bristled, ignoring the brief flash of pain she saw in Nate’s eyes. “Sorry. What can I say, my parents rubbed off on me.” “Yeah right, I’m not even convinced you had parents.” “Now you wound me. Of course I had parents. Believe it or not, they were missionaries. See, I just gave you some information.” “Missionaries?” Lola sneered. “Yeah, right. You certainly look like you were born in a church. So where are they now while you’re out playing Rambo?” Nate’s face totally shut down. “They died.” “Oh, God,” Lola gasped. “I’m sorry. That was insensitive and stupid of me.” Nate brightened back up. “No worries. It was a while ago,” he said with a cheerfulness that seemed forced. Koss chose that moment to change the subject, taking Lola’s hand as he moved her closer to his side. “Okay. If Wild Thing is going to land where he usually does, we’re at least a couple hours away.” Nate nodded. “And we need to hide out for a couple of days. How far away are the places you know to hide?” “Probably about an hour’s drive away. There’s an old hut there I’ve used a few times. I don’t think too many people know about it, but I can’t guarantee that.” He raised his brows. “It’s closest to where Wild Thing will be landing, and I’m sure everyone knows his habits by now.” “What about the other places?” Lola asked. “That hut sounds like we’d be sitting ducks.” She studied Nate closely. He obviously knew quite a bit about them, and that made her uncomfortable. She wondered where he’d acquired such information and why.

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“There’s another cave, just on the other side of this one. It doesn’t look like it’s ever been used. It’s up the mountain a bit and with all the brush you can’t see it until you’re right on it. I’d be surprised if anyone else knows about it. But that means our timing has to be just right, because we’ll be pretty far from where Wild Thing lands.” Koss ran an impatient hand through his hair. “So we have a choice between a place that’s close, but everyone knows we’ll be in the vicinity. Or another one that’s further out, but we’ll have to make a run for it right before Wild Thing lands. That’s a Hobson’s choice if I’ve ever heard one.” “I think the hut is a better choice for a lot of reasons. Mainly because I’ve been there before and it has a back door, so to speak. If we’re discovered we can always run to the cave,” Nate said. Koss nodded in agreement, bowing to the older man’s greater experience. “Makes sense.” He glanced up at the sky. They were losing daylight fast, with less than a half hour left. “Let’s get the hell out of here. ”

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Chapter Twenty-three Lola swayed back and forth in the cab of the old truck. The descending twilight made eerie shadows of the massive palm trees, and she wondered at Nate’s ability to find the serpentine goat trail that passed for a road. Even wedged as she was between the two men, the circuitous trek made maintaining her seat difficult. She was so focused on not landing on the floorboard that she almost went flying when Nate brought the vehicle to an abrupt stop. The crumbling surface of the dilapidated dashboard crackled against her palm when she threw out a hand to block her fall. She gave Nate a sharp glance, then bit off an equally sharp remark when she realized that he’d been halted by a roadblock of armed men. She fell sideways against Koss as Nate put the truck in sharp reverse, only to be stopped once again by an oncoming vehicle. Nate slapped the dashboard. “Goddammit, we’re trapped.” Then, apparently deciding not to waste any more time expressing his frustration, he reached for his weapon. Koss did the same after ordering Lola to get down on the floorboard. She opened her mouth to protest, but both men had already exited the vehicle. Using the open doors as shields, they opened fire on the soldiers, pausing only to reload. Lola remained in her crouched position as the soldiers returned fire. Lola had never heard automatic weapons fire before and was struck by the strangeness of the time lapse between the sound of the bullets and the sound of the gun actually firing. She looked down at her hands, surprised that her death grip on the disintegrating floor hadn’t dug a hole right through it. Bile burned the back of her throat as she choked on her fear and a wave of pure panic. The gunfire seemed to increase in intensity and Lola dared not risk even a peek to see if Koss and Nate were still there. Then, as if by some arranged signal, both men suddenly slammed the doors shut. Lola could only guess that they were running away from the vehicle as the gunfire suddenly ceased. By this time, she was practically wedged under the seat of the truck, trying to make herself as small as possible. She didn’t know how much time had

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passed, whether one minute or a hundred, but she was beginning to develop cramps in her legs when suddenly the passenger door flew open. Her heart leaped into her throat when someone grabbed her arm and she found herself being dragged out of the truck. Bending almost double, she twisted her body with all her might to loosen his hold. Almost breaking free, she opened her mouth to scream when suddenly an explosion went off behind her eyes and she sank into a void of nothingness. Koss bent over at the waist, his palms on his knees while he struggled to catch his breath. Though he worked out regularly and was in good shape, their trek through the jungle at this latitude would have taxed the stamina of a decathlete. He glanced over at Nate, who maintained a similar posture. “Do you think we got them?” “I think most of them ran away. They thought we’d be easy pickings. When they discovered we weren’t, they got the hell out,” Nate said. Koss stood up. “You mean they weren’t Ravel’s men?” Nate pulled a bandanna out of his pocket. After wiping it over his sweaty face, he used it to tie back his shaggy black hair. “No. If they were with Ravel, we’d be deader than hell by now. That old boy plays for keeps. I was with him for a long time. I know everybody in his outfit, and I didn’t recognize any of them. We’d better get back to the truck. We need to get where we’re going before nightfall. Driving these roads at night could be hazardous to your health.” He shifted the small backpack he’d slipped onto his nonshooting arm when they exited the truck. They jogged the few hundred yards back to vehicle. Koss stopped short when he saw that the passenger door stood open. He remembered that he and Nate had intentionally closed both doors in an effort to keep Lola’s presence concealed from the guerillas. He paused for a heartbeat, not really wanting to see what could be inside. His breath whistled between his teeth as he forced the air from his lungs. Unable to wait any longer, he ran frantically to the truck and looked inside. As he’d expected, Lola was gone. Relieved that she wasn’t dead, he was suddenly hit by a wave of anger. His fury barely contained, he yelled, “I swear to God, if she left this truck…” Nate was on his heels and shook his head at Koss’s comment. “She’s not stupid. She didn’t even have a weapon and had no reason to leave the truck.” “So you’re saying they’ve got her,” Koss said in a barely audible voice. “Most likely.” Koss struggled to hear through the roaring in his ears as the panic set in once again. Nate’s response reverberated through Koss’s brain with monster truck force. The implications left him totally incapable of processing further thought. He tried in vain to still his scattered thoughts while his heartbeat thrummed the same refrain over and over again. They’ve got her. They’ve got her. No other thoughts could make their way through the suddenly paralyzed synapses in his brain.

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Nate’s shove was a bit more forceful than necessary, but served the purpose of breaking the continuous loop that had captured Koss’s thought processes. “Look, brother, I know you’re scared shitless right now, but you can’t do anything for her if you go to pieces. I’ve got a pretty good idea who these dudes are. We tangled with them a few weeks ago, and I know where they camp. We’ve got to get Lola back and fast, but we can’t do jack if you go batshit on me. Got it?” Nate looked prepared to hit him again when Koss didn’t respond right away. He raised both hands in defense. A calm had descended over him as he processed Nate’s words. Nate knew where she was, and they would get her back. He’d never been more ready for anything in his life. God help any motherfucker who tried to stand between him and Lola. He had every intention of sending him straight to hell. Koss pursed his lips as Nate removed several incendiary grenades from his backpack. “That’s a regular Little Shop of Horrors you carry around with you, isn’t it?” Nate smiled, a wry twist of his lips that in no way conveyed jocularity. “Just a little something I picked up in the Peace Corps.” “The Peace Corps?” Koss gave Nate a blank stare. Would he ever know anything truthful about this man? At the moment, he didn’t really care. Getting Lola back was his number one priority, but still, there was something unnerving in partnering up with someone who couldn’t seem to tell the straight truth about anything. Nate’s plan was brilliant in its simplicity. They would sneak up on the camp under the cover of darkness. Then they’d toss the incendiary devices into the tents. While the soldiers were distracted by the fires, they’d have a chance to locate Lola and get her out of the camp before anyone realized she was gone. “How will we know Lola’s not in one of the tents we set on fire?” “With any luck we’ll have a chance to do a little recon beforehand. If not, we’ll just have to move damned quickly.” Nate shrugged. “I can’t think of any other way.” Koss looked around at the lush vegetation that surrounded the camp. “Couldn’t we set some of the trees or brush on fire instead? That way we don’t have to risk Lola getting hurt.” Nate reached out and shook one of the plants that concealed their hiding place. Water flew in every direction. “Not going to work, brother. Might have worked if y’all had come in the dry season, but right now we’re in the middle of the wet. It’s been raining every day for a solid month, and everything is, well, wet. I don’t think we could set a fire here with anything less than napalm.” He smiled at Koss’s hopeful glance at his backpack. “Sorry, brother. I left it in my other bag.” Koss nodded, appreciating the impossibility of what he’d suggested. They’d just have to be damned sure that their reconnoitering was thorough.

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“Don’t worry, little brother. We’re going to get your lady out. She might be scorched a bit, but she’ll be in one piece. Got it?” Under the coverage of full nightfall Koss and Nate low-crawled through the brush into a position where they could watch the camp undetected. It was centered in a small clearing made by a brush burn. The jungle was already beginning to reclaim the real estate, providing plenty of coverage for their observation. After a long moment Nate gestured for Koss to follow him back into the cover of thicker vegetation. Nate leaned in so closely his lips were practically touching Koss’s ear. “Yeah, these are the same dudes we fought a few weeks ago. They definitely won’t win the Miss Congeniality trophy. The other rebels wouldn’t piss on them if they were on fire. They don’t seem to have any particular political or religious philosophy. Not that any of the other revolutionaries do, but they at least maintain a pretense of political purpose to cover the fact that they’re really a bunch of psychopaths drawn together by a love for killing. Plus, they tend to practice every man for himself when they’re attacked. I was worried that some ally might come help them when all hell breaks loose, but that’s so not going to happen. If we get really lucky they might even come in to help us.” Koss nodded, relieved to be hearing some good news at last. “You know anything about grenades?” Nate asked. “They blow things up.” Nate shook his head. “Okay, just follow my lead then. I’m going to try to hit their ammo stash with the first one. That’ll send them scurrying for sure.” Nate began lowcrawling back to their previous position. Koss followed close to his shoulder, unwilling to lose contact in the dim light. From their position on a small rise above the camp they could clearly see the entire area. Koss noticed immediately that this camp wasn’t as organized or disciplined as the one Ravel had run. The rebel leader had more than a hundred men, yet their base was always in good order. This small group of fewer than twenty was clearly undisciplined and the men milled about in a leisurely fashion. Koss wondered if they’d lost any soldiers to the disease, but didn’t want to break their silence by asking Nate. He suspected that they had. Several of the men had a haggard look about them that he’d seen in others who had recently recovered. Of course, under such conditions they could be suffering from just about anything from dysentery to simple hunger. The latter seemed a strong possibility given the lack of organization in the camp. There didn’t seem to be any direction in regard to getting food or water. Several of the men were wounded and unattended with only rough bandages over their injuries. As near as he could tell no one was on guard duty. There were only five tents in the small clearing. After studying them for a moment he and Nate agreed that Lola was probably in the first one on the far right. It was the only one they hadn’t seen any of the soldiers enter or leave. Of course, there could be other explanations, but it was the only clue they had.

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Nate looked over his shoulder at Koss, gave a sharp nod, then leaped up and began running toward the camp in a crouched position. Koss followed right behind him, his gun held in both hands as he tried to maintain as small a profile as a man his size could. Without warning, Nate veered to the right. Koss was so focused on the other man’s movements that he followed without missing a beat. After they ran for a few more yards, Koss saw Nate make a sharp movement with his hand and then throw one of the grenades into a tent that stood apart from the others. A small sliver of flame snaked up the side of the tent. After a momentary pause, the entire structure went up in a tremendous flash, confirming their suspicion that it was being used to store ammunition. Nate threw the other grenades in rapid succession, setting fire to all the tents save one. The men scattered in all directions as Koss and Nate made a wide arc around the camp and came back to the tent they hoped was Lola’s. Lola put a hand to her head as she slowly regained consciousness, irritated to find herself suffering from yet another head injury. Why was it that the only times she’d ever gotten smacked upside the head Koss just happened to be involved? For a moment she wondered if she’d been recaptured by Ravel and his men, but a quick glance around the tent disabused that notion. This tent was smaller and poorly kept, and it wasn’t canvas like the ones in the other camp. This tent didn’t emit the sour smell of dampness like the other one had. Ravel maintained an orderly camp and the filth in this one wouldn’t have been tolerated. Once she realized she’d been captured by strangers, a quick check of her clothing reassured her that she hadn’t been raped. It was no guarantee, but she doubted a rapist would bother to rebutton her tropical weight blouse or rezip her cargo pants. The fact that they hadn’t raped her yet didn’t necessarily mean that they had no plans to do so. She took a deep shuddering breath. No way in hell was she going to be gang-raped by a whole camp full of hard up men. She’d make them kill her first. She lay back on the hard-packed ground, trying to regain her bearings. The right side of her face throbbed where the soldier had struck her, but other than that she didn’t seem to have any other bodily injury. Where were Koss and Nate? She choked back a wave of panic as she realized they were probably dead. If they’d been captured, they probably would’ve been placed in the same tent, and as far as she could tell in the dim light she was the tent’s only occupant. Koss had shown a tenderness she hadn’t expected once they’d run into difficulties, but even if he hadn’t she knew he would never have left her behind unless he had no choice. Tears slowly leaked out the corners of her eyes as she mourned the man who would always own her heart. When a man entered the tent Lola was so distracted by her grief she almost didn’t notice, but as she became aware of his presence she immediately choked off the tears. Sensing she’d have an advantage if he thought she was still unconscious, she modulated her breathing. She surreptitiously studied the large man as he approached the back of the tent where she lay. She didn’t have a chance in hell of taking him, but with some luck she might could get the drop on him and escape. If nothing else, she would anger him enough to kill

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rather than rape her. She focused on her deceptive breathing, hoping he wouldn’t notice she’d regained consciousness. She choked back the waves of fear, knowing from experience it would only paralyze her, leaving her unable to act. When the man leaned forward over her supine figure, Lola’s deep breath gave tremendous power to the brutal kick she delivered as she brought both legs up abruptly, slamming into his solar plexus with all her might. When the man collapsed to the floor she ran past him, almost making it to the exit when he suddenly ensnared her, wrapping one sinewy arm around her waist, and pulling her back into the tent. The pungent scent of poor hygiene, exacerbated by close quarters and unbelievable humidity, filled her nostrils, making her stomach roll and triggering a reflexive response. As had occurred before under similar circumstances, Lola detached from her body. She watched the scene before her as though it were a YouTube clip. Her out-of-body experience insulated her from emotions, even fear. Survival instincts kicked into overdrive as, channeling her inner Cleopatra Jones, she twisted her torso and slammed her elbow sharply into the bridge of her attacker’s nose. It gave way with a sickening crack, punctuated by bright red blood spurting in every direction. Before he had a chance to recover, she followed that blow with a headbutt to his chin. The man’s scream only spurred Lola on as she then slammed her heel, armored in heavy hiking boots, into his shin, invoking another shout, this one in Arabic. Not stopping to assess the damage, Lola again ran for the door. The man’s muffled scream, “Come back here, you American whore,” didn’t slow her pace, though she was surprised to hear an Arabic accent instead of the French creole she’d grown accustomed to on the island. It seemed Koss was right about the motley assortment of renegades who’d chosen to make Île de Lina their home. Apparently he was too wounded to give chase, but his shouting brought his men rushing toward the tent. Lola was glancing around frantically trying to find an escape when she was stopped by a sudden explosion from inside the camp. The sound triggered a jump and duck for cover reflex in everyone, as the explosions continued with almost symphonic coordination. He and his men looked around their camp as one tent after another burst into flame as though struck by some demonic force. The acrid smell of burning fuel filled the air as the twilight sky brightened with the colors of dawn. Lola was still trying to figure out how she could use this attack to her advantage when it seemed her attacker suddenly came to his senses. He yelled at his soldiers, then shoved her back into the tent. She wasn’t sure, but it seemed he ordered one of the men to guard her, as the others began running in the direction of the explosions.

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Chapter Twenty-four Koss entered the tent alone, his weapon at the ready, while Nate stood guard outside. It was fortunate that the camp was nearly empty by the time he found Lola curled up in the back of the tent. Though he’d never experienced it before, he recognized the anger he felt as killing rage. Studying her battered face, his heart almost stopped when he recalled Nate’s warning. “Look, little brother, more than likely she’s already been raped. Don’t lose your fucking mind when you find her. We’ll deal with that when we get away somewhere safe. Got it?” Koss had no idea what his response had been. Nate didn’t know her history the way he did. She’d already been through so much. Could she survive further brutality? Almost despite himself, he admired the strength of will it had taken for her to achieve what she had. He’d never forgive himself if he had led her back to that ugly place that left her trembling and screaming in the night. After shouldering his weapon, he picked her up as gently as he could, mindful of her bruised face, and ran out of the tent. Nate quickly joined them, and they slipped out of the camp leaving absolute chaos in their wake.

***** Arriving at the small hut was a blessed relief after their escape from the renegade camp. Nate climbed out of their vehicle first, and after ensuring that the building had no other inhabitants, he motioned for them to join him. Lola leaned against Koss as she looked around the one room of the shelter, hardly the best accommodations she’d ever seen. However, given that she’d just had the living hell beaten out of her, she could appreciate its sparse amenities -- like a dirt floor that was covered in what appeared to be woven palm fronds. Unlike the concrete structures back at the village, this hut was more like what she’d expected when she arrived on the island. With

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its wooden sides and palm frond roof it looked like the movie version of a tiki hut. Lola leaned against Koss even more as her inner ear began to spin and she lost her bearings. Her equilibrium had been off since this most recent blow to the head and she suspected that she had another concussion. Lola prodded at the mats with the toe of her boot, stepping back when a small insect scurried from beneath. Insect-infested, just as she’d thought. Still, she’d take it over sleeping on the hard-assed ground. Koss looked down at her, concern clouding his face. Then he took her face in his hands, touching her bruises gingerly. “Sweetheart, I’m so sorry. Seems like every time you’re around me you wind up with a head injury.” Lola looked up, pained to see those crystalline eyes drowning in tears, but heartened by his reference to one of their first meetings. “Hey, you should see the other guy,” she quipped. Koss winced. “Lola, it’s not necessary. Did they…” he took a deep breath, exhaling on a very slow count, “did they hurt you?” Lola frowned. “Look at my face. Of course they --” She broke off as realization dawned. “No, they didn’t rape me.” Her breath trembled from her lips. “I was terrified that they would.” She closed her eyes as a wave of horror overtook her. “One guy, I think he was their leader, was going to, but I fought back. I don’t know what happened to me, but I just hit him with everything I had. I couldn’t help it. I just decided he’d have to kill me first. I got him in the chest with my boots.” She grimaced. “I was aiming for his balls, but hit too high. I think it was adrenaline. Then I broke his nose.” She didn’t try to hide her satisfaction at having inflicted that injury. Her gesture encompassed her battered countenance. “But he left me with a present.” Lola paused again as she felt the tremors of rage vibrating in Koss’s body. She stroked his back in a comforting gesture, and gradually he calmed down. “The next thing I knew, things started blowing up and you guys were there. I guess I passed out again or something.” Koss nodded. “Yeah, you were barely conscious when we found you. Are you sure you’re okay?” He began touching her limbs. “They didn’t do anything else?” Lola shook her head no, comforted by his concern. Koss was pale under his tan, his brow furrowed above eyes that had turned a soft silver with tenderness. Gratified though she was to see this clear indication of his feelings, she also felt an overriding need to reassure and console him in return. “I know I must look pretty damned bad to set you off this way. It hurts like hell, but I’ll be okay. I just hope they don’t find this place.” Her gesture encompassed the dimensions of the hut. Still standing in Koss’s embrace, she gave a sigh of relief when she saw Nate unpacking MREs -- meals ready to eat. They hadn’t had anything to eat since a very sparse breakfast and she thought maybe some of her light-headedness might be from hunger. All things considered, it was never a good idea to go without food in the tropics. Nate handed her one of the packages. “I know y’all must be hungry. They aren’t gourmet, but they stay with you.” He handed another of the nondescript packages to Koss,

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then sat down on the floor, his legs in the lotus position. Other insects quickly made their way out of the mats at the disturbance. Lola and Koss shared a glance, then joined their erstwhile host on the floor. “We’ll have to stand watch tonight,” Koss said. “If they’re coming, they’ll come tonight.” “And where did you get your commando training?” Nate asked with another one of those smiles that was actually a wry twist of his lips. “Don’t need any. I’m a scientist; making deductions from facts is what I do for a living. Are you saying you’re a commando?” Nate shook his head. “I wouldn’t call myself anything like that.” “That’s an answer in itself, isn’t it?” Koss asked. “All logical indicators are that you’re something like that. My question is, if you work for the US government, what the hell were you doing with Ravel?” Lola interrupted. “Come on, Koss, surely you’re not buying this? Commando, my ass. He’s just another one of those god-awful mercenary people. A soldier for hire.” “And such a luscious ass, if I may be so bold to say so,” Nate responded with a wink. “I really appreciate your help, man, but you need to back the fuck off.” Still on edge from rescuing Lola, Koss’s tone was unmistakable in its promise of death. “I don’t think any man alive could ignore Ms. Bordenaux’s considerable charms, but I’ll do my best. Look, let’s just say I came here to do a little birdhunting. I was with Ravel because it gave me the greatest chance of spotting that particular bird. Unfortunately it was a case of mistaken identity. I’ve seen a lot of exotic creatures, but I’m looking for something of a more domestic variety,” Nate said. Koss frowned at him. “And if you had found this bird you’re looking for?” Nate shrugged. Koss seemed lost in thought as he digested Nate’s response, then he sat up again as if a thought had occurred to him. “I can’t imagine why this would be, but am I the man you’re looking for?” Nate shook his head. “No. If you were, you’d be dead by now,” he answered flatly in a rare moment of candor. “Oh, you are such a badass,” Lola hissed, her aching head propped on the palm of her hand. Tired of all the subterfuge and doublespeak, she lambasted Nate, “I don’t believe for one second you’re some type of commando.” She waved her hand in dismissal. “What else did you do? Shoot a man in Reno just to watch him die?” Nate let out a sharp bark of laughter. “Now I know I’m in love. Beauty, brains, and she knows Johnny Cash, too.” He continued chuckling, then gave Koss a sobering glance. “If I

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didn’t think she’d cut my throat at the first opportunity, I’d shoot you in the head and take my chances.” Koss bristled as he rose to his feet in an impossibly graceful movement for a man his size. “You and whose army?” He ignored the fact that there was no shortage of armies on Île de Lina. Most of its inhabitants seemed to fight simply from lack of anything better to do. “Hey, brother” -- Nate raised his hands in surrender -- “I wasn’t sure about you two at first. Every now and then you acted as though you’d take out your heart and give it to her. Most of the time though, I thought you might drop her off in the volcano. Watching you lose your shit this afternoon removed any doubts. No worries. She reminds me of someone I knew a long time ago. I’ve just been taking my memories out for a little road trip.” “So you fucked up and lost yours, leave mine alone,” Koss growled at him, apparently unfazed by the prospect of fighting someone with an endless supply of lethal weapons. “If what I’ve been told is true, you’ve been fucking up just as badly.” “Who’s been discussing my personal life with you, and why would you be interested?” Koss’s head swiveled as he turned to look at Lola. “What the hell have you been telling him?” Lola put both hands to her aching head as though she could hold on to her patience by force of will. She knew the man had been through emotional trauma thinking she’d been raped or killed, but that was no excuse for acting like a knuckle-dragging throwback. “Dude,” she groaned, “could you lower your voice? And does anybody have any aspirin?” Koss immediately reached into his bag to produce the medication. Lola gratefully swallowed the pills with a sip of water from Nate’s canteen. She closed her eyes briefly, trying her best not to scream at the love of her life as she pointed out the obvious. “How could I tell Nate anything? I’ve never been alone with him, remember?” Koss tilted his head to the side as comprehension dawned, and he touched her knee in apology. “Sorry. I forgot about that.” He turned to Nate again. “If you’ve got no beef with me, then why the hell are you collecting information on me?” Nate shrugged. “Hey, little brother, it pays to know as much as possible about the people you’ll be dealing with. When I found out Ravel was bringing y’all to his camp, I got as much information as I could. I knew you could fuck up my plans and I needed to know how to deal with you.” Koss nodded his understanding, and silence reigned in the tiny hut while they finished their packaged meals. Nate disturbed the quiet by returning to a critical subject. “Koss, will you take the first watch? I’m more accustomed to going without sleep, and it would probably be better for me to take the overnight hours.” “What about me?” Lola asked. “Which shift will I watch?”

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Koss and Nate gave one another a pained glance. Then Nate shrugged as if to say, “Your woman, your pain in the ass.” Koss nodded in acquiescence. “Lola, I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to take a watch. You’re injured. You don’t know anything about guns and --” “And you do?” Lola interrupted, then sighed as she recalled his performance that afternoon. Clearly he’d had weapons training of some sort. “Yeah, actually I do. You’ve read my notes, I’ve been in this type of place before. I don’t make a habit of carrying a gun, but I’d be a fool not to learn how to use one. In some places they’re as natural as getting dressed.” “Dr. Congo said that the indigenous people are less likely to see you as an enemy or a threat if you don’t walk around like a conquering soldier.” “Well, if Congo said it…” Koss began muttering under his breath. Then apparently changed his mind about his sarcastic response. Though it seemed to pain him to do so, he finally said, “Congo was right, of course.” Lola could hardly believe her ears. Koss was admitting that her mentor could be right about something. She couldn’t recall a single time he’d had anything good to say about him even though he was a giant in their field. He’d rather die than admit it, but he acted like a man eaten up with jealousy. And of a dead man, at that. Koss continued, “I’ve never actually carried a gun into the field. Usually I have nothing except for my knife, which goes with me everywhere. But, when you go into a war zone, I think it makes a helluva lot of sense to at least know how to use a gun, don’t you? Unfortunately, the world is a lot more dangerous with a helluva lot more firepower than when Congo was in the field regularly.” Lola nodded. Unable to find anything in his statement with which to disagree, she pursed her lips. “Fine, Koss, I won’t take a watch, but I do need a weapon.” Koss and Nate looked at one another. “Come on, guys. Of the three of us, I’m the most vulnerable. I don’t intend to get caught ass out again.” “She’s right again, brother. We got lucky this time. These guys are amateurs. If Ravel or his men get their hands on her…” He didn’t finish the thought. Koss pushed his hair out of his eyes with an abrupt movement of his hand. “She doesn’t know jack about guns.” Nate removed a small gun from a holster at the small of his back and handed it to Lola. “This is a good gun for close situations. I had it modified to my own specifications. It’s not particularly accurate at a distance, but it gets the job done. You just point and shoot like a Polaroid, got it? Doesn’t take any skill at all.” Lola studied the weapon dubiously, uncertain if she could actually kill anyone. After years of therapy to address her abuse issues, she was finally free of flashbacks and night terrors. No matter what, she wasn’t going there again. She had no doubt that she could use the gun on herself, though she had no intention of sharing that bit of information with Koss.

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There was a certain thrill in watching him come unglued, but he had enough to worry about at the moment.

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Chapter Twenty-five The morning began as they always did on Île de Lina, with the cries of cartoon-colored birds echoing through the forest canopy serving as a type of tropical alarm clock. Lola, held cocooned spoon fashion against Koss’s chest, awoke with a start. Instantly aware that something was wrong, she turned her head minutely when Koss’s altered breathing pattern signaled that he too was awake. Following his line of vision, she looked around for Nate and found him crawling toward a far corner of the hut. Making eye contact with Koss, he gestured for them to join him. Lola slipped her glasses on, grabbed the bag she’d been using as a pillow, then she and Koss scrabbled crablike to Nate’s location. “Ravel?” Koss asked in that not-a-whisper voice he had apparently perfected since they’d arrived on the island. “By the way they crept up on us, I’d say these guys are pros. I almost missed them. If I hadn’t been keeping watch, they would’ve tagged the hell out of us by now. Ravel is the only pro on this island, so I’m guessing it’s them.” Lola struggled to keep her breathing even as she fought back nauseating panic. Would she be captured again? She touched the small gun she kept tucked into the waistband of her trousers. Hell, no. “Are we going to have to shoot our way out?” Nate flashed that impressive grin. “What do you know about rats, little sister?” “Not much except that I prefer them in a nice, clean lab,” Lola retorted, wondering what the filthy little beasts had to do with their current situation. “Yeah, I’ll just bet you do. Well, in the wild when a rat digs his burrow, he always makes sure he has a back door.” Lola and Koss looked around, noting as they had the previous evening that the hut still only had one door.

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Nate moved the floor mat aside with a slight movement of his foot while still keeping his eyes trained on the front door where they could hear Ravel’s men gathering. Lola looked down at what seemed to be a small trap door. “We’ve got to move. Koss, you take Lola and I’ll create a diversion --” Koss cut him off. “No, you go first and take Lola. I’ll cover.” Lola couldn’t believe her ears. “Koss, I think Nate knows more about this --” “That’s exactly right. He does. That’s why it makes more sense for you to leave with him. If something happens to me, more than likely he can get you off this fucking island.” “But Koss --” “Lola, don’t argue,” Koss said urgently. He met Nate’s eyes over Lola’s head, asking a silent question. “I’ll die trying, brother. You know where we’re going?” Koss nodded. Nate pulled a small device out of his bag. “This is my favorite jagged little pill. Make good use of it. It packs a helluva punch, but it’s all about timing. If you wait long enough, you should take most of them to hell with you.” Koss took it, examined it closely, making note of the trigger mechanism Nate pointed out to him, then gave a sharp nod. Lola panicked as Nate’s words sank in. “Koss, you can’t do this --” She broke off as there was a loud thud against the door. Koss grabbed both her shoulders and pulled her against his chest. Then he leaned forward, taking her mouth in a kiss that left her breathless and incapable of further thought, let alone speech. His tongue followed the contours of her mouth with an intimacy she knew she’d never have with another man. It was as though he was trying to memorize it for all time. Then in a gesture that clearly took a strength of will, he separated his lips from hers. “I love you, Lola. I always have and always will.” When she didn’t respond, indeed, she couldn’t as his words had literally shut down what remained of her brain after that tempestuous kiss, he shook her shoulders. “Did you hear me? I love you, and I’m going to do my damnedest to come back to you.” That shook her out of her stupor. “But Koss --” she began. The thuds on the door grew louder. “They’re coming. Go,” he said as he shoved her toward Nate. “Go before I change my mind.” Nate grabbed Lola’s hand as he opened the trap door, revealing a black hole barely large enough for either of them to fit through. Lola had no choice but to follow him. She gave Koss a last lingering look, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Then decided it was simply too much to deal with at the moment, and climbed after Nate into the dankness of the tunnel below. As they scurried along, forced to bend almost double by the passageway’s narrow confines, Lola couldn’t help thinking about those rats Nate had

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mentioned earlier, but it was too dark to tell if they had any companions. She was so focused on keeping up with him that when he came to a sudden halt, she almost ran into his back. “Wait here,” Nate said, then ran toward the treeline. After what seemed an interminable length of time, he suddenly drove up in their truck. Lola ran to the door, then jumped inside. Nate slammed the accelerator and the vehicle took off with a speed that belied its disreputable appearance. They hadn’t driven very far down the road when Lola heard a huge explosion. She expelled her breath and peered back through the foliage, but she couldn’t discern even a trace of the building. She glanced over at Nate when he began speaking. “He knows where we’re going. For an egghead scientist, he’s a pretty smart guy. If he made it, he’ll meet us there.” He pointed to the mountain that rose out of the jungle like a lonely sentinel. It looked to be only a few kilometers up the road, but in this terrain could take them hours to reach. “There’s the other cave I told y’all about. We’re going to hide there until Wild Thing gets here, in about,” he glanced down at his watch, “three hours.” Lola realized that she must look pretty distraught because Nate spared a hand from his desperate driving to reach over to pat her shoulder. Through the mind-numbing fear she could barely breathe past the words, if he made it. The only man she’d ever love had probably just blown himself to hell in that goddamned hut trying to save her life. How would she live if he didn’t? “Why did you let him stay? Why couldn’t we all have just run for it?” she choked, struggling to choke back the sobs. Nate shook his head, still focused on the nonexistent road in front of them. “Somebody had to stay to cover. There wasn’t enough time. They would’ve found my back door and been after us. Koss bought us enough time to get away. With any luck and good timing, he blew most of them to hell in that hut, then made his way out through the tunnel.” “Good timing? Koss is a scientist, not an operative, or commando, or whatever the hell you are. You should’ve stayed if anyone needed to. You left Koss behind. Isn’t that a violation of the commando code or something?” Nate smirked. “So now you’re willing to acknowledge that I’m an operative?” Lola’s only response was a fulminating glare so he continued with a chuckle. “You know how there are some women who are beautiful when they cry?” Despite her misery, Lola nodded at the non sequitur. “Well, you’re not one of them.” Lola paused for a moment, then snapped in response, “I can’t believe you’re making jokes at a time like this. You could’ve stopped him. You know what you’re doing, and Koss doesn’t.” Nate’s shoulders rolled in a careless shrug. “Hey, I thought you needed to know. Look, Lola, Koss was going to do whatever it took to get your gorgeous ass out of there alive.

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Changing his mind would’ve taken a bullet, and with every sociopath in the southern hemisphere gunning for us I didn’t see any point in wasting ammo on a battle I couldn’t win. Got it?” Lola hunched down in her seat, essentially conceding Nate’s point. Koss was athletic and knew about guns. She clung to that fact as their little truck rattled through the overgrown forest.

***** Three hours had never seemed to pass by so quickly. Lola crouched down near the mouth of the cave, her eyes straining to peer through the island’s daily deluge. There’d been no sign of Koss. Now it was time to leave for the beach and, with any luck, their rendezvous with Wild Thing. Nate crouched on the other side of the small shelter, watching her steadily. “Lola, we can’t wait any longer. As it is, we’ll be lucky if we don’t miss our guy altogether.” “Just a few more minutes… How do you know for sure he even knows about this place? It’s damned near invisible from the road, and with this rain --” “I gave him exact directions last night. It’s not too far for him to have run if he got away from Ravel’s men,” Nate said. “We can’t leave him, Nate. What if he needs help? What if they captured him again?” “I gave my word. Getting you out was his priority. I told him I’d do it or die trying. Am I going to have to waste a bullet to get you in that truck?” Lola studied the obstinate set of his square jaw. “You’d shoot me?” Nate spread his hands in supplication. “I’d hate to do it, but I don’t think you could stand another lick to the head. Be a shame to turn such a good-looking woman into a vegetable. I’d have to get too close to break a finger. After the ass whupping you gave that guy yesterday, I’d rather not chance it.” Lola grimaced at the notion of someone deliberately breaking her finger. For some reason she really believed Nate would do it. “Enough said, dude. You’re one sick puppy, you know that?” “I get it done, Lola. I get it done.” He spoke as if the words were some type of mantra, then studied her face as if trying to get a read on her. His deep breath was audible in the close confines of the cave. “I promise you, little sister, once I get you on that helo I’ll come back to find your man. I won’t leave him here to rot in this hellhole.” Lola lowered her eyes. Too overcome with emotion to speak she simply nodded her head in gratitude. The rain had finally stopped during their conversation, and Lola quietly followed him to the truck. She had her foot on the running board to climb inside when she saw a movement out of the corner of her eye. She realized that Nate had seen it too. In less time

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than it took her to blink he had a gun at the ready and had pulled her down behind the truck’s door. The underbrush shifted again slightly, then Lola recognized Koss’s unmistakably blond head even though it had been darkened considerably by the rain. “You going to shoot me, brother ?” Lola squealed with delight as she ran into Koss’s arms. He’d obviously run the whole way in the rain and was soaking wet, his clothes clinging to his well-muscled form. But that didn’t stop her from hanging on to him. “I can’t believe you’re okay,” she murmured over and over again as she kissed every centimeter of his beloved face. “Hate to interrupt the reunion, but if we don’t get on the road, like yesterday, we’re going to be stuck here on Fantasy Island for who knows how long,” Nate said. “And I don’t think Mr. Roarke will be showing up anytime soon.” Koss nodded and pulled Lola with him toward the truck. Sandwiched between them once again, Lola ignored his dampness and cuddled as close as she could to Koss’s side. When he winced, she looked down and noticed that some of the wetness on his left side was actually blood. “Ohmigod, you’ve been shot!” Koss gritted his teeth as he pulled up his shirt. “Just grazed, baby. It’s not that bad. I don’t know why it’s bleeding so much.” Nate risked taking his eyes off the road long enough to glance down at Koss’s wound. “Probably nicked an artery or something. Lola, get some gauze out of my bag and put pressure on it. That should help.” Lola looked down at her decidedly unsanitary hands, then remembered that she still had antibacterial gel in her bag. After using it, she pulled the gauze pads out of Nate’s bag. She used one of the alcohol swabs she’d found there as well, and wiped gently at the oozing wound. As Koss had said, it wasn’t particularly deep, but it made a long furrow in a downward angle from his left nipple toward his lower back. She shuddered as she thought of all the vital organs that could have been hit along its path. Lola glanced up at Koss as she continued her ministrations. After a sharp hiss when she’d first wiped the wound, he hadn’t made any other sounds, but she knew it had to hurt like hell. She finished bandaging him as quickly as possible then, as instructed, applied pressure in an effort to stop the bleeding. Koss’s breath whistled between his teeth in response to the pressure, and Lola leaned over to give him a comforting kiss on the rib cage. He stroked his right hand over her lowered head. “It’s okay. Lo, it’s not that painful. I’ve had worse.” He took a microfiber towel out of his bag and began toweling himself dry.

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Lola couldn’t hold back the tears as she continued to look at the bruised and battered pathway the bullet had made across his side. “You could’ve died, Koss. You could’ve died. What you did was crazy as all shit.” “It worked, okay? It worked. And I’m not dead, hardly even wounded.” He looked down at the bandages. “See, I think the bleeding has stopped.” Lola glanced down to where her hand was pressed against his side. He was right, the flow of fresh blood had stopped. She pulled his shirt down over his side. “Well, I guess you won’t die, that is, if you haven’t picked up some god-awful infection.” Koss shook his head at her. “You never could stand to lose an argument.” The conversation ceased as the foliage thinned and they could see the beach ahead of them. The distinctive sound of a helicopter’s rotors filled the waterlogged air. A short time later they were close enough to the aircraft to see Wild Thing’s distinctive form leaning against the body, glancing down at his watch. Nate was already driving as fast as possible in such terrain when the gunfire began. Lola immediately fell to the floorboards as Koss grabbed his weapon and, leaning out of the truck, began returning fire. Lola couldn’t be certain, but it seemed the gunfire was actually getting closer when Nate called out for them to run for it. She spared a glance over the dashboard to see that they were right on the helicopter and Wild Thing was at the controls preparing to lift off. Koss threw the passenger door open and grabbed her by the arm, dragging her into the helicopter with him. Nate didn’t bother to kill the engine in the truck. He just dove into the aircraft’s door, yelling at Wild Thing to take off. Wild Thing was too preoccupied with getting the vehicle off the ground to respond. Lola lay on the floor while Koss and Nate continued to fire at the Jeeps that now filled the small beach. “Goddammit,” she heard Wild Thing yell. “The fuckers have shoulder-fired rockets.” To prevent being flung about the cabin, Lola held onto one of the seats as Wild Thing banked sharply to the left. The helicopter pitched and yawed with the unexpected move, sending Lola’s inner ear into yet another sickening spin. Then he turned the helicopter at a forty-five degree angle to avoid another missile. Lola shuddered as she felt the vibration of the rockets passing dangerously close to the craft. Nausea rose up again and again, and while Lola was uncertain as to whether it was the fear or the head injury that sickened her, she simply held on with all her might. Wild Thing turned the helicopter almost upside down in a evasive maneuver. “Okay,” he yelled again. “I think we’re out of range.” Lola cautiously climbed up from the floor and looked over at Koss, who leaned against the far side of the helicopter, another trail of fresh blood oozing down his shirt. “Jesus, Koss!” She rushed over to his side, but he brushed her hands away. “Not yet,” he said as he continued looking out the window.

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Lola hazarded a peek around him and saw that the men on the beach seemed to be climbing back into their vehicles. Apparently they realized they were out of range as well. “Koss, let me see your wound. It’s bleeding again.” Koss leaned back against the chair and let her tend to his injury. He wasn’t bleeding as heavily as before, and Lola was able to get it under control with much less effort. Koss didn’t say anything, but she could tell that his side hurt quite a bit from the way he gritted his teeth. She took some aspirin out of his bag and gave them to him. He nodded in gratitude and swallowed them dry. “Why don’t you get some rest, baby? We’ve still got some flight time left,” Lola whispered to him. She knew he had to be in bad shape because he didn’t argue with her, just lay back in his seat and closed his eyes. Nate did likewise in his seat across from Koss in the rear of the helicopter. Lola climbed into the copilot seat next to Wild Thing and put on her headset. “I should make you guys pay extra. Thanks to you, my helicopter is full of bullet holes,” Wild Thing complained. Lola frowned at him. “This thing was already full of bullet holes.” “Those are just special effects,” he tossed over his shoulder. “You can’t fly around here in a new helo. Somebody’s liable to steal the damned thing. You have to make it look so bad nobody would bother.” “So you deliberately made it look like crap…” She stared at him, noting for the first time that he’d left off the pith helmet. Even without it, he looked like a crazed bush pilot, which, of course, was what he was. But still, couldn’t he play against type? Concerned about Koss’s silence, she turned to look into the rear of the craft. Koss had relaxed in his seat, apparently already dozing. He probably needed the rest, but she worried that the exhaustion might stem from blood loss. That couldn’t possibly be good. She was surprised to see that Nate was sitting upright in his seat. Unlike Koss, he was wearing a headset. “Hey, man,” Wild Thing said, clearly speaking to Nate. “I forgot I’ve got a message for you.” He pulled a small, sealed envelope out of his pocket. Nate leaned forward to remove it from his hand. There was a brief silence while he apparently read the note, then she heard him swear, “Goddammit to hell.” Lola turned to look at Nate, startled to see that all the blood had drained from his face, leaving his swarthy complexion almost chalklike and dominated by eyes that had blackened with obvious despair. She reached out a hand toward him. “Nate, what on earth is going on?” Nate didn’t answer for a long moment. Then he looked at her as though surprised that she was speaking to him. “What?” Then he shook his head as though coming out of a fog. “Nothing, nothing’s wrong, Lola. WT, you know I’m not welcome in Darwin.”

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Wild Thing chuckled. “I was wondering if you remembered that. Where do you want to go?” Nate paused for a second, considering. “Drop me off on Tipitoe,” he said, mentioning one of the tens of thousands of islands scattered like a broken strand of pearls in this part of the southern Pacific. “I can catch a ferry to one of the other islands and then a flight to Singapore. I’ll probably be back stateside before you.” He nodded toward Lola. Lola frowned. “Why aren’t you welcome in Darwin?” Nate chuckled. “Let’s just say it’s not something I care to discuss in mixed company.” Wild Thing’s burst of laughter made it clear that there was a helluva story here, but she was unlikely to hear it. She looked over her shoulder to check on Koss, who seemed to be resting peacefully. “Tipitoe coming up in fifteen minutes,” Wild Thing said. Nate went solemn again, and they all fell into silence. Lola knew something was desperately wrong with Nate, but obviously he wasn’t interested in sharing. She felt unbearably grateful to the man. Without him she doubted they would have made it off the island. Ravel would have killed them as nothing more than an afterthought, a nuisance in a life that was filled with nothing but killing. She looked out the window as they approached the almost microscopically small Tipitoe Island. Like Île de Lina, the sand on this island also had a pinkish cast, but any other similarities ended there. Tipitoe, strange name and all, was a haven for expatriates of all types and took advantage of its popularity with a non-native population. It was legendary as a place to get away from it all, as evidenced by its small but well-maintained landing strip. Wild Thing put the helicopter down with his customary butter-soft landing. Despite the lack of turbulence, it seemed to jar Koss out of his slumber. He looked up at Nate and, as Wild Thing killed the motor, he was able to ask what was going on. “This is my stop, brother. I’ve some old business to take care of.” Lola felt gratified by the look of concern on Nate’s face as he spoke to Koss. Koss nodded. “Okay, do you need some help?” “No, I’ve got this. You need to get that wound taken care of, anyway. I know where you are if I need you.” He leaned forward to give Lola a hug. “It was good meeting you, little sister. You reminded me of what it feels like to love…” He trailed off and his eyes darkened again. “I needed that.” “Take care of yourself, Nate. Thank you so much for everything.” Nate nodded as he climbed out of the helicopter, his bag slung over his shoulder. They watched silently as he strode toward the airport. Lola waited to see if he would wave, but he continued on, his lonely form silhouetted against the glass-framed structure. After a long silent moment, Wild Thing fired up the engine to resume their truncated journey.

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Lola leaned back in her seat as they took flight again, suddenly more exhausted than she’d ever been in her life. She checked on Koss, who seemed to be settling in to rest some more. Lola was worried about his injury and wondered if they’d be in Darwin long enough to see a doctor. She’d make sure of it. Damned if she’d finally get Koss back only to see him killed off by some infection. Lulled by the rhythmic movement of the helicopter over the crystalline blue sea, Lola eventually dozed off.

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Chapter Twenty-six “Yes, Koss, you will be seeing a doctor as soon as I can arrange it.” Lola looked over her shoulder at Koss, who was reclining on the bed in their hotel room. The helicopter flight back to Darwin had been unexpectedly choppy, and they had been tossed around like rag dolls. Though he’d never admit it, she’d known from the way he went white under his tan that Koss’s side was hurting a lot more than he had let on. After their taxi ride to a hotel and a brief check-in, they were now ensconced in the best room in the city and she was trying to get Koss in to see a physician right away. The concierge was assuring her that the emergency department at the Royal Darwin Hospital would probably be their best option given the late hour. He would be more than happy to arrange transportation for the short trip. After hanging up the telephone, Lola joined Koss on the ridiculously plush bed. “I’m pretty sure they’ll give you an injection for the pain, otherwise you’re going to have a hard time sleeping tonight.” Koss nodded. “I know you’re right, I just don’t relish the idea of sitting for hours in an emergency room.” Lola nodded. “I understand, but maybe it won’t take too long and then we can come back here and get some sleep.” Fortunately their trip to the emergency department didn’t take as long as they’d feared. Koss’s wound didn’t require stitches, but the doctor taped it firmly with surgical adhesive, then gave Koss an injection for the pain. They’d also been able to fill a prescription for more painkiller if needed. Back at their hotel they’d made short work of ordering room service before they settled in for the evening. Lola stood at the window looking out at the cityscape below. Koss came up behind her, enveloping her in his embrace. Lola leaned back against his chest, careful of his tender left side.

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“Isn’t it gorgeous?” she murmured, snuggling deeper into his chest while looking out onto the vista below. “It’s nothing like I expected in Australia. The concierge said it’s closer to Jakarta or Singapore than it is any other major Australian city. I guess that’s why there’s so much tropical architecture and it looks more like Hong Kong or some place like that.” “Yeah, I know. I wish we had more time to explore, but we’ve got to get back right away. We really need to fly out tomorrow. I checked my messages and the WHO got my samples and they’ve already started trying to isolate the virus,” Koss said. “That’s good. I’m really glad Lambert kept his word and sent them out. Wild Thing said he’d shipped them right away, but you never know.” “Yeah, I was scared to death all this would be for nothing and Lambert would just toss them into the nearest trash can.” Lola shook her head. “He could hardly do that. After all, it’s his people who are dying. No matter how big an asshole he’s turned out to be, he needed to find out what this disease is and get help for those poor people. Can’t we stay here at least one day? You have to be really tired…” “Lola --” “Okay, dammit, I’m really tired,” she snapped back, knowing Koss would be less likely to refuse her if she made it seem she wanted to stay for her own comfort. “I’m still a little bit dizzy, and after that helicopter ride yesterday, I’m not looking forward to flying again.” That wasn’t a lie. They’d encountered some major turbulence flying into a sudden thunderstorm. Unfortunately, they’d arrived in Darwin during “the wet” -- a season legendary for monsoonal rains and thunderstorms. The one they’d had earlier that day had been a doozy, sending her already uncertain equilibrium into a tailspin and leaving her wanting nothing more than accommodations that didn’t move. She felt Koss’s chin bump against the top of her head as he nodded. His hand came up to touch her battered face as though he had just remembered that she was a bit the worse for wear. “You’re right. One more day won’t hurt. I’m really pissed I can’t do my own isolation like I’d planned. But getting back a day sooner won’t change that.” Koss preferred to do his own lab work. Because of his dedication to microscopy, Koss was a master at virus isolation, but they both knew the WHO would insist on having their own people look at the samples anyway. There was really nothing to gain from duplicating efforts under these circumstances. Politics were such a pain in the ass. She took a deep breath, struggling to ask the question that had been burning in her mind since that last morning in the hut. “Did you mean it, Koss?” “Did I mean what?” “When you said you loved me, or were you just trying to get me to leave?”

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He turned her slowly in his arms until she faced him. “You don’t think much of me, do you? You know I can’t lie worth a damn.” He leaned down to kiss her softly, his lips a whisper across her own. Then they were gone. “You know I love you too. I know you’re still angry with me --” Lola whispered. “Angry?” Koss bit the word off as if it left a bad taste in his mouth. He walked away from her and began pacing the floor. “Do you have any idea what you did?” “I know I hurt you --” “Hurt me?” He stopped midpace and turned to face her again, his mouth dropped open and his nostrils flared. “Woman, you destroyed me.” Lola wrapped her arms about herself, her head lowered. “But that’s why I left, I didn’t want to ruin your life, maybe get you killed --” “I said it before, wasn’t that my call to make? I’m a big boy, perfectly capable of deciding what’s right for me.” Lola nodded. “You’re right. It was wrong of me to take off the way I did. I should’ve talked to you about it. My head was just so screwed up at the time, I couldn’t think straight.” Koss pulled her back into his embrace. “I know, baby. I know.” She looked up at him through the prism of teardrops that trembled on her eyelashes. “Do you forgive me?” “Do I have any choice?” Koss asked as he leaned down for another kiss. The contact began as a tender acknowledgment of their emotions, a simple meeting of the lips, but it quickly exploded into a conflagration of need. Lola felt consumed in a way she hadn’t felt in more than five years. She shifted her body restlessly against his, gratified when she heard his groan of response. Suddenly she couldn’t get close enough to him. Wrapping her arms more tightly around him, she stroked her tongue inside his mouth while grinding her hips against his in a way their bodies had never forgotten. Without breaking contact, Koss backed away from the window to collapse on the side of the bed, pulling Lola between his outspread knees. He slipped his hands beneath the thin cotton pajamas she wore, caressing her nipples until they stood totally erect like sentinels indicating her desire. He leaned forward to suckle at one through her blouse, sending waves of pure need between her legs. She wrapped her legs around his hips, pressing her throbbing clitoris against his engorged cock. He continued the sucking motion on her nipple as she ground herself against him with increasing urgency. With a growl of pure animal need, Koss turned to lie her down on the bed, his progress suddenly halted by a catch in his wounded side. Lola pulled her top over her head, baring her golden breasts to his gaze, and followed it very quickly with the soft knit tap pants that were the only thing between her and completion. She pushed him down into a supine position on the plush comforter, following him down so that not even a centimeter separated their heaving bodies. She reached between them, slipping his pajama bottoms off his hips. Freeing his cock from the confines of his

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briefs, she stroked it for a moment in her hands, loving the feel of its satiny smoothness in her fevered grasp. Koss arched his hips off the bed as she bent forward, taking its entire length into the hot confines of her mouth. She continued deep throating him, murmuring her pleasure and arousal as she swallowed him again and again. Koss writhed on the mattress, his words disjointed, unable to make complete sentences. Lola continued loving him with her mouth, until finally, not caring about the tear in his side, he pulled her up beside him on the bed, sliding her legs apart and slamming his cock inside her as deeply as he could go in one thrust. Lola’s breath caught at the carnality of watching him spread her legs further, resting them in the crook of his arms. She closed her eyes again tightly, concentrating on the pleasure of being so totally exposed to him. Again and again he thrust into her, his body making a mad tattoo against her own. She closed her eyes again, the pleasure too intense. Focused as she was on the unbelievable sensations arcing through her body, it took a long moment before she realized he was speaking to her again. “Open your eyes, Lola.” Koss’s voice was thick and gravelly, and he spoke with effort. Lola was so close that she resisted any interference with her impending orgasm. At first she ignored his demand, but he said it again, with more force this time and Lola, totally strung out by what he was doing to her body, was forced to obey. Opening her eyes, she looked into his. The pupils of his eyes were so dilated the blue had totally disappeared, replaced by a silvery hue that glowed as if lit from within. “I love you, Lola. I’ll always love you,” he gritted out. “You were my first, and you’ll be my last.” Then, as though the words were the only barrier to his release, Koss’s back arched into an impossible position as his orgasm captured his body. Lola gasped in shock as her orgasm, impossibly triggered by his words, answered his in mutual ecstasy.

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Chapter Twenty-seven One month later Lola looked up from her laptop when Koss entered the study. They’d moved back in together almost immediately upon their return to Birmingham. The massive engagement ring had found its way back onto her ring finger almost as quickly, but somehow she still felt something was missing. Koss was holding back on her. Though she understood his reticence, it still wounded her that she didn’t have his complete trust. Unwilling to ponder that issue because nothing would change it except time, she’d thrown herself into her research and was nearly finished incorporating the fieldwork they’d just completed into her dissertation. She still had many months of hard work ahead of her, but she relished the task. She could finally see completion ahead of her. She reached up to give Koss a hug when he leaned over to place a lingering kiss on her lips. “Hey, baby, how was your class?” “The same. Pain in the ass undergrads,” Koss groused, but without the usual heat that accompanied his complaints in that quarter. Apparently Dean Stewart was punishing his favorite professor for going off into the wild and damned near getting them both killed -twice. Koss had only restrained himself from rebelling because he felt he deserved the punishment, at least for risking her life. Lola shook her head as she left that discussion for another time. “What’s going on?” she asked, for the first time noticing the sheaf of papers he’d placed on his desk as he entered the room. Koss nodded toward the documents. “That’s the official report from the WHO. The virus definitely isn’t Rissa. It’s not even a mutation.” Lola exhaled on a long whistle. “Wow. Of course, I knew you were right. It’s just cool as hell to have it confirmed officially. So what is it? Marburg?”

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“No, they think it’s something totally new. Ribavirin doesn’t help, but one of the new antivirals does.” “Yeah, but don’t all those drugs cost like gold? I know the WHO isn’t going to foot the bill for that…” “No, they won’t, but the US government will. Fortunately for the folks on Île de Lina, everyone’s worried about the place being a haven for terrorists. It finally dawned on them that letting a war go on for generations is probably a bad idea. The virus making a burn through there only compounded a problem that the world has ignored for too damned long. With the attacks in Bali, they’re finally buying a clue. Fighting Al Qaeda is making for some strange-ass bedfellows.” Then his harsh tone softened as if he’d become resigned to the political realities of his profession long ago. “Anyway, they’re planning to send some people in next week.” “What? But I thought it was too dangerous?” “I know, but here’s the thing, so many revolutionaries have died they’ve had to stop fighting. No one else wants to go there and the ones who are there are getting the hell out. Remember, Wild Thing told us about that.” Lola nodded. “Now they’re trying to put together a peace treaty and the UN might go in with peacekeepers if they can come up with some peace to keep,” Koss said. Lola felt almost dizzy from all the changing events. “But, why hasn’t it been on the news?” “They’re trying to keep a lid on it until everything is in place. You know it only takes rumors of peace to get every warlord on the planet to go rushing right back in. Deadly virus or no deadly virus.” “Oh, Koss, that’s so fabulous.” Then a realization hit her. “Ohmigod, you’ve just discovered another new virus!” She jumped out of her chair practically launching herself into his arms. He laughed out loud, catching her in midair. “We’ve discovered a new virus.” “What? But I haven’t even finished my final yet. I didn’t do anything…” “You did as much as I did,” Koss said firmly. “You deserve this, and I’m not going to take no for an answer. Just consider it a wedding present. Now, what do you want to call your virus?” Lola frowned her puzzlement. “But we didn’t isolate it. We have no right to name it, do we?” “The WHO is giving us the honor of naming it anyway. Downright magnanimous of them considering that we almost got our asses shot off to collect those samples,” Koss said. Lola stared into his warm blue eyes as she realized that, true to his nature, Koss could never do things the normal way. What other man would see giving a girl a virus as a

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romantic gesture? Oh well, if he was crazy so was she, thrilled to her toenails to be the codiscoverer of a new virus. Apparently he knew her very well. She nodded in acquiescence. “I don’t know what to call it.” “You know they’re usually named for geographical locations…” Koss prodded helpfully. “Yeah, I know, but those poor people.” Lola sighed as she recalled the hollow-eyed stares of the women mourning their loved ones and knew she couldn’t give the deadly virus their name. For the first time in thirty years they finally had hope for peace. This was the last thing they needed. Funny how such a deadly disease had been the catalyst to end decades of suffering. Lola recalled that the European Black Death had also triggered great social change. As she tried to call to mind other such serendipitous events from the history of disease and humanity the name suddenly came to her. “Hope. I want to call it the Hope virus. These people finally have hope for the first time in forever, and this virus gave it to them.” Koss raised his brows as he looked down at her. For a moment she thought he’d object, then he nodded. “Perfect, baby, that’s absolutely perfect.”

***** Lola craned her neck around the bathroom doorjamb. “Koss? Is that you?” The only response was the muffled sounds that seemed to be coming from the walk-in closet. She glanced at the clock on her bedside table. Koss wasn’t supposed to be home for hours yet. She’d taken the time to indulge in a long steam shower and some beauty treatments. She’d just finished her facial and had been about to start on her pedicure when she heard the strange noise coming from the bedroom. Lola frowned as she strained to listen, trying to figure out the source of the sound. There it was again, a strange rustling, and it was definitely coming from the closet. Could some animal have gotten in there? She hitched her bath sheet more snugly around her and made her way across the room to investigate. Lola stood in the doorway of the closet watching in bemusement as Koss casually rummaged through the contents of a large box that she knew for a fact had been buried deep in the very back of the closet. “I would’ve thought a man of your intellect would have no trouble comprehending the words PRIVATE and DO NOT OPEN. Aren’t you home a bit early?” Koss looked up at her from his position on the floor, his hands full of one of her glittery costumes. “I needed to get some old notes from one of my trips, and found this box back here.” He shook his head as though bewildered. “I can’t believe you kept this stuff,” he said, giving her a considering look. Lola was all steamy and dewy from her shower. Their bathroom overflowed with her various beauty treatments and, from the looks of her glowing complexion, she’d engaged in some womanly voodoo. It amazed him that he wasn’t even

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bothered that he’d been consigned to a toiletry space that could be measured in centimeters, while Lola’s ever-expanding collection covered every flat surface. How could he complain with results like these? A rosy flush bloomed beneath her tawny complexion, evidence of the almost intolerably hot showers she preferred, and the air around her was perfumed with the citrus spice scent of her favorite shower gel. He silently thanked the contractor who had talked him into having the steam shower installed. He rarely used it, but Lola had taken to it as though she were the one with the Nordic ancestry. He watched as she sauntered into the closet, propping her foot up on the box. “Hey, a girl’s got to have something to fall back on. I have it on good authority that being a geek scientist can be more than a bit hazardous to one’s health.” Koss paused, momentarily distracted by the miles-long expanse of richly toned skin revealed by the towel. Then he stood. Matching her playful demeanor, he gestured toward the gold lamé costume she’d worn the first night they’d met. “Well, since you’ve got them and all, no point in letting them go to waste. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.” Lola gave the costume a considering look. “I’m all for being green, but there’s been a lot of lemon meringue pie on my hips since the last time I wore that getup. I doubt I can get into it.” Koss continued, ignoring her concerns. “I’m really tempted. It’s a sentimental favorite, after all.” “Always a good idea to go with the tried and true,” Lola quipped. “I dunno,” he murmured in a speculative tone. “I’ll never forget how you looked that night, so I think I’d like to try something new.” He put the gold costume aside, picking up another one that seemed to mainly consist of leather, rubber, and safety pins. He turned it in every direction, apparently unable to discern the top from the bottom. “Hmmm, I admit I’m intrigued by this one, but I’m afraid it would take a mechanical engineer or D-Day to get you into it.” Lola smirked. “It itches, too.” That seemed to decide it for him. He tossed that one back into the box, then picked up an ensemble that was one of her favorites. The Costume Lady had outdone herself, somehow managing to weave a magical garment out of three sets of strategically placed azalea pink feathers and bits of sequined ribbon. Koss made a production out of studying her form beneath the bath towel as though visualizing her clothed in the costume. He pursed his lips, then grinned at her. “I think we’ll manage.” He gestured toward the bedroom. “Come here, little girl.” Lola gave him a coy look from beneath her lashes. “Why should I?” He backed into the bedroom, crooking his finger at her. “I’ve got candy.” She sighed dramatically. “It won’t be the first time candy’s gotten me in trouble.”

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Koss slowly unwound the bath sheet that still swaddled her from chest to knee, only briefly pausing to study the curves revealed by the leisurely unveiling. He knew from experience that if he spent too much time looking at her, he’d get distracted and never finish the task at hand. As a reward for remaining focused, he took his time ensuring that she was thoroughly dry. Droplets of water still clung like dew to her shoulders. He traced one jewellike bead down the slope of her knee to the delicate bones of her ankle. Koss patted the towel over each delectable inch of her, unable to resist placing a kiss on particularly tempting spots like the nape of her neck. Others received even more loving attention as he was momentarily lured by her seductive spell. The curve of her hips received far more attention than was absolutely necessary, but he managed to finish the job without being overly sidetracked. Once he’d finished with towel duty, he picked up the bottom half of her costume from the bed. Lola, who had been lulled into languid relaxation by his ministrations, gasped when he began dressing her. “Wait a minute. We have to get some lotion.” Koss shook his head. “Haven’t you coated yourself with enough lotions and potions for one day?” Lola scampered to the bathroom, returning quickly with a bottle of her favorite moisturizer. She sat down on the bed and began lotioning her arms. “Ashiness is so not sexy. You won’t have much fun in a few more minutes when I start looking like I’ve been dipped in flour.” Koss was pretty sure Lola would still turn him on, even if she were batter-dipped, but he conceded to her greater knowledge of the properties of her delectable brown skin and removed the bottle from her hands. “I’m in charge today, remember?” He squirted a copious amount of the richly scented lotion on his hands, and began spreading it up one of her lightly muscled legs. Lola collapsed back on the bed, wondering why she’d never let him do this before. The feel of his large hands, slick with moisturizer, stroking over her bare flesh sent chills up her spine and paradoxically sparks of red-hot flame everywhere else. When he moved up to her torso, gently kneading and caressing the flesh there she held her breath, waiting for him to touch her almost unbearably sensitized breasts. She released her breath with a whoosh when he skipped over them and gestured for her to turn over. Apparently he didn’t trust himself in such dangerous territory. When he squirted some of the lotion onto the small of her back, Lola couldn’t contain the small purr that erupted from her throat as she involuntarily arched her back. The contrast between the cool lotion and his now almost scorching hot hands was so damned arousing that she almost forgot about the game they were playing. Koss moved down to the curve of her buttocks, both his hands following her curves. He lingered there, caressing and stroking her until she thought she’d come just from his touch. Koss looked down at his trembling hands, so unbearably aroused that it was all he could do to continue. He put the bottle aside, realizing that he’d never finish if he continued

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what he was doing. He wiped his hands on the towel, then picked up the bottom of the feathered costume again. Kneeling at her feet, he leaned forward to slowly lick across the arch of her foot. Then he slid the garment up to her ankles. Centimeter by centimeter, he drew the costume up her yards-long legs, the tickling sensation from the feathers contrasting sharply with sensuous licks along the way. The vibrations chased one another up her nerve endings, leaving her breathless as her incredibly responsive skin reacted to Koss’s merest touch. She closed her eyes so she could better focus on the startling sensuality of being dressed by a man. The ticklish feathers left goose bumps in their wake as her nerve endings charged with awareness and anticipation. Noting her erect nipples, Koss leaned forward to take one between his lips for a brief caress before he picked up the top half of her costume. He slipped the straps of the bra top over her shoulders before reaching around to expertly fasten the closure in the back. “I don’t even want to know when you got to be such an expert on women’s clothing.” Koss gestured toward her half-dressed figure. “With inspiration like this, any man worth the name would become a connoisseur.” Lola moved into his arms, pulling his head down for a kiss, but when she tried to lead him to the bed, he halted their progress. “The shoes,” he whispered against her lips. “After all, they’re your favorites,” he continued as he briefly touched the matching tattoo on her hip. He knelt again at her feet, then gestured for her to sit down on the bed. Lola watched him perform the usually mundane task of slipping her feet into the pink patent leather platform shoes that matched the costume, but when he took her toe between his lips and sucked on it much as he had her nipple earlier she felt a surge of heat that left her so weak she struggled to remain sitting upright. After giving her other foot the same treatment, Koss stood up and took her seat on the bed, clearly enjoying the show she put on as she preened for him in the costume. Then he pulled her over for another kiss. “You know,” he whispered against her mouth, “I could get used to having my own private dancer.” Lola smiled as they slowly sank back against the mattress. “Lucky for you there’s plenty more where that came from.” A beatific grin spread across Koss’s face. “Yeah, lucky me.”

Roslyn Hardy Holcomb Roslyn Hardy Holcomb was born in North Alabama and has had a disparate career and varied interests. Her lifelong devotion to needle arts led to a stint on the editorial staff of Oxmoor House, the publishing division of Southern Progress, Inc. Regular volunteer work and a passion for child welfare inspired her to leave that field to pursue an advanced degree and a career in social service. Shortly after her preschool age son was born, she decided to become a stay-at-home mother and pursue a writing career fulltime. In addition to Rock Star, her first novel, she has also published some non-fiction articles for n2na, a local magazine.