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Once again she gru the base without running If she did go down to the track, it was likely she'd say or do soet her into trouble with the co horrible to warrant his dislike After he'd ruined four weekends straight for her, he'd topped hinment on base What next? KP?

Catherine started to turn away, then abruptly changed herto allow this ht to run on this track as anyone If he didn't like it, he could be the one to leave

With that thought in h a series of warht about it, she was downright eager to get onto the track She was petite, but she was a fine runner She'd been on the varsity cross-country teae and did a consistent seven-minute mile If there was an area in which she excelled, it was running

She did the first lap at a relaxed pace, easily lapping a couple of the overweight e her one way or the other, which was perfectly fine with Catherine She'd hadn't coe pleasantries with him

The second and third laps, Catherine stepped up her pace It normally took her a mile or so to fully warm up As she increased her stride, she noticed that she was never quite able to catch her XO

The one tie to pass hi her to eat his dust Frustrated, Catherine decided she ht not be able to outrun him, but by heaven she'd outlast him He was fast, but she'd easily outdistance hione six s ached, and her calf muscles strenuously protested the abuse Yet she continued, more deterreeable co, then so was he

She would rather keel over from exhaustion than quit now! It was more than a matter of pride

Soon fat raindrops fell froritty surface Still Catherine and the commander ran What few runners remained quickly dropped out until it was the two of theainst each other, in a silent battle of wills

They didn't speak Not once Catherine ran until she thought she was going to be sick, yet she dared not stop Night fell like a curtain of black satin around the grounds Catherine barely ed to see her own feet, let alone the distant silhouette of the coe of view entirely It wasn't until she heard his footsteps co up behind her that she realized he'd been able to come all the way around to lap her He slowed his pace until his steps er are we going to keep this up, Fredrickson?" he demanded

Damn, he didn't even sound out of breath, Catherine noted

"I don't know," she returned, sounding very h she should have yielded several "

How kind of him to tell her so "You are, too," she insisted

"I have to admit you're a hell of a runner"

"A compliment, Commander?"

She sensed his smile Itthat It was as if she'd been blessed by an unexpected second wind By soed to ao to your head"

"No chance of that," she quipped, wondering if she'd heard a hint of amusement in his tone "I don't suppose you happened to notice it's raining" Although she atteht of it, she was drenched to the bone

"Is that what all this wet stuff is?"

"I'll tell you what," she said between breaths, "I'll stop running if you do We'll call it a draw"

"Agreed" Royce slowed his pace to a trot, and Catherine reluctantly did the same, not sure even now that she could trust hi her hands on her knees while she struggled to capture her breath

The rain continued to pound doith a vengeance While they were jogging, it was a sinore the downpour Noasn't so easy Her hair, which had once been neatly secured at her nape, was plastered to her cheeks like wet strings A s over her neck and down to the small of her back

"Go home, Fredrickson," Royce said after a moment

Catherine bristled "Is that an order?"

He paused "No"

He started to walk away from her, then unexpectedly turned back "Before you leave, satisfy a curiosity You requested a transfer froo several years back Why?"

Catherine kneas all part of her personnel file, but his question caught her off guard Her response was quick, light-hearted, almost flippant "Who wouldn't want to live in Hawaii?"