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"What's wrong?" Kelly asked once he'd replaced the receiver

"How do you know that anything's wrong?"

"Because you've got that look again"

Royce didn't knohat she was talking about, and frankly he wasn't sure he cared to

His daughter, however, was bent on telling hihtful note "It's a look you get when you're et red on the top and your oes like this" She scrunched up her lips like an old prune

"I never look like that," Royce told her with estion of ih to knohen not to argue with hirateful

He was halfway back to his rooht as well let Kelly know "Catherine's coht thrilled "How come?"

"There's been a cooing to investigate Captain Garland felt it made sense to send us both up at the same time"

"He is the captain," the ten-year-old said with an air of great wisdoht to comfort him, she'd failed Miserably

It wasn't until they were both aboard the plane that Royce spoke to Catherine She was sitting in the seat next to hinore her Not that it had done any good Not that it ever did, but he liked to pretend otherwise

"How'd you arrange this?" he de with sarcas up fro "I was ordered to accoh she'd rather be anyplace else than sitting next to him

Royce looked out the , unexpectedly amused by her tart reply Apparently she wasn't any more pleased about this than he was Well that was par for the course as far as their relationship went

"If it's any coh" There was a ed hi away? It wasn't any comfort, in fact it was cause for alar "

"I see" Royce hadn't seen the request yet, but he knew there wouldn't be any proble to help," he growled The need to touch her, even in the sht it anyainst hers He nearly sighed in relief Her skin felt silky and smooth, so smooth

The movement, almost invisible to anyone else quickly captured Catherine's attention She jerked her head up and frowned at hi for a way to get booted out of the Navy it seeh and returned to the report she was reading But Royce noticed that her hands were tre it was he It started that first afternoon on the track when Catherine had refused to stop running, and it hadn't lessened since

Royce laid back his head and closed his eyes He needed to think He'd co love to her in the front seat of a car He wasto feel her up while on a ht Only a desperate man would have pulled that trick Which said a lot about histo be a hell of a lot ht proved to be more prophetic than Royce ever dreary he walked around in a red haze He wasn't civil to be around It was so bad, he didn't even like himself And for what reason? Because Lieutenant Co to Catherine The man had made his interest in her known from thenotes when he inadvertently happened upon Masterson talking to Catherine in the narrow hallway He didn't like the fa toward her Nor did he appreciate the way the other et her into his bed

"Are you finished with your report?" he demanded of Catherine

"Not yet" She looked surprised that he'd even ask since the account of the complaint wasn't due for several days after their return

"Then I suggest you start work on it"

"Yes, sir" She started to walk past him when Royce turned on Masterson, his eyes narrowed into dark slits He couldn't remember a time he'd wanted to take a h

"This isn't the Love Boat, Lieutenant Coly as he could "Captain Garland didn't ask Lieutenant Commander Fredrickson to accompany me for your entertainment"

The other est you keep your hands to yourself"

"But he didn't" Catherine intervened, until Royce turned on her, h to effectively silence her She had no business speaking to hi Masterson, and that infuriated him even more

"You're both dismissed," he said harshly, and waited until they'd retreated in opposite directions In the next twenty-four hours, Royce didn't say more than a handful of words to Catherine In fact he was avoiding her She was avoiding hiue But then so was everyone else-- not that he blamed them

Royce was tired Mentally and physically But keyed up at the sa off to bed, he decided to stop off in the galley for a cup of coffee Caffeine sometimes helped to relax hi that night Catherine sat at the table and glanced up when he appeared She looked startled, as though she'd been caught doing so to her feet

"No, stay," he returned crisply, walking over to the coffeepot