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"Is that an order?"

He had to think about it a aze was centered on the stea were about to leap out

Royce poured himself a cup and sat down across fro for several ood a time as any to speak his mind As bad a time as any for that matter At least they were alone

"I don't like the way Masterson's been looking at you," he ad as he did so

Catherine's head flew up so fast it was a wonder she didn't injure her neck

"Lieutenant Cohly He knew he sounded possessive, but he couldn't help hi at him from the moment they'd arrived Mark Masterson had made a fool of himself over Catherine Everyone had noticed Certainly Catherineabout the way Masterson had an eye for the ladies

"Youlike aa" Apparently she couldn't think of anything bad enough "Like a moron because you're jealous?" Her words were issued vehe like a moron," he denied hotly, in the same low tones she used "I have eyes"

"And ould you like me to do about it?"

Her words took Royce by surprise He expected her to deny it, claiht she'd call hi it Okay, she'd called him a moron That was close What he hadn't anticipated was her acceptance of the problem

"Well?" she demanded

"What do I expect you to do about it?" he repeated The answer ca he'd ever felt It was all so si ht

"You don't mean that," Catherine whispered, confident Royce's proposal had been prouessed that Royce would be so insecure

Sadly, Catherine couldn't deny that the lieutenant coone out of his way to let her knoas interested In what, she wasn't entirely sure Mark Masterson had been more than attentive from the moment she and Royce had landed aboard the Venture He hadn't done anything offensive, and under other circuht have been flattered Certainly she'd done nothing to encourage his attention

"The hell I don't mean it," Royce countered sharply, i frown that pleated his brow in thick folds

"You don't need to shout at me"

Royce lowered his voice several decibels "I a Will you or won't you ed to re he'd conveniently forgotten Any relationship, other than one that involved Navy business, was strictly prohibited He knew it She knew it But for pride's sake Royce had chosen to overlook the fact

Slowly Royce stiffened, as though anticipating a body blow, as if he were unsure of her and her love "Would you marry me if it were possible?"

"Probably"

"Probably," he repeated, his eyes rounding It was as though she'd issued hireatest insult of his life

"Yes, probably," she returned just as heatedly "If the proposal weren't issued on the tail end of a fit of jealousy andand if I were convinced to the soles of my feet that you loved ed as if he were tallying points in a heated debate "So what's your answer? Yes or no?"

"Just like that?"

"Just like that" Heto consider, as if he were asking her out to dinner, instead of a co both their lives, and Kelly's, not to ed "So I can infored woman?"

"Yes," Royce confirmed without pause His hands were cupped around his coffee with enough force to shatter the cerahteousness, Catherine stood abruptly, prepared to leave the rooe his precious ested it was out of concern she ht be attracted to Mark Masterson The ironic part of all this was that Royce had only recently tried to arrange a date for her with Dan Parker In the space of a few short weeks, he'd gone from one extreme to another Catherine didn't knohat to expect next

"What do youto his feet with enough force to topple his chair Soed to catch it before it crashed to the floor

"I don't kno much plainer I can make it, Commander The answer is no"

He looked positively stunned, as if she'd stepped forward and thrust a sword between his ribs He'd been so sure of hione conclusion she'd accept his offer ofto think it over It hurt her pride that he'd proposed in such a callous manner with a complete lack of tenderness or romance