Nathan Bridger rolled over on his side and silently watched the woman sleeping beside him.  Soft moonlight filtered through the window casting an almost surreal glow over her body.  The rhythmical rise and fall of her chest should have comforted him but deep inside his heart there was a disturbance.  Even the memory of how they had held each other while they made love during the last hour didn't ease his concern… if anything it made it worse.  Over the last several weeks he'd noticed a change.  A change in the way that she acted around him, a change in the way she looked at him, a change in the way she
kissed him and, yes, a change in the feeling when they made love.

The change had been so gradual that he hadn't noticed it right away.  A little of not sitting as close to him as she had before, less desire in the way she looked at him, less passion in her kisses and then the distance… a distance seemed to be opening between them and he had no idea why.  He frowned as he thought about the last hour.  Thought about what had happened when they made love.  Tonight it had been like she was trying to fix the act in her memory… almost like someone who knew that this would be the last time they tasted a favorite food.  There had been a clinging, almost a desperation in the way that she had joined with him.   There was something wrong, that was for sure, but what was it?

Part of him was afraid of what the answer might be.  What if she'd decided that he wasn't the person she wanted to spend her life with?  What if she had found someplace to do her research other than Cape Quest? ...What if she'd found someone else? ...What if she didn't love him anymore????  Nathan slid his arm around to rest over her slim waist and listened to her sigh softly in her sleep.  Then he closed his eyes and, after a long time, fell into a restless sleep.

Kristin Westphalen sat in the cafeteria of the UEO main building by herself.  Already two people who knew her had tried to join her for lunch but she'd said she was meeting someone.  It was a lie.  Right now she'd just rather be alone.  Silently, she watched the man sitting outside eating with his crew.  For the last couple of weeks she'd been in a living hell.  She relived again in her mind the
conversation that she'd overheard two weeks ago.  She had no idea who that *Sally* woman was but it was certain that Nathan had more than a passing relationship with her.  She'd come up on him while he was in the den on the vid-phone and he hadn't seen or heard her… but she had heard him… him and *her*.  She never thought this would happen again…. especially not with him.  She had trusted him.  She had given herself to him.  She had believed him… She had loved him.

Kristin wearily trudged up the stairs leading to the porch of the beach house.  This whole week had been hell.  Work had been frustrating.  The powers-that-be in the UEO had gotten in her way and her emotional state hadn't helped much at all.  She caught the porch door just before it slammed and closed it gently.  As she started across the porch she heard voices from inside through the window.  It was Nathan and *that* woman.

"You know, fella, you are a challenge," the woman teased.

There was a smile in Nathan's voice with his retort.  "Nothing you can't handle, cutie."

"So when do I get to see you again?" she asked coyly.

"I've got to go to Washington to do some more begging for money next
Wednesday.  I'll be able to come by then."

"Wonderful, I've got a lot for you."

"You always do, Sally.  And I can't tell you how much I look forward to it."

Kristin heard the damned woman chuckle.  "I'll see you then, big guy."

"You've got it.  Take care of yourself, cutie."

"Bye, bye."

Kristin heard Nathan push his chair back from the vid-screen and walk out of the dining room.  She stood on the porch for a while, gathering her thoughts and her emotions before walking across the porch and through the French doors.

Nathan was just coming out of the kitchen and he smiled her direction.  "Hi there, babe."  He walked over and gave her a quick kiss.  "How did your day go?"

"It was horrendous, actually," she said dryly.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he said gently trailing his thumb along her cheek.  "Anything I can help with?"

"No."  Her answer was so final he dropped his hand.

"Well, perhaps I can improve things a little."  Kristin looked at him inquisitively.  "Lucas is gone for the weekend… yet again…. and I thought that maybe you'd like to go out to dinner."

She moved away from him and towards the den.  "I'm really very tired, Nathan."

He watched her leave the room.  There it was again.  That wall.  Taking a deep breath he stared after her.  He had to find out what was wrong.  Someway.  Walking down the hallway he stopped at the door to the den.  Inside she was sitting in the chair in front of the desk looking forlornly at the blank screen of the computer.

"I've got reservations for McQuire's," he said hopefully.  It was one of her favorites.  She didn't look towards him but he saw the slight shake of her head.  "C'mon, Kris.  You really need a good dinner… and that means one that neither of us has to cook."  She still didn't glance his way but he was rewarded with a small smile.  "And a quiet evening.  We could both use that."  She looked down at the desk.  "We're both spending too much time working, Kris.  We need to talk."  She looked back up but not at him.  "Without a seventeen year old eating machine around."

Now she looked over at him.  The little smile carried more than a bit of sadness but she nodded.  "Alright, Nathan.  We'll go to dinner."

If he had hoped for a breakthrough during dinner, Nathan had been sorely disappointed.  The food had been good, the wine excellent but the conversation, what there was of it, had been stilted.  By the time they'd reached desert he'd made absolutely no progress in cheering her up.  Now, as they walked out to the car he felt her tense a little as he slipped his arm around her waist.

"How about a walk, Kris?"

"I don't think so," she said softly.

"I'd like to talk, babe."

She stopped at the entrance of the car park and he saw her shake her head again.  "I'd like to go home."

"Alright," he sighed.

They'd driven back home with neither of them saying a single word.  Now she was sitting on the loveseat on the porch in the dark while he had gone back to use the head.  When he came out into the living room he could see her silhouetted against the night, curled up and staring out at the water.  After a quick stop in the kitchen he walked out to the porch himself, placing one of the glasses of wine he'd poured on the small table next to her.  The wicker of his chair squeaked as he sat across from her and put down his own glass of wine.  Then he tried to ask the question he'd been afraid to broach.

"Kris."  No response.  He tried again.  "Kris, what's wrong."

"Nothing," she said softly still not looking at him.

"Kris, I know that there's something wrong," he said insistently.  "For the last two weeks you've been distant.  Things just haven't been the same."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said resolutely.

Nathan sighed and tried again.  "Babe, if you won't talk about what's wrong we can't solve it."

"There's nothing wrong, so there's nothing to solve."

"Oh, for Christ's sake," he said softly.  "If there's nothing wrong why won't you talk to me."

"Because there's nothing to talk about," she said with finality.

"Fine," Nathan said in a frustrated voice and then lapsed into silence.

Kristin continued to stare out at the water for a long time while Nathan frowned at the floor in the dark.  Eventually, he heard her sniffle.

"Who's Sally?"

The question surprised Nathan.  "Who's who?"

She turned her head and glanced over at him.  Her face was a mask of sadness.  "Who's Sally?" she asked again.

She could see the confused look on his face.  "Sally?" he repeated and then leaned back.  "Do you mean Sally Kuprek?"

"I don't know.  Whichever `Sally' you were talking to on the vid-phone with such familiarity this afternoon."

Kristin was surprised when a relieved smile crossed Nathan's face.  "Is that what this is all about?  You're worried about my relationship with Sally?"

"Whoever the hell she may be," Kristin said peevishly.

"She's my realtor, Kristin," Nathan said simply.

"Your what?"

"My realtor… and property manager."

"What property?"  Now she had shifted around until she was looking at him.

She saw him shrug.  "The properties I own."

Kristin turned back to look at the water.  "You're being obnoxious."

"Kris, I'm not being obnoxious," Nathan said somewhat pleadingly.  "You just surprised me.  Sally is a friend.  Nothing else."

"She certainly sounded like more than just a friend when I heard you talking to her."

Nathan leaned forward in his chair.  "She isn't.  Among other things she's got a husband who is a former pro football linebacker."  Kristin looked over and saw that he was smiling a little.  "Trust me, I don't want to irritate Ryan Kuprek.  He could crush me with one hand."

"Really?" she asked sniffling a little.

"That's what this is all about, Kris?  You think I'm messing around with Sally?"  He was still smiling.

"It's not funny," Kristin said crossly.

"It is if you know Sally."  She heard him chuckle a little.  "Kris, Sally is my property manager and has been for over 25 years.  She's also my friend and I do admit that we get a little… familiar with each other but it's only in fun.  There's absolutely nothing going on between us."

"Then why are you meeting her later this week?" Kristin challenged him.

"To sign some paperwork that she has ready for me," he answered quickly and then sat up a little.  "Kristin.  I've told you before, I'm disgustingly monogamous.  I could never cheat on you."

"Others have," she said obstinately.

"I'm not `others'," Nathan said shortly and then eased up and sighed again.  "Kris, Sally has some paperwork regarding the purchase of some land that I'm buying and she needs my signature.  In addition to that, she wants to do some work on some of the houses I own.  If you'd like to meet her you can come along with me."

Now she turned totally towards him.  She'd picked up on something that intrigued her.  "Houses???"

"Yeah," Nathan said leaning back again, "a couple of them need some fixing and updating and she usually runs that kind of thing by me before she gets it done."

Kristin stood and moved across the porch.  She stood in front of him contemplatively for a while before sliding down to sit in his lap.  With a soft sigh Nathan slipped his arms around her waist.  "Just how many houses do you have?" she asked.

"A few," Nathan shrugged.  "Every time we got stationed somewhere we bought a house."

"And you didn't sell them when you were reassigned?" she asked curiously.

"Nope.  I have this theory about real estate.  It's for buying and not for selling."

Kristin was silent for a little, an absent look on her face while as her fingers carelessly trailed along his chest.  Finally she looked up at him.  "Nathan, are you rich?"

"Are you?" he countered.

"Probably," Kristin nodded.

"Yeah, well, I probably am too."

"How many houses?"  Again a soft sigh crossed his lips as her question was accompanied with a kiss on his chin.

"Ummm, I don't know… two in Hawaii, three in Norfolk, two in Washington, one in San Diego, one in Groton, one in King's Bay, two in London and then this one."  She saw the concentration on his face.  "I think I got them all."  Then he frowned a little.  "And the island, of course."

"What do you do with all those houses?"

"Mostly I rent them out to other people in the Navy who are stationed where ever the house is."

"You never told me about them."

"There was never a reason to," he answered reasonably.  "Do you own land?"

"Of course," she said surprised.

"You never told me about it."

Kristin smiled and nodded a little before trailing a finger over his cheek.  "There was never a reason to."

They were quiet for a little bit while she snuggled her head down against his chest. Nathan let out a relieved sigh.  This was the way it was supposed to be… this was what was missing.

Eventually Kristin stirred just a little.  "Can I ask you a couple of questions?"

"Sure," Nathan said trailing his fingers through her hair.  "But if I don't want to answer them I won't."

"Alright," she agreed and then took a deep breath.  "I heard a rumor that you paid for this house in cash.  Is that true?"

"Yup."

She pulled her head up and looked at him curiously.  "I would have thought you would have used it for the tax break."

"Nope, I have a bigger house in DC that I use for the tax break.  You can only use one house, you know."

"Ummm hmmm," she said settling against him again.

"You said a couple of questions."

"What else am I missing here?  The houses can't be providing enough income for you to buy this one outright."

Nathan shrugged.  "They bring in a tidy sum… but in addition I have a few patents."

"How few," she asked dryly.

"I don't know… three hundred something last time I checked."  She felt him chuckle a little.  "Do I get to grill you about your financial status now?"

Kristin leaned up and kissed him just below his ear.  "If you want to delay the inevitable, I suppose you could."

Nathan moaned slightly as she nibbled his earlobe.  "The inevitable?"

She slid her hand inside his shirt and fingered the skin of his chest.  "A heavy-duty necking session leading, eventually, to a night of mad, passionate love."

His lips moved over to join hers and for long moments soft moans were all that could be heard until they had to break apart, if only to breathe.  After a couple of quick breaths the kissing started up again accompanied by their hands exploring each other's body and sliding inside each other's clothes.  Finally they broke apart again.

"We're not going to make it are we?" Nathan gasped.

"Make it where?" Kristin asked between labored breaths.

"To the bedroom."

Kristin smiled and shook her head.  "No," she said sliding off his lap while holding the front of his shirt.  Together they glided down onto the floor of the porch.

Nathan closed his eyes as he felt the way she held him, the way she touched him, the way she kissed him.  It was gone, the wall was gone and the distance between them had closed again… and they became one.
 
 

<<The End>>