Page 48 of Hot & Heavy

Geek blushed and ducked his head.

Ian said, "Never mind."

"Tomorrow afternoon, you say? I will have to make sure your general is done questioning me. He seems to consider me a prisoner. I am not really a prisoner, am I?"

"More like a forced guest." Why else would the guard over her be so loose?

"I am going with you."

"No, you are not."

"We shall see."

"Every time a woman says that, it means she will get her way. Well, you won't this time, sweetie. Besides, you need a passport to enter the U.S.A. Do you have a passport?"

"What is a passport?"

He spread his hands in a "See!" manner.

"Get me a passport."

"I can't do that."

"There is one way they give passports on short notice here," Omar said with a grin.

Ian flashed Omar a glare. "You are barking up the wrong tree, buddy."

"Who barked?" Maddie asked.

Ian ignored Maddie's question and glared at Omar. " That is out of the question."

She narrowed her eyes. "What?"

"Marriage," Omar the traitor said.

She let out a whoosh of disgust.

Hey, marriage to me is not whoosh-worthy. Not that I'm interested. Damn, damn, damn! How did I get involved in a marriage question? "Don't worry. The general's staff will take good care of you."

Provided you aren't actually a terrorist.

"If that is the only way, I guess we will have to do it."

" What?" he practically shrieked.

"Get married. Of course, you can put me aside, like my first husband did, once I am on a ship heading home."

"No, no, no, no, no! We are not getting married." He thought a moment. His heart was racing hard. He shouldn't ask, but when did he ever listen to his own sound advice? "Why did your husband divorce you?"

Her face turned white as a sheet, and her fingers clenched and unclenched her paper napkin. "I'm barren."

"Huh? You're bare and what?"

"You are the world's biggest idiot. I'm barren."

Everyone, especially the women, were looking at Maddie with compassion. Cage even patted her arm.

Ian felt like a louse. "Oh. I'm sorry. What a creep… to walk out on you for such a thing! Hell, it was probably his fault anyway."