h their starving ladies, Mandi leaned her
rump on the pool table and asked, "Well? We still have time for a game, too.
Want to try your luck again?"
Grinning wryly, Cade said, "Sure, if I break."
Unassing the table to reach for her beer, Mandi said, "No problem. Go for
it."
After a long sip while watching Cade rack the balls, she asked, "How old are
you, Ed?"
"Fifty-three. Why?"
"Just curious. If you had any health problems, you wouldn't be working with
John's group, would you?"
Lining up to break the rack, Cade said, "Nope."
Sipping her beer again, Mandi said, "After the show tonight... Well, I'm
thinking that I'd rather not be where anyone is likely to look for me."
Pausing to look at her, Cade asked, "Reason?"
Mandi shook her head and said, "I'd just rather not have anyone knocking on
my door after the show."
With a shrug, Cade said, "We'll tell John. He'll tell the others to leave
you alone."
Giving him a studious look, Mandi sipped her beer again as Cade sent the cue
ball through the rack.
"I didn't say I wanted to be alone," she said. "I said I wanted to be where
I wouldn't be found."
Looking up from the table, Cade set the butt of his cue stick on the floor,
regarded her thoughtfully for a moment, then asked, "Would it be too much to
hope for that you're referring to my room as your sanctuary?"
With a small shake of her head, Mandi smiled slightly as she said, "No, Ed.
It wouldn't be too much to hope for." She sipped her beer and quietly added,
"But it might be all you could hope for."
"Uh, huh. Does that mean I'd have to behave myself or that you'd have your
way with me and then discard me like a used paper towel in the morning?"
Laughing, Mandi said, "No, it just means that... Well..." she hesitated
further, then gestured at the pool table and said, "See if you can figure it out
in the meantime. I'll understand if you're reluctant later."
After a moment of studying her, Cade nodded and lined up on the nine ball.
Seven shots later, only the eight remained and it wasn't too far from a pocket.
Cade called the pocket and sank the ball with a sigh of deliberately unconcealed
relief.
Laughing, Mandi said, "Oh, good game, sir."
"Coming from you, that's a heavy compliment, milady." He sipped his beer and
asked, "Back to what you said about being 'reluctant later'. You're gorgeous and
I enjoy being with you, so I'm havi