~
“She’s just standing there,” Ted said, worried. He and Burt were watching Mia’s progression up the hill, assuming Murphy was with her.
“She’s probably catching her wind. You know Mia, she’s going to walk up and by us, not breaking a sweat, leading us to believe she’s Superwoman.”
Ted had to laugh at Burt’s assessment.
Mia started walking again. She turned and said something to Murphy who just now came into Ted’s view.
“Murphy’s with her. Maybe she was waiting for him.”
“That’ll be the day, when our Mia outlasts a ghost,” Burt said proudly.
“Burt, she’s my Mia.”
“Keep thinking that, be delusional,” he teased. “Mia Cooper Martin may be in love with you, but she cares about all of us. She’s ours.”
Ted wasn’t sure how to take that. He decided to let it go for the peace of the investigation.
“They’re watching us,” Murphy said. “We will talk later. I’m honored by your love, Mia. I will try to rise to be worthy of it.”
Mia didn’t smile. She wasn’t sure she had done the right thing. To open up and tell someone your heart was one thing. To show them was another.
“Come on, Mia, you can do it!” Ted called.
Mia laughed and push Murphy aside. “You’re it.” She took off running.
Murphy could have passed her, but instead, he paced himself, watching how quickly the mature woman had turned into a child and how she made him feel that young too.
Mia ran into Ted’s arms, and he swirled her around, declaring, “The king of the hill. Long live King Mia!”
Mia’s heart was pounding from the exertion. She sensed that all was well with Murphy and her. She prayed that she would never have to contemplate leaving Murphy again, that maybe he had gotten the message finally.
Murphy showed up and laid his axe in the first available piece of wood.
CRACK!
Chapter Six
“Mia, I need you and Mike to do interviews in an hour,” Burt said as he followed Ted and Mia into the new wing of the hotel.
“Why me? That’s Audrey’s forte,” Mia asked.
“Audrey is going to help Cid and Ted run wire and set up the command center.”
Mia turned to argue, but the look on Burt’s face said there would be no argument.
Ted said, “Come on, Mia. You and I have a little time to relax.”
Mia looked up at Ted and smiled. “You mean relax or relax?”
Ted shook his head. “Come on, you, I thought you’d be worn-out.”
“Actually, I am but…”
“I thought you’d want to check out the room. Make sure there are no ghosties,” Ted said quickly.
“K.”
Ted opened the door to E 14. It was a large room with new furniture and amenities. Mia looked longingly at the steam shower. Every muscle in her body ached from the lifting of the equipment boxes to the trudge up the hill, and she was exhausted. Still, she wanted to make love to Ted. It was more to test out her theory that she was now under her own emotional control than the need to have sex. She hated using him this way, but she wouldn’t be able to concentrate until she was convinced that Sariel had taken away his needs from her.
Ted watched as Mia shed her clothes. He didn’t have any problem rising to the occasion. He made slow passionate love to her, and after, as she lay in his arms, she said, “Thank you.”
“I should be thanking you,” he said, hugging her. “The last few days have been amazing.”
Mia brushed a curl off his forehead and smiled. Yes, it’s been wild. I think I can behave myself for a while now.”
“Too bad.”
Mia laughed. “Now who’s trying to wear who out?”
“Let’s shower. I can’t wait to get some hot water on these aching muscles.”
“I’m too tired to shower.”
“I can’t have you leaving this room looking like an escapee from an orgy, dear. Plus, you’re going to be on camera.”
“Fuck the camera,” Mia said stubbornly.
“Mike’s going to be there and…”
Mia popped up. “Lead me to the shower, master.”
~
“I’m telling you that she was coming on to me during the meeting,” Mike said to Burt. “She was, well, hot, very hot.”
“She’s had a baby. Maybe her hormones were misfiring or something.”
“You can’t play the hormone card every time you don’t understand a woman, Burt,” Mike advised.
They broke off talking when Mia walked into the room. She was wearing a pair of capris with a colorful twin sweater set on top. Her hair had been blow-dried until the silky strands fell shimmering down her back. Mia the hoyden had turned into Mia the innocent. She couldn’t look more different in their eyes.
Burt knew she had done this on purpose. She was getting back at him for the live-feed outfit he’d made her wear.
Mike was oddly attracted to the new Mia. She ignored him, sat down and prepared herself for the first interview.
“Mia, don’t take it the wrong way, but your hair is too shiny for the camera,” Burt said, looking through the viewer. He touched his earcom and asked, “Ted, how does Mia come over on the video?”
“I beg your pardon?” Ted asked, his voice squeaking.
“How is she looking, you ass?”
“Ethereal, a bit shiny,” he said.
Burt set the camera down, walked over and mussed up Mia’s hair. She looked like she wanted to punch him, but Mike cleared his voice and asked, “Ted, how about now?”
“Much less shiny,” he said.
Burt mussed up her hair once more, and this time Mia slugged him.
“Careful, peanut, that’s your boss,” Ted said over the com.
“It took me a lot of time to do my hair, and this oaf messes it up,”
