She understood it all in one glance. "Michael can you please go to the kitchen and ask Jane to bring out more wine?" It was obvious that she was very ...early sending her "child" to his room and I saw the flush rise from his neck to his cheeks. I stood up slowly and faced the mama bear. "Trish, I can go do that for you so Michael can entertain out here." My smile was bright and I took the half step back that caused my body to brush against him. She seem mollified that I was leaving his vicinity. Her promise to not sharethe news probably didn't include Cynthia. But I hadn't followed up nowfive days later. I was thinking of last Wednesday night at the bar withMatt. Even he had given me a positive perspective. I worried that Ihadn't spoke with Bill. He was my best friend, but we both didn't reachout regularly. I needed to get a hold of him soon. The text method may bethe best.I was happy I'd booked at the Hyatt. I could get a simple meal and nothave to leave my room. I settled my outfit. The other sixty thousand troops would follow an inland route, planning to take the major cities of Aleppo, Damascus, and Amman before turning due west and skirting the north shore of the Dead Sea to reach Jerusalem. I knew Al-Nasir was pulling his troops back to make a stand at Jerusalem, so it wouldn’t take the Mongols very long to get there.As we sailed down the coast, we saw evidence that the Mongols had already been there. Mongol banners flew proudly from the ramparts of every port. South. I stroke my thumb softly against Nicole’s cheek to wake her up. Her eyes flutter open to reveal those beautiful emerald irises. They seem to glow and if I look closely I can see a unique pattern within them. The feel of her fingers sent a current of electricity to rip through my body. Her hand is cold though. But the soft feel of her lips as she presses them against mine is full of heat. For the first time in a long time the rest of the world just faded away. We were in our own little universe.