" I'll ask if it's okay."Following him in the house, he asked, and when I looked at mom, shequickly nodded her head yes and handed me her bag. Dad was...going tohave the big one when he saw me. His mom showed me her room, tellingme I could change in there, so I went in and shut the door. Thebikini, which I had tried on in the store, had a panty not cut thathigh, with a modestly wide triangle in front. The bra was one piece,but not very big, and tied behind my neck. I was very careful toplace the. "Who is he?" Pilar asked, nodding towards the man in the shadow."He's my body guard. I'm here on behalf of the Eldermen, after all, and somebody must protect me and the secrets I carry."Pilar was fully alert, but the man beside Lelis still surprised her when he suddenly held a knife to her throat."Be quiet, little girl, or I'll slit your throat!" he threatened."Are you crazy? What are you... ?" Lelis protestations were cut short when the assassin swiped his throat with a second knife."I guess,. It was towards the end of the shift - the canteen had been empty and she'd come in for a coffee before going home, glanced round then asked if she could join me. It ended up with me offering a lift home, she accepting, us stopping off for a quiet drink and then her spending the night with me. I think the only thing we didn't do was sleep. She was an insatiable and inventive lover and we had an easy uncomplicated affair that lasted for several years. Neither of us was possessive, which was. " Can't, or won't?" the guy asked, still shoving the stack of mixed Earth and New Earth credit notes toward him."Can't." the bartender looked him square in the eye for the first time. "Those two show up, have a drink or two, then I don't see them for months or years at a time. God knows where they hang out, but it ain't here." But damnit, I need to talk to them!" the guy did look desperate. "I mean, shit! I've been all over Human space, an' damn near everybody's seen 'em, but nobody knows how.