Gateway To Xanadu Read Online Free PDF Page B

about the wisdom in choosing me as a partner, you don’t have to worry about hurting my feelings. It would hardly be the first time I was told something like that.”
    His voice had grown very gentle and the look in his eyes was hooded. Val had totally misinterpreted everything that had happened, and was braced to take the bad news like a trooper, leading me to wonder fleetingly just how many times he’d had to take that news. The prejudice of the unwashed herd had obviously brought him a lot of hell, and I felt a twinge inside me that was stronger than sympathy. If I tried telling him that / was the problem, not him, he’d never believe me.
    Silently I beckoned to him to follow me, then led the way out of my cabin and back into the salon. When we reached a low, squarish utility table next to one wall, I held up my hand at Val, then continued on into the galley alone. It took no more than a minute to get what I was after, and when I came out Val was frowning in confusion. He watched me step up on the utility table, which put my head an inch or so above his, then stood there in speechless shock as I emptied the large plastic container of water I had gotten, right over his head. Once the last drop had been emptied I tossed the container away, then put my fists on my hips.
    “I’m not having second thoughts about anything,” I told him, watching calmly as his big hand wiped the water out of his eyes and pushed his sopping hair back. “How about you?”
    He looked at me with thunder and lightning blazing in those eyes for about five seconds, and then a grin broke through.

    “No, no second thoughts,” he said, tossing a lock of wet hair back out of his eyes. “How could I have second thoughts when I haven’t even come to terms with my first thoughts yet? I can see I’m never going to know what to expect from you, Diana, but maybe we can narrow the field a little.”
    I didn’t know what he was talking about, and I didn’t realize I was about to find out. One minute that grin was right in front of me, and the next I was off the table, turned around, and held about the waist by one of those should-be illegal arms. Five or six hard, fast smacks were delivered to my bare bottom, and then I was set back on my feet on the deck carpeting.
    “First you use words alone, and then, if that doesn’t work, you try something else,” he lectured with one finger pointing at me while I stood in outraged speechlessness with my hands rubbing behind me. “The next time I have to tell you that, you’ll spend some time standing up.”
    I was so mad I couldn’t say a word, but having a chat wasn’t what I wanted to do with him. I actually took one step toward him before I had control of myself again, and then I turned and stalked away to my cabin, slamming the heavy but well-balanced door behind me. The nerve of that jerk! Go ahead and try to help someone, and see what you get for it! I stalked back and forth across the tiny cabin, trying to calm down, but it took quite a while before I made it. No one but a backwoods hick of a second from a backwoods outpost would be stupid enough to spank a Special Agent, but that was the second time that jerk had tried it. The first time had cost him a lot of blood, but he didn’t seem to learn from anything that happened to him! It was fairly clear I should have taken someone else in his place after all, but it was too late for that now. I’d just have to teach some manners to what I had, over and over again, if necessary, until the lesson stuck with him. I sat down on my bunk and drew my knees up for my chin to rest on, then began making a mental list of possible lessons.
    I let a few hours go by before I left the cabin again, and when I did I made it very clear that Val had turned invisible. He was sitting on a couch reading a slim, leather-bound book when I passed him, and I paid no attention to the way he followed me with his eyes and a grin. I went into the control room and ran a quick