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Full Story: Hearts of Darkness (w. ShadowOfDesire)

Miranda sighed as he worked around to the one topic they needed to cover, and the one that she dreaded the most. "No, I don't have anyone waiting on me back home. No boyfriends, no girlfriends, and I'm not married," she answered truthfully. Not any more. "I told you that I am woefully out of practice. It's been a couple of years since I've been interested in anyone, even interested enough to accept a dinner invitation. I didn't want to go to that party, I really shouldn't have, but as I said, I was making an effort. So it is a rather big leap for me to decide to put myself out there one moment and then find myself half-naked and humping a man I barely know in the very next."

She'd eaten quite a bit, but the topic put her off on finishing what was on her plate. Chasing part of her kebab about with her fork, she stared down at the table. "I didn't have the best upbringing, and I made some really shitty choices when I was younger. You were right about there being plenty of boys knocking down my door." Her eyes sought his briefly, something of a deep vulnerability in her expression. "I just didn't have a father to chase them off. I liked the attention and flattery. Sex was something I could use to get what I wanted. My body was about the only thing that I had control over... until it wasn't. I learned from those mistakes and told myself I wouldn't repeat them. And I haven't... not until the party."

"I'm not the sex in the bushes type. Maybe twenty years ago, but not now. You... it just felt... so wonderful. I haven't been touched like that in a while. I haven't wanted to be touched like that. So I went a bit crazy, and it was a stupid thing to do." And now I'm paying for it. "That's why I was upset. I wasn't really upset with you. I was upset with myself, for putting myself in that situation. I know you think you were just trying to give me what I wanted, or what you thought I needed. Maybe I did need it, but it really shouldn't have happened like that."

The last notes of Sundown faded, giving way to Gerry Rafferty's Right Down the Line. Miranda cocked her head at the speaker, slightly flushed. Hurriedly reaching for her phone, she skipped to the next song which turned out to be Don't Bring Me Down by ELO. Rising to fetch them both replacement beers (hers had magically emptied, as well), she plinked them down in front of Jack upon her return so he could pop both caps.

"So can we put it behind us? We both admitted that we fucked up, so now we can move on?" She wasn't sure what they were moving on to, exactly, but it was better than dwelling on their mistakes.

------

🎵 Right Down the Line 🎵

🎵 Don't Bring Me Down 🎵
 
It was the strangest thing. When Miranda said she didn’t have anyone waiting for her back home, it was like a giant weight had been lifted off of Jack’s chest. He felt like he had the first time he’d jumped out of a perfectly good airplane, and seen the canopy over his head a few, long seconds later. He realized he’d stopped breathing and coughed as his lungs started again. He tried to pay attention to everything Miranda said after that, because it all sounded important (“Wait” he actually thought at one point, “did she just say what I thought she said? That she was raped when she was growing up?”) but the best he could really do was file it away to think about later; his brain felt fuzzy (“After just one beer?” he thought again) and he didn’t want to screw everything up by saying ‘the wrong thing’ just then. So he kind of floated along as he listened to Miranda and the music (“I wonder why she skipped that song?”) until she asked him a question; she wanted to put ‘it’ behind us, and move on.

To buy a little time Jack opened the two fresh beers, but then he just had to look down at his hands as he tried to focus. A huge, goofy grin was trying to take over his face and make him blurt out “Hell yeah!” but a part of his brain wouldn’t let him forget how her eyes had looked just a few moments ago when she was talking about her past; he really, really didn’t want her to think he was making light of that, but also didn’t know quite what to say about it yet. So he plastered a more normal smile on his face and looked up. “Of course we can” he replied gently with a nod. “I think that’s a great idea. I tell you what …” Jack thought for a second then went on. “How about we leave all this here for now …” Jack gestured at the remains of their dinner “ … along with the talk about how we fucked up, and move into the living room.” Jack grinned as he continued. “You can bring the baklava if you want though. And also make some tea or coffee to go with it, but I’m fine with the beer.” Jack stood and picked up his Castle. “While you sort that out, I’m going to visit your bathroom.” After another pause he added “As for what we’re going to do in the living room ... well, I know you don’t like surprises so I’ll say this: don’t put on your fuzzy slippers just yet. See you in a few minutes on the couch.”

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After he’d washed his hands Jack took a quick look around Miranda’s very neat and clean bathroom, and had no trouble finding what he was looking for right out in the open; a washcloth, a hand towel and some lotion. After wetting the washcloth with warm water he headed back out into the living room and puttered around, keeping his back to Miranda so that they could both pretend he was preparing things “in secret” if they wanted. His supplies went onto the floor on the side of the couch near the big lamp, where they were out of sight. Then, learning from past mistakes, he closed the vertical shades over the door to the patio; when he saw that a little bit of ambient light still peeked in that way, he turned off the standing lamp first and then the table lamp too. “Perfect” he decided. “Just enough light from outside and the kitchen.” Then Jack sat down on the couch near the room’s corner, sipped his beer and enjoyed Miranda’s tunes as he waited for her to join him.
 
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When Jack disappeared into her bedroom, Miranda almost protested, thinking only of the folder of pictures that he'd not really understand. She reminded herself that she'd tucked them away in her drawer well before he arrived, however, so there was no chance of him discovering them unless he went nosing around. Still, she kept throwing glances into the bedroom as she packed up the leftovers to put into the fridge. She left the baklava out on the counter since the honeyed dessert didn't need refrigeration.

While Jack made his secret 'preparations', she cleaned up the remnants of dinner and put the dirty dishes and utensil in the sink to be washed. She'd normally see to them right away, but didn't want to be rude when he was clearly waiting on her. Instead, she ran a sink full of hot water so they could soak. Once the counters had been wiped down, she excused herself to visit the bathroom for the necessities. Jack hadn't spent any time in the bedroom, but she couldn't help but check the drawer where she'd left the photographs. To her relief, the folder was still buried beneath her medical journals and untouched.

Having delayed as long as possible, she finally returned to the kitchen to fetch another pair of beers for them both along with dessert. As she made for the living area, she paused as she saw how dim he'd made the room. I guess he does learn, she thought. No prying eyes tonight or people snapping racy photographs from outside. She relaxed a bit, placing the beers and baklava on the coffee table as she took a seat on the couch beside him.

Her playlist primarily consisted of easy listening tunes from the 70s and 80s, with a sprinkling of a few disco or pop hits from those eras thrown in. After turning up the volume a tad since they were further from the speaker, she put her phone on the coffee table to let the playlist cycle through. Legs crossed beneath her and hands resting lightly in her lap, she looked curiously at the man beside her.

"So what's this non-surprise?" she asked, pretending she didn't already know.
 
Jack smiled as Miranda sat down and asked her question; he didn’t think for a second she hadn’t figured out what he had planned, but he was glad they were playing again. “Well, I hope you’ll grant me that at least some of Saturday night was … pleasant. And I think that one of those pleasant parts was when I took care of those healing hands of yours." Jack gestured at Miranda's hands for a moment before he went on. "You know how I know that? Cause your dogs have been barking all through dinner, asking me why they were left out. So c’mon, get those tootsies up here.” And with that Jack nudged and cajoled Miranda, until she was sitting stretched out on the couch, her back to the door and her bare feet resting on the hand towel now spread over Jack’s lap. He’d also twisted around a bit and faced her as he pushed up her leggings and used the warm washcloth to thoroughly wipe off Miranda’s feet and ankles; they really didn’t need much “cleaning,” but he didn’t want to skimp on the process and also thought the warmth might help her relax some.

Then Jack rubbed his hands, squirted some lotion on them and began to give Miranda a foot massage. He started on her right foot and took a lot more time than when he’d massaged her hands in the truck. Part of that was because they were in private now, but a big part of it was because – he had to admit to himself – he just liked being able to touch her again. Not in some creepy kind of way, but just because … Well Miranda lived in her body, and it was part of her. And if he was ever going to get to know her, then he needed to know her body, from the ends of her long, dark hair to the tips of her toes. But Jack knew there was a lot more to it than that, at least as far as he was concerned. He’d never taken a massage class, but from a little prowling around online he knew that all the nerve endings in Miranda’s soles ran up to her brain (where she also lived) and that some of them also went past her heart on the way (ditto.) So he paid a tremendous amount of attention to how she reacted as he gently worked on her feet; when she tensed up, even a little, he backed off, but when she relaxed, or smiled a bit, or maybe even purred softly, he worked on that spot for a lot longer. Because Jack knew he wasn’t just taking care of Miranda’s feet right about then …

Jack kept caressing Miranda after he’d finished her right foot, not really trying to disguise what he was doing; he somehow didn’t think that was necessary any more. Then a thought popped into his head and he looked up at her and smiled. “Y’know, I do know you’re a professional woman. A Doctor. But I do have to say, on the “boy/girl” scale, you can be kind of a girl sometimes. And that’s not just ‘guessing’ on my part. My first clues were some of the outfits you like to wear when you … force yourself to go out and – ugh – ‘socialize.’ Very flattering, in a girly kind of way. Then of course I do also have a bit of … first-hand knowledge that you’re very much a girl … from the waist up at least.” Jack grinned broadly, but also pushed past that last bit quickly, just in case. “But y’know what my final clue was? These.”

As Jack finished talking his fingertips ran over Miranda’s deep red toenails; those were the second thing he’d noticed after he’d walked in the door, after her oh-so-tired beautiful brown eyes. He’d thought her painted toenails were the cutest, sweetest, sexiest thing he may have ever seen. Jack imagined Miranda curled up with the little brush in her hand, painting away while she listened to her tunes, kind of (but not quite) like his sister used to do back in the day, while April listened to whatever idiotic boy band she used to drive Jack crazy with. Since Jack still did have an ego (“No shit”) he wondered if Miranda had painted her toenails just for him, but then decided that if she hadn’t, as long as it made her smile that was okay by him; her toes looked liked a neat little row of happy, red M&M’s, and he almost wondered if they’d jump up and start dancing, like the M&M’s did nowadays during most of the movie trailers.

Jack pulled his wandering mind back to Miranda. “So you asked me about my tattoos at dinner the other night, and I answered. Now it’s my turn. Tell me something else girly you’ve done in your life.” As Jack let his question hang in the air he switched, and started massaging Miranda’s left foot just as slowly and tenderly as he’d done the right …
 
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Jack's strong hands worked wonders on her feet, and Miranda found herself relaxing completely as he worked. Resting her elbow on the back of the couch, she studied him through half-lidded eyes as he worked. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had a foot massage... or any massage, for that matter. His hand massage had been the first she'd let anyone touch her in that familiar way in a very long time. So what was it about Jack that brought her guard down? He was funny, a definite smart ass, and as masculine as a man could get, though he hadn't shown any of the bullying machismo that she'd been expecting. He was also considerate, perhaps too considerate for her comfort, because she wasn't accustomed to such treatment. Once, perhaps, but not in a very long while.

She gave him all the feedback he wanted and more, in the way she sighed or moaned softly when he found a particularly tight spot, in the way her toes wiggled when his fingers accidentally tickled, and how they curled when his fingers strayed upward to caress her ankle or calf. He could have easily put her to sleep with that massage, though she wasn't quite tired enough to be so rude. His conversation was just as enjoyable as the hands working to loosen her muscles, and she found herself smiling at his questions.

"You expected me to be something else? A rough and tumble tomboy? No, I've always liked pretty, sparkly things. Maybe because I could never afford them or never had them growing up. Any time I could save up enough money, I was buying makeup or jewelry. And we already discussed my love of clothes, though I'm too frugal to pay for true fashion."

He'd noticed her toes, and that pleased her to no end. She'd made a true effort for him, hoping that he'd see she was actually trying, that she enjoyed his company rather than simply tolerating it. Those toenails wiggled teasingly as he brushed past them. "Something else girly? Like what? Piercing my own ears because I couldn't afford to get them done at the department store? Getting that ill advised perm that made me look like a poodle? The time I became self conscious about my body hair and decided to wax absolutely everything from the neck down?" Her eyebrow rose a fraction and she smirked. "I've done a lot of stupid things so I could be 'pretty' for boys."
 
How Miranda reacted to his foot massage pleased Jack to no end. It wasn’t just her little sighs and moans, but also how her toes wiggled and curled too; it hadn’t really occurred to him before that toes could be that, well … expressive. Maybe that’s why gals painted them? It was still a bit of a mystery to him, but made him happy nonetheless.

Jack smiled as he listened to Miranda’s responses to his simple question. It was quite the list as far as he was concerned and once she finished he couldn’t resist commenting on it all with a grin. “Pierced your own ears huh? That actually sounds pretty hard-core to me. Hmm, maybe you would be a good candidate for a tattoo too. Let me think …” Jack thought for a few moments, then went on. “I know, how about a little … what do you call it? The staff with the wings and snakes? A caduceus, right? You could get one of those on say, your shoulder blade. That wouldn’t hurt too much, and you could keep it covered except for when you were showing off some; like if you were in a swimsuit, or something backless. Might look pretty cool …” Jack dragged out saying “cool” as if he was eleven years old again.

Jack finished massaging Miranda’s foot, but kept lightly caressing her soft skin as he continued his silly (but semi-honest sounding?) little monologue. “And a poodle perm too? That I would have loved to see. Did you take any pictures?” Jack paused for a second and then grinned broadly. “And as far as the whole waxing things goes, well my mind just boggles at the implications. So to avoid saying anything wrong, I’m not going to say anything at all about that ... at least for now.” Jack's expression grew more serious, but his fingertips kept light stroking Miranda’s sole as went on. “So, as far as ‘stupid things’ go …” Jack sighed quietly and shook his head a little before he continued. “I kind of know how hard it can be; I saw it with my sis when we were growing up, big time. But you’re not some insecure teenage kid anymore, right? You’re an absolutely gorgeous woman.” Jack’s face suddenly brightened and he again ran his fingertips over Miranda’s painted toenails. “But if you did want to make yourself pretty-er for a boy every now and again, well I doubt he’d complain.”

“Alright” Jack abruptly announced “I think your feet can’t complain they’ve been neglected anymore;" and with that he quickly wiped off his hands, scooped up Miranda’s feet and legs, and helped her scoot around to where she was sitting more normally on the couch. “I hope you enjoyed that.” Then Jack slid right over next to Miranda, so his arm was touching her shoulder, and he tilted his head towards her with a smile on his face. “So someone recently told me about this great move I really want to try. Let me see if I can remember it.” Jack yawned (theatrically,) stretched his arms out (even more so) and then casually draped one of them over Miranda’s slim shoulders. “Hey, whaddya know, it works!”

Jack’s fingers lightly grasped Miranda’s chin and started to gently turn her lips towards his ... But then he remembered the first thing he’d noticed about her that night; how absolutely exhausted she'd looked. So he stopped himself and instead ran one of his fingertips over her cheekbones as tenderly as he could, just below the dark, dark circles under her eyes. His voice was full of his concern as he spoke softly to her, almost whispering into her ear. “I couldn’t help noticing that you look a little more … tired than usual. Have you been okay?” Jack gave Miranda’s shoulders a gentle squeeze and he kissed the soft hair on top of her head while he waited to see what, if anything, she might say in reply …
 
"You know that people have been confusing the Staff of Hermes with the Rod of Asclepius for ages now? The former is the caduceus you speak of, which has mistakenly been adopted by several medical organizations, including the Army's medical corp. Hermes has nothing to do with medicine and healing. Asclepius was known as the god of medicine in Greek mythology. I know this because one of my university professors drilled it into our heads from the start of the semester until the end. It was a pet peeve of his, and it was rumored that he'd automatically fail your final exam if you got them mixed up. I don't think anyone was brave enough to test that theory, though."

Miranda grinned at his 'maneuver' and didn't shy away in the slightest, leaning against him as he pulled her in close. Yet again, she felt that curious little tingle in her stomach as he turned her face to his and her breath caught in anticipation of another delicious kiss, only to be disappointed when he postponed the event. At least, she hoped it was only a postponement and not a complete cancellation.

One shoulder rose in a slight shrug. "I haven't been sleeping much. Or at least, I sleep when I can. Work has been keeping me busy, like I said. The clinic, surgeries, and all." She paused, gazing up at him for a long moment while she decided if he'd believe the truth.

She finally sighed softly and looked away, too embarrassed to meet his eyes. "I was worried about what happened, too. Worried that you wouldn't call like you said you would. Worried that you would. I was dreading both, but more of the former than the latter. I just didn't want to end things like they did, and felt foolish for overreacting. It was better if I just focused on work and kept myself as busy as possible so I wouldn't have time to think about you. I do that a lot. I'm a bit of a coward that way."
 
Jack was absolutely floored by Miranda’s answer. Sure, hearing that Miranda had feelings for him made half of Jack feel ecstatic. But the other half was just crushed by the idea that he had been responsible for her being so frigging exhausted. He was thoroughly confused, and had no ideas at all about what to say. So he decided to just kiss her.

Jack cupped Miranda’s chin and gently turned her face towards his. The kiss started simply enough, but very soon the tip of Jack’s tongue darted out so that he could really taste Miranda again. Her lips were just as delicious as when they’d first kissed, but he thought they somehow tasted different too; warmer, sweeter, fuller maybe. He nibbled and sucked on her lower lip as if it was some exotic fruit he’d never tried before, savoring its new, lush feel more than anything. Then once he’d has his fill of Miranda’s soft lips, Jack slipped his warm tongue into her moist, welcoming mouth and wrapped it around her smaller, velvety counterpart in a very private little dance that was as old as the ages.

With his initial thoughts on Miranda’s reply expressed in a decidedly nonverbal way, Jack came up for air and pulled his face away from hers for a moment. He grinned as he stroked her hair and gazed into her eyes, then spoke to her gently. “There’s one last, little part of your massage I forgot. I know you’re tired, so Doctor Miranda is off duty for the rest of the night and Masseur Jack’s in charge. Just try to relax; I think you might like this a lot and it’ll definitely help you sleep.” Then as Jack started tenderly kissing Miranda again, he embraced her more fully; his muscular torso nudged up against her much trimmer one, sort of trapping her left arm between them, while the big hand he had draped over her shoulders lightly gripped her right arm. Someone looking on might have wondered if Jack was trying to restrain Miranda in a gentle or symbolic way, but in his mind he thought of it more as swaddling her body with his, so that she could relax fully and not worry about anything.

As Jack’s lips and tongue continued dancing with Miranda’s, his free hand stroked her beautiful hair and then traced the outside of her delicate ear until he reached her lobe; he caressed that spongy little nub of flesh with his fingers and not for the first time, wondered what it might feel like to suckle on. “Patience Jack, patience” he said to himself, as he dropped his hand still lower and ran his fingers over the smooth skin covering Miranda’s lovely jaw and then kept going, to finally let his fingertips settle very lightly against Miranda’s slim, delicate throat. He could feel the beating of her heart against the tips of his fingers, and imagined he could sense her deepening breath through the pad of his thumb as well. “I’m not sure this counts as relaxing” he thought, “but it's a start.”

Then Jack’s fingers dipped lower, to find the little notch at the base of Miranda’s neck and trace lightly out and back along the smooth skin that covered her one bare, slender collarbone. Jack fingered the soft grey material of Miranda’s sexy off-the-shoulder top, then began tracing little circles over it and her sternum, down between her pert breasts; as he did he tried to get a literal feel for whether Miranda was wearing something strapless under her top, which wouldn’t have surprised Jack in the least given how modest she could be. Not that something like that was going to be a problem for Masseur Jack, (“Where did that come from?” he wondered. “But it’s not bad, I guess.”) – but being the good soldier that he was, Jack knew the value of doing a little reconnaissance before carrying on …
 
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Miranda didn't just relax in his arms, she melted, sagging against him as she chose not to fight her exhaustion any longer. He hadn't rejected her, he hadn't balked at her confession. Instead, he'd kissed her. That thrilled her to no end as she met his kiss eagerly. As before, she felt a slight jolt of lust dip from her stomach to her sex in a most satisfying way, like enjoying a long stretch after being cramped. Vowing not to lose control as she had before, she simply let herself enjoy the taste of his exploring tongue, the feel of his lips, and the strong arms that held her so tightly. The intimacy of the act, as basic as it might have been, caused the softest of moans to rise in her throat. As frightened as she was of intimacy, she wanted more of him -- much more than was proper for a second date (in her mind) -- and she had to restrain herself from simply taking what she wanted.

She let him control the pace and activity, drifting along in the pleasant sensations that bloomed from his casual caresses. Her skin tingled in the wake of his fingers, all but vibrating, crying out for more of the same. As his fingers dipped lower, so did the warmth in her abdomen which grew and spread between her legs. It was only a soft, tender caress, but her body responded with languid bliss like a softly purring kitten.

His explorations taught him that Miranda was, indeed, wearing a strapless bra as one with straps would have been garish with the shirt she was wearing. His fingers brushed against the soft, molded cup and stiff underwire beneath that kept the delights he'd already sampled supported and shapely. It was a seamless garment in the front, which meant it fastened in typical fashion in the back. While she clearly noticed the direction his fingers were taking, she made no protest on that score, still enjoying the delights of his mouth and tantalizing tongue.
 
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Jack grinned a little as he felt the underwire of a classic strapless bra under Miranda’s top. “Conservative and classy, I should have known” he thought. “Well, let’s see if we can loosen up that conservative part a little tonight.”

Jack’s fingers kept tracing gentle little circles as they roamed lower on Miranda’s body and finally reached the bottom of her loose, oversized top. It wasn’t all that hard from there for Jack to lift the soft grey fabric and slip his hand underneath, to first settle on Miranda’s warm, flat stomach; it was nice feeling her muscles move as she breathed deeply and the thought popped into his head that if she ever had a baby, it would grow inside her right where his fingers lay. “Holy shit!” he thought as his eyes blinked open for a second “where did that come from?” Jack froze up for a moment but almost immediately the warmth, and softness, and willingness of the beautiful, beautiful woman in his arms settled him down again, and he focused back on actually taking care of her.

Jack’s hand slid up and around Miranda’s slim torso, and using both his arms he gently pulled her up just a little so that it was almost like they were dancing; Jack’s fingertips glided over Miranda’s smooth, toned back until they found where her bra clasp was and after an initial fumble, he was able to pop it open and start that part of her lingerie on its way off her body. Once he’d slipped the undergarment from beneath Miranda’s top and tossed it aside he considered pulling the top off too but decided against it; he liked how it looked, thought it might be keeping her warm and comfortable, and he also suddenly had another … direction in mind for her that evening. So Jack just curled Miranda back onto the couch, slipped his hand back under her top and started tracing his fingertips back up her sexy body.

After a little more kissing and teasing, Jack’s big, rough hand gently cupped Miranda’s right breast and just held it. To Jack it felt very warm, and nicely weighty, and just the right size and shape; he also thought it felt fabulously firm and soft at the same time. Jack started fondling Miranda, very lightly at first but then more and more firmly; he knew different gals liked being caressed in different ways, and he paid attention to Miranda’s body to see what she preferred that evening. Soon enough though Jack’s forefinger moved upward and he started tracing light little circles around Miranda’s areola, feeling for all the tiny little bumps there and also “happening” to brush against her nipple; it seemed to be plumping up nicely, which made him smile. After a little of that teasing Jack’s finger then began gently brushing directly over Miranda’s swollen bud and he stopped kissing her for just a few seconds to softly whisper into her ear. “I absolutely love how sensitive your nipples are. Once I touch them you’re just putty in my hands, aren’t you? Don’t worry though, I’ll be gentle with you.” Jack grinned before he added “Tonight at least, because you’re so tired.”

As Jack’s lips settled back on Miranda’s his hand slid across under her top to begin teasing her left breast just as he’d done with its sister. Playing with her breasts was a tremendous amount of fun, and so easy to do, and he could have kept it up all night, but Jack knew how tired Miranda really was, so after stroking her left nipple into a hard little nub, he decided it was time to move things along. Jack slipped his arms out from around Miranda and kind of knelt before her as he reached under her top for the waistband of her leggings. As he started to tug those down over her nicely flared hips, he looked up and gently told her to “Lift that cute little tush of yours, just for a second.” As Jack’s fingers and the leggings reached Miranda’s panties, he also took hold of that little garment and started slipping it off of her body as well …
 
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Another, deeper moan rolled through her as she felt Jack's hands once more upon her bared breasts. As he caressed, fondled, and teased, the wetness between her legs was growing. It was difficult for her to keep still. She wanted to feel his erection grinding against her once more, searching for some way to ease the incessant throbbing in her clit. Her back arched slightly, somewhat mimicking his previous contortions of her body, pressing her breasts into the large, strong hand that sought to please her. Her nipples tightened at his touch, causing her to shudder as she remembered the joys of his mouth and teeth.

His kiss was her life and her breath, and she felt she needed it desperately to survive, wanting more of his kiss than before and reveling in how deeply their tongues explored one another. Her own hands were not idle as his squeezed her soft mounds. She slipped both beneath his lovely new shirt so that she could feel his warmth properly, letting her fingertips rove over the defined muscles of his abdomen and up his sides. She wanted to rip the clothes from his body, to see him properly once again, but logic trumped passion for the moment as she didn't want to ruin the garment.

Groaning as he abandoned her mouth, her breath caught when he slid to kneel between her legs and his fingers began to slide down her pants. Surprisingly, she didn't rise immediately to allow their removal. Instead, she straightened and caught his wrists with her hands, looking down at him worriedly. It was a struggle to force him to stop, but she felt she couldn't let him continue without addressing her fears.

"Are you... are you sure you want this, Jack?" she asked quietly. "I didn't tell you about my sleepless nights to guilt you into getting me off again. I want you desperately, but not out of pity or guilt. You don't have to do... this... just to make me feel better." It sounded almost absurd when she said it aloud, but it was still one of the points that nagged at her. Part of her knew that she didn't deserve a man like Jack.
 
Jack looked up and cocked his head, as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing. But his voice was kind as he replied. “Miranda, you’re not guilting me into anything. I’m here, with you, because I want to be.” Then his voice turned mock serious as he grinned and went on. “Now pick up that tush of yours young lady, before I decide you need to be spanked;” Jack gave Miranda’s hips a gentle little wiggle as he ‘scolded’ her and a few moment later slid her leggings and panties off and tossed them on top of her bra.

When Jack looked at Miranda he could see that her lap was still covered by the oversized top she wore; he was very tempted to start kissing his way up her thighs to get a taste of what lay beneath that dove-grey fabric. But given all the doubt and uncertainty he’d just heard in Miranda’s voice Jack decided what he really wanted to do was take her in his arms again, so he wouldn't seem so far away; dessert would have to wait. So that’s exactly what Jack did; after he sat back down on the couch his right arm wrapped around her slender shoulders to pull her close, and his right hand lightly cupped her breast and began tenderly caressing it through her soft top. At the same time his other hand gently took hold of one of Miranda’s as he spoke softly to her. “Listen. I think it’s pretty obvious by now that I like you. Really like you. Taking care of you, and making you happy, makes me happy. So if you can’t just relax for you, would you try doing it for me too?” Instead of waiting for any kind of a reply Jack kissed Miranda again and his left hand gave hers a little squeeze before it moved up to fondle her other breast. Jack’s kisses started off slowly and gently, but soon enough his tongue slipped back into Miranda’s warm, moist mouth and his fingers started teasing her sensitive nipples again through the soft fabric of her top.

When Miranda’s breathing and body seemed to have settled down some, into kind of a state of ‘relaxed excitement,’ Jack moved his left hand down to caress one of her sleek thighs. He briefly wondered how exactly she kept her sexy body so toned; maybe she was a pilates gal, or did yoga? Or maybe she just worked her cute little butt off for sixteen hours a day and never ate? Whatever it was she did was working, and Jack thoroughly enjoyed running his fingers over the tops of Miranda’s lovely exposed legs before he went on to gently tease her soft inner thighs as well. Then came the moment of truth and, without much further ado, Jack pulled Miranda’s dove-grey top up to expose her sex to the cool air of the room and his gaze.

But Jack really didn’t want to break their kiss, so he decided to handle things the ‘old fashioned way,’ by exploring and caring for Miranda by braille. His fingers first settled onto Miranda’s mons and began to gently massage her rounded little mound; as he did that Jack also used his fingertips to try to figure out if and how Miranda groomed, not because that really mattered to him, but because he was intensely curious about the beautiful woman he held in his arms. Once his curiosity was satisfied Jack’s hand drifted on down to her vulva and lightly traced over her puffy outer lips; he took his time as he teased and explored that part of Miranda’s womanhood, seemingly in no rush. But eventually Jack did pull his hand away, waited for a moment or two … and then gently ran two of his fingertips over Miranda’s inner lips. He was absolutely delighted to feel them already wet and starting to open, like the petals of some pretty pink flower that was blossoming. Jack tried to help that blooming along by running his fingers up and down Miranda’s labia while he continued to kiss her and tease her nipple, but he took great care not to run his fingertips too far up towards her mons, since he was saving that part of her for last.

Once Jack thought Miranda was ready, he began to gently slip the tip of his middle finger between her spread lips and into the pinkness that was the most intimate part of her body. She felt warm and moist and soft and tight, and he had to remind himself not to push too hard or too fast, so that she had time to open and welcome him. That wasn’t really very hard, since after only a few inches of Jack’s finger had slipped inside Miranda he stopped and rolled his hand around so that his fingertip was curled away from her. Then Jack started to slowly and gently explore Miranda, trying to see if she had a magical spot inside of her that would help her moan, or sigh or twitch her hips just a little bit (or maybe a whole lot) more …
 
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Jack's teasing had the desired effect. Not only was she able to relax beneath his roving hands, but when he explored below, he found her extremely wet and eager for him to continue. She clung to him in a desperate attempt to control what she could, fixating on his delicious mouth and questing tongue. A series of soft moans rose in her throat at each kiss, heightened by the teasing caresses to her sex. He'd find her sex covered, but neatly trimmed, giving him unimpeded access to whatever part of her he so desired. Each time he pushed the boundary and dipped a bit lower, pushed his teasing a bit further, he sent tiny pulse of electric lust that settled between her thighs. If he continued, she'd soon be worked into a frenzy.

Her stomach tensed at the feel of his finger slipping inside her warmth and another groan, much louder than the others, rose between their joined mouths. Her body rocked to accept him, grinding against his hand, begging him for more earthly pleasures without the necessity for words. After a moment, she finally broke from their kiss to draw in a deep, shuddering breath, and her hands tightened upon his body, fingernails lightly pricking through his shirt. Her dark eyes sought his, brows slightly tensed as his finger curled inside of her. Lips parted in surprise, and she shuddered as he found that one particular spot that utterly and completely caused her to melt in his arms.

One roving hand found the waistband of his pants. Though she couldn't unfasten them in her current position, she did seek out the bulge that strained against the fabric, running her fingers lightly over the hidden member in response to his fondling. She couldn't tease him as thoroughly as he'd masterfully worked her body, but she desperately wanted to bring him the same sort of pleasure. It felt terribly selfish to do otherwise.
 
Jack grinned as Miranda’s full lips parted in surprise and her whole slender frame shuddered; in response he looked into her big brown eyes and casually remarked “Ah, so that’s your magic spot.” The big soldier was quite pleased with how Miranda’s body was responding to his touch and also thought it was very sweet, in a silly kind of way, how her brain was trying to hang on too; Miranda’s fingers felt wonderful on his hard cock, but Jack wasn’t about to be distracted from his goal that easily. Tonight was all about her, so Jack decided it was time to start teasing Miranda’s mind as well.

“You know, I seem to recall you were mortified by how you looked when we were fooling around in my truck; if only you could see yourself now.” Jack quickly glanced over Miranda before he went on. “Sprawled on your living room couch, stripped nude from the waist down this time. Your long lovely legs spread wide, leaving your pretty pussy completely exposed. What would Lee and the other docs think, or that cheerful receptionist of yours, if they could see how sexy, and needy and … wanton their Doctor Blake looks now.”

The whole time Jack was speaking he kept his finger softly pressed against the spot inside Miranda that she seemed to like so much, while his left thumb gently massaged her wet, open labia and his right hand fondled one of her pert breasts through her top. But when he was done talking Jack’s thumb slid higher and began tracing light little circles around the hood surrounding Miranda’s swollen clit, brushing against it ever so slightly. And as he tried to read Miranda’s body and see what else she liked, the big soldier resumed his gentle verbal teasing.

“But I tell you what. The only one who knows this little secret about you so far is me. And I’d be happy to keep my mouth shut like you want, as long as you do one little thing for me in return. I want you to cum for me Miranda. To have a nice, big orgasm right here on your living room couch. Can you do that for me sweetie?”

Once Jack was finished with his “offer,” his left thumb began lightly gliding over Miranda’s clit while the fingers of his right hand began teasing one of the sexy doctor’s swollen nipples. Then Jack thought to add one last thing to the mix, in hopes of pushing Miranda over the edge and completely out of control. “You know, I also recall you’re one of those kinky gals who like a little pain mixed in with their pleasure. I wonder what your colleagues would think about that?” And as he said ‘that,’ the fingertips of Jack’s hand quickly but sharply pinched down on Miranda’s nipple, right through the soft grey fabric of her top …
 
It was the wrong tactic, and he knew it immediately as she flushed and looked away, embarrassed by the memory. Of course, he had no idea why it bothered her so much, could not know that even now, just a few steps away in her bedroom, there was an entire folder of photographs of her in that compromising position. She shuddered and would have begged him to stop had his thumb not grazed her clit. It was a hard reminder of how good he made her feel and how much she wanted him. Consequences be damned.

Her eyes snapped back to him, another soft cry escaping, that pinch to her hardened nipple enhancing the pleasure below. He wasn't going to tell anyone. It would go against his earlier protests. He was still teasing her, his words adding to the actions of his hands. He was seeking to spark a reaction, and something deep within her snapped. Like before, there was marked change in her expression and attitude as she struggled to let him have all the control. It went against her nature.

Grabbing the front of his shirt, she pulled him against her, body shaking as she struggled to contain the passion rolling through her. "If you want me to come, then make me come," she hissed in challenge. Her teeth found his ear and nipped at the lobe, loosing a soft little growl. Below, her hips moved against his fingers, urging them to aid her in reaching the orgasm he wanted her to have.
 
Jack could see that his teasing had upset Miranda and that pissed him off; there was no way, in a million years, that he’d ever really tell anyone about what happened between them, and he’d told her that more than once. So his first inclination was to flip the confused woman face down on the couch, haul her cute little butt in the air and fuck her brains out from behind; maybe that would unscramble whatever was going on in her head. But Jack’s condoms were in his go-bag, which seemed a million miles away at that point, and as he paused to figure out how to get them a little voice whispered in his ear. “Easy Jack. She’s not your enemy. Tonight was supposed to be about her, remember? Go easy.” And since Jack had heard that voice before, he was able to ratchet back his anger. Sort of.

Jack looked into Miranda’s big, needy brown eyes and smiled. “A challenge Doc? Really? I made you cum once and I can do it again. But if you want to do this the hard way …” As he said ‘hard way’ Jack grabbed a handful of Miranda’s long hair and tugged it and her head back, baring her long, slender neck to him so that he could slowly lick her throat before beginning to kiss, nip and suck on it; Jack realized that what he was doing might leave some high school style hickeys on the sexy doctor’s neck, but figured she’d asked for this and that that’s what scarves and makeup were for.

As he feasted on Miranda, Jack’s finger inside her straightened and gently but firmly pushed deeper until it was fully sheathed in her warm wetness. After a short pause he began to work that finger back and forth slowly, and soon had Miranda relaxed enough to let him easily slip a second finger deep into her pussy; after another slight pause the big soldier then began to thrust both fingers into the sexy doc more quickly while he also lifted up with them just a bit, so that the side of one finger rubbed against the sensitive spot Miranda liked so much. And as he did that, Jack’s thumb also settled back onto Miranda’s exposed vulva and began to lightly rub against her swollen clit’s fleshy hood.

Jack teased Miranda’s body like this for several, long moments then tilted her head forward so that he could again look into her eyes. “Now are you going to be a good girl and cum for me Miranda? Or am I going to have to hurt you a little again?” Before the sexy doc could answer his question Jack slipped his fingers from inside Miranda, paused and then tapped his fingertips quickly down onto her pink, open lips; the contact was no harder that the slap you might give a small child’s wrist, but given where it landed Jack was pretty damn sure it would sting well enough to get his point across, and also hopefully get Miranda’s juices flowing like a stick of dynamite dropped into a log jammed river.

With his message delivered Jack pressed his lips to Miranda’s and pushed his tongue into her mouth, intertwining with her’s and probing deeply. And as he crushed his mouth to hers he also speared his two fingers back into the sexy doctor’s wet pussy, and his slick thumb began gliding directly over her clit in a lazy, surprisingly gentle way …
 
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Was it the pain she responded to? Or the forcefulness of his hands upon her? Miranda didn't quite know, nor did she care in that moment. She'd thrown down the challenge, and he'd picked up the gauntlet with full intention of being victorious. Of course, a victory for him was one for her, as well, for the way he made her feel was amazingly euphoric. He'd explored her body in a way no one else had for quite some time, and her body responded beautifully to it.

Again, she found herself pulled taut like a bowstring, controlled by the hand gripping her hair. Moaning as he began to invade her properly, she reveled in the feel of his hot, wet mouth exploring her throat as his demanding fingers plunged into her wetness. His two fingers were swallowed up by her warmth with little coaxing. Every thrust, every careless flick of her clit drove her a bit closer to the edge. She skated perilously close without ever diving over, without letting completely go of herself and all control. Even now, in her current position, she was trying to maintain some semblance of that control, trying to determine when she'd reach orgasm -- perhaps because he told her to, and she always had to be contrary.

The slap against her sex was completely unexpected. It jarred her to the point that she completely forgot about beating him, forgot to hold back. Her cry of protest was swallowed by his demanding mouth and dancing tongue. Moaning as she tasted him once again, her fingers dug tightly into his back as his fingers began to pump. It only took a another few moments for him to push her to the point that she'd long resisted.

He felt the first tremor as he stroked her clit and then the floodgates opened. She tensed beneath him, her screams muffled by their kiss. That familiar electric shock exploded from her sex and burst forth, swallowing her completely. Another miniature explosion popped behind her eyes, blinding her in brilliance as her body seized in climax. Her hands tightened even more on his body as she quivered, shuddering, finally free.

He felt that rush around his fingers as her channel tightened, squeezing as it throbbed, wanting to trap his fingers in her slick warmth. Her thighs closed around his hand, squeezing as tightly as her cunt, so overwhelmed by the sensation that they unconsciously tried to stop the overload. She broke free of the kiss after a moment, moaning in soft, shuddering gasps. Opening her eyes halfway, she gazed up at him as if surprised by what he'd done, or what he'd made her do.
 
Jack smiled when Miranda finally let go, and happily gazed into her hooded eyes as he tried to gently coax out her orgasm for as long as he dared. But soon enough her slender thighs slammed shut on his hand as if to warn him that the doc’s sexy body had had enough for now. So rather reluctantly Jack slipped his fingers and hand from between Miranda’s legs, let go of her head and wrapped the moaning woman in his arms. “Good girl, that was perfect” he told her softly as he began to stroke her sweaty, disheveled hair. “You really needed that, didn’t you?” he added, right before he kissed the top of her head. “Time to relax, I’ve got you.”

As Jack held Miranda in his arms he marveled, not for the first time, how … unconventional things could get between two people. Which made him laugh, because UW was one of the things he’d done for the Army and still kind of did for Dieter. Of course what’d just happened between him and Miranda wasn’t exactly warfare per se, but more a … struggle for control maybe? Which seemed to happen pretty often with the kind of gal he was attracted to, especially in places like this. Miranda definitely had a kinky side to her too, which actually wasn’t a huge surprise to Jack either and made him wonder even more about the completely gorgeous woman he was now cuddling; she was just full of surprises.

“Alright, enough with the philosophy” Jack said to himself as he gave Miranda a little squeeze, kissed her head a second time and then stood up. “I’ll be right back” he gently told her right before he walked into the kitchen to quickly rinse off his hands and then fill a glass with some bottled water. After that Jack popped into Miranda’s bedroom to set the glass down on a nightstand and turn down her neatly made bed, then he strolled back into the living room to lift Miranda into his arms; her slender body certainly wasn’t weightless, but since Jack could bench twice whatever she probably weighed it really wasn’t a big deal, especially since he used his legs for most of the lift.

Back in the bedroom Jack gently laid Miranda down on the sheets and then tucked her in. As he did that he happened to notice a nasty looking bruise on one of her slim wrists, which gave him pause. “Where the hell did that come from?” he thought. Jack was sure it wasn’t him; he might be responsible for a few hickies on her neck after tonight but not that, especially since the bruise looked a day or two old. “Maybe some guy really in pain clamped down on her hard at the clinic?” he mused. The big soldier was tempted to ask her about it right then and there, but given how peaceful Miranda looked Jack decided to file that question away for later and instead knelt down next to the bed.

“Now I don’t want you to get the wrong idea” he began, a smile in his voice. “Normally I’d take my clothes off, climb into bed and fuck your brains out. But it’s a school night and you’re exhausted, so I’m gonna take a rain check on ravishing you.” Jack gently brushed some of Miranda’s hair aside and then softly kissed her on the forehead. “Sweet dreams, crazy” was the last thing he said before he stood back up, turned out the lights and walked out of the bedroom.

---

Back in the living area Jack took a quick look around. The place was far from a mess though probably not as neat as Miranda usually kept it, but he didn’t have the energy to do any tidying up before he left. So he just got himself a glass of water and left her a little note where she would see it; as he closed the door behind him he could hear that Miranda’s phone had worked back around to the Gerry Rafferty tune she’d quickly skipped over earlier in the night, and he made another mental note to look up its lyrics and maybe see why …

---The Note---

M: I’ll call. Remember to send me the names of some more villages you want to visit! XO - J
 
Morning dawned, and Miranda groaned the moment she opened her eyes. She'd not had enough to drink to give her a hangover, but the memory of yet another embarrassing horny hump session with Jack made her slightly ill. What is it about the man that makes me throw caution to the wind and break all the promises I've made to myself? She'd gone through romantic droughts before, all of them self induced. She'd been perfectly content to do the same when she received her assignment to Nigeria. Jack had ruined those perfectly laid plans with his salt and pepper scruff and handsome face.

Hungover or no, the clinic would have to do without her this morning. As much as she hated leaving her people in the lurch, it did them good to scramble without her once in a while. As Jack had seen, she really was running on fumes. Last night had helped tremendously. Not only had they gotten out the tension between them, lifting that intangible weight from her chest, but the sexual release had left her content and exhausted, which meant she'd slept like the dead. So while the thought of how she'd acted still made her blush, she was far more able to accept the consequences of her actions since the outcome had ultimately been beneficial.

She rose, took a shower, and then surveyed the damage. Jack had been demanding, but not hurtful. The only mark he'd left on her were the hickies on her neck, all of which were easily covered by makeup. She had no desire to give her staff any more reason to gossip. Glancing down, she noticed that she also had new bruises on her wrist. Carson. Shit, had Jack noticed? He never said anything. Hoping that he either didn't see or assumed she'd been injured in the clinic, Miranda began to formulate some excuse just in case he asked. A dab of foundation hid those marks, as well. One less thing to worry about.

It was noon by the time she reached the clinic. The waiting room was full but not overly crowded. Miranda and her team had managed to get most of the needed vaccinations done over the past few weeks, covering most of the surrounding neighborhoods. Beyond that, they still had a myriad of other problems to handle, from pure accidents to injuries as the result of fighting to sick children and malnutrition. The young and the elderly were always at risk for whatever bug was going around, which meant they'd seen more than their fair share of those cases. Without access to modern medicine, even the slightest flu could turn fatal. Thankfully, the worst of those cases ended up in one of the nearby hospitals where they were more properly equipped.

She was busy for the second half of the day, spending most of her time with her patients and very little on paperwork. She didn't have the attention span for paperwork just then. In those small moments between one case and the next, Miranda found herself thinking of Jack. More specifically, she found herself thinking of how she'd really wanted him to stay the night so he could fuck her silly. Next time, she promised herself. I'll strap him to the bed if I have to.

His note crinkled in her pocket as she reached for her phone during one of the breaks her staffed forced upon her. While she could have easily waited for him to call, she'd become impatient where Jack was concerned.

Here are the names you wanted. Any of these will do. Let me know when you're free again for dinner. ~M
 
Jack was feeling good on Thursday morning so he and Ian did a few extra laps around the perimeter before it got too hot. After that he was sitting at breakfast with Ian and Mikhail when Danny suddenly appeared and sat down to join them.

“Ag man, been looking for you. Valeriy asked that you come by the shop as soon as you can boet.”

“What’s up?”

“Turns out the fokkers from the 7th ID did hit that safehouse after the bombing after all. Came away with almost a lorry’s worth of stuff, or so we heard. It’s probably mostly kak, but Dieter made some calls to Abuja and it’s all being sent over this morning. Been a few days, so we could really use your help going through it all chop-chop. Might be some intel in there we can still use.”

Jack thought for second then turned to Mikhail and Ian. “Go ahead and switch around the training schedule. Grab Olayinka and the boys and run them through the shoot house again, just in case.” Ian grinned as he nodded and even Mikhail seemed to perk up a bit at the change in the day’s plans. Then Jack turned back to Danny. “Tell Valeriy I’ll be by right after I shower.”

---

Jack was taking a break just before dinner when he noticed the little light blinking on his cell and read Miranda’s text. “Shit, talk about bad timing for a lucky break” he thought as he glanced back at the boxes they still had to go through. After he took a gulp of cold coffee, which didn’t do his now empty stomach any favors, Jack sent Miranda a quick reply.

Hey, hope u slept well! Been swamped all day, so not sure about dinner. Will call as soon as I can. Thanks for the names, will start working on them asap. Maybe we go Mon. XO – J

---

On Friday, Jack and his team were on their way to their third house call of the morning when Naomi stepped into Miranda’s crowded clinic. The young Ethiopian woman was wearing a UN blue polo shirt bearing a small WHO logo, a snug pair of khaki pants and fairly modest wedge heels that brought her all the way up to 5’-2" tall. Naomi wrinkled her nose as she looked around and let her eyes adjust from the bright sunlight outside, then adeptly wove her way through the throng of waiting patients towards the reception desk. Once there she brushed back a stray lock of her long curly hair, smiled brightly and said hello with her usual British accent.

“Hello, I’m Naomi. I’m from the World Health Organization.” Here the young woman paused and ever so helpfully pointed at the logo on her polo shirt for emphasis. “I’m a … I know Doctor Blake. I have something for her.” At this point Naomi reached into the front pocket of her pants, fished out a thumb drive and politely held it up for the receptionist to see before she continued. “The photos she wanted, from my … from a photographer named Aldo. I was hoping I could speak to her for a moment while I was here. Doctor Blake I mean. If she's here that is, and isn't too busy of course.” Naomi blinked and then continued to smile brightly while she waited for the receptionist’s reply …
 
While Miranda was disappointed that Jack couldn't swing another meetup immediately, she understood how things could get busy at work. She had more than enough on her plate, and a multitude of patients to see, but in those quiet moments when she was alone in her own apartment, she couldn't help but wonder what he was doing. It had nothing to do with the press for information, or some hint into whatever secret ops they were pulling. She simply wanted to know what his day was truly like.

Friday came not a moment too soon. The clinic would be closed over the weekend and Miranda only had one surgery scheduled the following day. That gave her a day and a half of relaxation to look forward to. Of course, the last day before her day off usually turned out to be the craziest, and this day was no exception. Between the screaming babies and loud Nigerian aunties, she almost wished she could wear earphones while she worked. Naomi's appearance was surprising, but not unwelcome. Miranda took it as a sign of providence that she should take a desperately needed break. Before Isioma could pop off with her usual protective sass, Miranda intervened.

"Hey! I didn't know you were stopping by today, Naomi. Good to see you again. I've got her, Isioma. We'll be in my office." She waved Naomi back and closed the door behind the woman to mute the clinic's chaotic buzz. Moving a stack of folders from the 'guest' chair, she gestured for the tiny woman to sit before sagging into her own chair with a slight groan.

"So, to what do I owe this pleasure? I thought Aldo was going to be bringing me those." She pointed at the thumb drive. "Did he pawn his errands off on you? Or are you just being the sweet girlfriend?"
 
Naomi was positively beaming at Miranda as she sat down in the guest chair. “Thank you so much for seeing me Doctor Blake. I can see you’re terribly busy. Um … are you feeling better? Jelena says hello by the way. She was very cross when she heard you’d taken ill at the party. She said she’d have words with the caterer if it was the food that did it.” Naomi waited a moment to see what Doctor Blake might make of that before she plunged on.

“Here are the photos” the Ethiopian woman said as she leaned forward to hand the thumb drive to Miranda. “I looked at them like you said I should.” Naomi’s eyes widened a bit as she shyly added “I think you’re very brave” and then looked down at her hands.

After a short silence Naomi looked up and continued. “Um … it was actually my idea to bring you the photos. I was hoping I could, um … ask you a question. I was going to at the party, but then you had to leave. But it’s probably better I ask you here anyway.” Naomi gave a little shrug, looked down at her hands, then back up at Miranda.

“It’s, um … not for me actually, but for my friend. We … she I mean, was wondering about the …” Naomi looked down then up “ … pregnancy tests you can get at the chemists here. The ones from China. If their results are accurate. She heard that sometimes they aren’t and that the ones from Singapore or the EU are better. But those are hard to find.”

Naomi finally ran out of breath and just stopped talking, as she sat with her back straight, eyes locked on Miranda's and her two small hands clenched together in her lap so tightly that they were quivering …
 
"I am quite well, thank you," Miranda offered. She wasn't sure what stories were circulating about her and her 'illness', but she didn't really want to know. "You can assure Jelena that my absence had nothing to do with the food. It was all very wonderful."

After taking the drive from Naomi, she plugged it into her laptop to let the device install so that she could view the photographs. She'd have to make copies for Carson, of course, but she'd been quite serious about getting Aldo into touch with MSF marketing. They were always looking for a positive angle to drive up recruitment.

The woman's change in topic came as quite a surprise, however. She tried not to let too much of that shock register on her face, though didn't know how successful she'd been. Tilting her head at the question, her attitude shifted to a more professional manner.

"Your friend? Ah... well, you should tell her not to trust the Chinese tests. They've been known to give more false readings than those manufactured elsewhere. It really depends on the brand and their quality control. Accuracy also depends on how far along she is. If she really wants to know if she's pregnant, I have medical grade tests here that are always accurate. A blood test would be even better, but those normally take a few days to get back from the lab as we don't have the equipment in the clinic for that sort of testing."

Lifting a finger for the woman to wait, she rose and opened the door to the clinic, disappearing for a few moments. When she returned, she held a small sample collection cup in her hand, which she offered to Naomi. "Have your 'friend' urinate in this and bring it back to me. The test only takes a couple of minutes. If your 'friend' would like to use the clinic restroom, it's the next door down." She waved a hand at the open door, giving the woman the opportunity to drop all pretense and pee in the cup, or flee from embarrassment.
 
Naomi stared at the collection cup for a moment, then looked up at Miranda as if she was going to start denying who it was who really needed to pee into it. But then words started gushing out of the young woman’s mouth. “Please don’t tell Aldo Doctor Blake. Please! Or Jelena either. My Mum emails her sometimes.” Naomi looked back at the cup as if it were full of poison, then snatched it out of Miranda’s hand and dashed off in the direction of the restroom.

---

As Naomi left Miranda’s office, the noon call to prayer began playing from the dozens and dozens of speakers mounted on the minarets of Maiduguri’s mosques. And as the old, old words were sung yet again by the muezzins, and echoed and re-echoed throughout the city, Naomi fought back tears as she filled the cup and then washed her hands, just like her mother had taught her to do.

---

By the time Naomi returned to Miranda’s office the call was over; the Ethiopian woman looked down at her feet as she handed the cup to Miranda, but did manage to say something to her in a quiet voice. “I’m sorry I yelled at you Doctor Blake. Thank you for helping me.” Then Naomi sat in the guest chair and studied her small hands, which were once again in her lap.

---

While Miranda was talking to Naomi, Jack was lying in a puddle of his own sweat on a hot rooftop in the northern part of town. He was looking through a spotter scope at a man sitting about three hundred yards away in a small, second story room; the man was wearing an old brown shirt and reading a book while a small table fan behind him did its best to cool the room off.

When the call to prayer started Jack thought, not for the first time, how oddly beautiful it sounded; sort of like church bells ringing on Christmas morning, but on an alien planet. The man must have heard the call too, because he looked up from his book and out the window, seemingly directly at Jack. That was when Mikhail gently pressed the trigger of his sniper rifle and shot the man between the eyes. Between the rifle’s suppressor and the words of the call, even Jack didn’t really hear the shot and just saw the man’s head snap back before he flopped out of view, kind of like a marionette that had just had its strings cut.

Jack continued to watch the room as the call played out. No one came rushing in, and the man didn’t sit back in his chair to continue reading his book. The only movement in the room was from the blades of the cheap fan in the background, which continued to go round and round.

When the call ended Jack turned his head and spoke into his mic. “How’s it looking?”

“Still all quiet here” was Ian’s immediate reply.

“Alright. Call the TOC. Target neutralized. We’ll be down in a minute.” Then Jack turned his head to look at Mikhail.

“Nice shot. Where do you want to go for lunch?”

------The Test Results------

Positive. Naomi is pregnant.

------Bonus Video Footage------

A beautiful rendition of the call to prayer, complete with an English translation of the words. (Run time 3:34)

Beautiful Islamic Call to Prayer

A recording of the call to prayer at one place and time in this world. (2:20)

Daytime Call to Prayer, Fallujah, Iraq 2007
 
Miranda stared at the pregnancy test strips and sighed. Naomi was a sweet girl, but seemed completely out of her depth. From her body language and nervousness, it was clear that she was scared. Whether she wanted to be pregnant was another story. Some women grew to love the idea, even when the situation was far from ideal. Others wanted it dealt with quickly and quietly. She stepped back into her office with the results to discover which Naomi would be.

Sitting across from the girl, she clasped her hands together. "You know what I'm going to stay. You're other pregnancy tests were positive, weren't they? My test results came back positive, as well. You are, indeed, pregnant. You should know, this isn't something that I would ever discuss with anyone outside of this room. Doctor/Patient confidentiality exists for a reason and applies even here. This news is yours and yours alone. What you do with it is up to you."

"So, I'll ask you, Naomi... do you want to have a baby?"

It was an important question, but a dangerous one. Abortion was illegal in Nigeria save for those cases where it was necessary to save the mother's life. People had been tried, convicted, and executed for clandestine abortions because they were unsafe and often led to complications and death. Even so, Miranda believed it was the mother's right to decide. Naomi had to choose for herself.
 
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