I don't remember being specifically invited to do anything." With a somewhat incredulous gaze, Mandi softly repeated, "'Specifically invited..?'" "Yup. We discussed. We inferred. That's all. Men and women don't communicate all that well sometimes, Mandi. A long time ago I discussed and inferred like that with another woman, a friend of my sister's. It turned out that she'd just been talking about some of her thoughts and feelings about sex with someone she'd thought had understood that we'd just been talking. When I acted on what I thought she'd meant, she gave me one of those 'hurt puppy' looks and started crying and bitching about how all men were such jerks. Ever since, I've made sure to be sure." With a narrow gaze, Mandi asked, "What do you mean by 'acted on', Ed?" Sipping some coffee, Cade said, "I just made advances. I didn't throw her over my shoulder and head for the bedroom." After a moment of studying him, Mandi asked, "What kind of advances?" Setting his coffee down, Cade quietly asked, "Should I simply answer that question, or should I demonstrate?" Her gaze still narrow, but now because she suspected Cade was teasing her, Mandi said, "Try demonstrating." Smiling as he said a firm, "Yes, milady," Cade stepped forward and took Mandi in his arms as she, in turn, embraced him. Kissing her softly, he took his time about letting his lips brushingly caress hers, then made the kiss become a firm connection for some moments. When the kiss ended, he continued to hold her as he whispered in her ear, "That's all I did, ma'am. I'm kind of hoping you'll handle it better than she did." As Mandi chuckled softly, Cade punctuated the whisper with another brushing kiss on Mandi's cheek and grinningly asked, "Do I have to let you go now, or could we stay like this a while?" Looking up at him, Mandi asked, "You realize what time it is, don't you?" "It's about ten to one, but we don't have to be anywhere until the con opens tomorrow. Not even then, really, unless someone calls a briefing on a Saturday morning." "Are you willing to chance that on only a few hours of sleep? You've had a long day, Ed, and as far as I know, I'll be here tomorrow night, too." Cade cocked his head slightly as he looked at her. "Ah, but what if you aren't here tomorrow night for some reason? Mandi, I've been up too late a few times before and survived early briefings." He paused and kissed her again before emphatically adding, "And tonight I'm with a superwoman who may as well be a goddess. Hell, yes, I'll take a chance like that! Want some help in the shower? Not to brag, of course, but I'm considered something of a lay expert in matters of gynocentric eudemonics." Mandi pulled back a bit and eyed Cade for a moment, then asked, "You do know some unusual words, don't you?" "Yes'm. And since you aren't asking me what 'eudemonics' means, so do you. Probably all of them, I figure."