"It's odd." She sat up and placed her hand on his chest. "I was so angry with you when we left earlier, I figured after seeing the artifact tonight I'd be able to avoid you for the rest of this project. But when we were in the crater, all I wanted to do was throw you to the ground and have my way with you. I didn't care if anyone saw us."

Ben reached up and placed his hand over hers. "I felt it too. When our knees touched, it felt like-"

"Like a shot of electricity went through us."

He searched her eyes for some sort of answer. "You didn't feel like that with Roger, correct?"

"No," her voice cracked. "I have no idea what's going on."

He pulled her close in a hug. "Let's get dressed and see if we can figure it out."

"I have a theory."

Ben heard the note of doubt in her voice. He gave her a squeeze and helped her down from the bench.

"Then I'm not worried. You'll figure it out and we'll know what we need to do."

Ben watched Jenna come to some sort of conclusion. She nodded stiffly and retrieved her shirt.

"Let's do this."

In the five minutes it took them to get dressed, he was amazed at how quickly she changed from lover to scientist. Her complexity definitely attracted him, but he wasn't sure how to react. In so many ways she did feel like his perfect match. Not that he believed for a second that there was such a thing. No one was perfect. Least of all him.

Jenna carefully made her way to the door and cracked it open a notch.

"It looks like we're clear. I'll head to the main tent first and wait for Roger there. If you want to follow in a few minutes, it shouldn't attract too much attention."

Ben leaped across the small space, banging into the hidden object on the floor, to 58 catch Jenna's arm before she left the shed.

"What? Why not go together?"

Jenna's face contorted into a look of pain. "I need to have the respect of my team if I'm going to lead them with this. You're an outsider to them. An unknown. If they see me with you..." she trailed off and shrugged.

"They won't respect you for being with me? Their loyalties are that fickle?"

"No, your reputation preceded you."

Ben dropped her arm. "I wonder how that happened."

At least Jenna looked guilty. "I'm sorry. When I heard you were backing the project, I thought it was going to happen all over again. I was angry, I guess. And a bit scared."

So much for the perfect relationship.

"I did what I did for good reason. Your theory at the time had flaws and it wasn't worth the financial risk to investigate further."

He pushed the door open and walked past her into the courtyard. He drove his clenched fists into his pants pockets and kept his stride long and fast. He hadn't even talked to her and she'd judged the project based on his name being attached to it. It was amazing she'd agreed to their date at all.

"Ben!"

He stopped dead and turned to face her. She stumbled to a stop herself a few steps away. Her hair was a wreck, her lips were swollen, looking very well kissed. And as much as he wanted to take her back to his place and forget this insanity he couldn't. He had no intention of making this easy for her. He refused to break eye contact or give her any prompting. It would drive her nuts.

"I'm sorry," she said clearly. Her arms were opened, palms facing him. "But you're not an easy man. You only give people enough to know your surface, and block any attempt at anything deeper."

"I never asked for that," he struggled to speak in a steady voice.

She shook her head. "Didn't you?"

Never. He never asked for, or wanted, that kind of relationship. A date, the occasional round of great sex and maybe some light conversation. That's all he looked for. That's all he needed. It had been all he'd needed for years.

Jenna laced her fingers behind her back as she walked to him.

"Ben, I'm the first to admit I'm over my head here. I'm going to need the support of every single member of my team to help me figure this out. It's my fault that they don't have a very high opinion of you. It will be my job to fix that."

She reached for his arm and pulled it out of his pocket. She poked her fingers into his fist until he relaxed.

"But I can do all the talking in the world and it won't change their minds. They need to trust you."

59.

A trickle of voices came from behind them and Ben looked up when he recognized Matt's. His head began to pound as the muscles of his neck tensed.

"That sounds like Roger. Look, we'll go to headquarters together and get this solved. Then we can talk. Okay?" Jenna gave his hand a squeeze. "Okay?"

"Why? Why do you need me all of a sudden? You seem to have survived all right without me for the past seven years. I doubt you needed me then either."

He needed to know. He couldn't handle betrayal again. Especially if it was Jenna.

To her credit, Jenna didn't jump in with a platitude. She shook her head and smiled.

How she could smile and look so sad was mind-boggling.

"I have a feeling there is something bigger going on here. That thing in the crater is more than an alien artifact. I need you and your team to help figure this out before someone else gets hurt."

Especially her. Ben realized they had formed some sort of connection tonight. He wasn't ready to walk away from it yet. To walk away from her.

"All right. Let's see what your boy Roger can come up with. And you might want to fix your hair."

"Shit." She raked her fingers through her hair and fixed it into a neat ponytail.

"Better?"

He nodded and gave her a wink.

The smile finally reached her eyes. "Thank you."

They walked the rest of the way to the temporary headquarters in silence. When they arrived, the place was buzzing with activity. Roger and Matt were arguing about something, while three or four scientists were trying to talk over the noise of the fight, increasing the racket. To add to the confusion, several men he recognized as security personnel from his company began to file into the now-crowded room. He couldn't help but chuckle.

"Glad you find this amusing," Jenna said and sighed.

"I believe I'll let you take the lead, Miss Robins."

"Why thank you, Mr. Hawthorn."

Jenna clapped her hands together loudly. "Excuse me, everyone. May I have your attention?"

Eight startled faces swung around and faced Jenna. Silently, Ben cheered her on.

He'd never seen her like this, in charge. And for once in his life no one seemed to notice him. He moved to the corner of the tent, spun a chair around backward, straddled it and sat down to watch her work.

"I'm assuming Roger has briefed everyone on our situation." Jenna waited until the majority of people nodded. "Excellent. I believe the artifact was used for terraforming the planet."

A rumble in the room from the scientists, several shaking their heads. The urge to 60 say something, to try to help rescue her, was strong. He squeezed the back of the chair and waited. Jenna didn't leave him hanging for long.

"I know, where's the hard proof? The explosion is the key."

Jenna walked into the center of the room and pointed to Roger. "Let me see your kit."

"I didn't use anything from my kit on that thing. I didn't have a chance."

She took a large plastic kit box from Roger and set it on the ground in front of everyone.

"For those of you new to the team, this is a standard kit. In here we have various chemicals that we use to test soil and other samples that we collect. This," she picked up two small bottles, "is magnesium and this is liquid oxygen. Now on their own they are harmless. But when you combine them-"

"They're explosive," Ben finished for her.

Jenna cast him a quick glance and nodded. "Given the right conditions, yes."

Everyone turned and looked at Roger.

"I already told you I didn't do anything. I set the kit on the ground about three feet from the device and left. This wasn't my fault," he said a bit too quickly, his face growing red.

Jenna held up her hand. "I know, Roger. I'm not implying you had anything to do with this. I think it was the artifact itself."

That's when it struck him. "Of course."

Jenna looked at him from over her shoulder and smiled. "The artifact seems to have the ability to pull together elements that combine perfectly. When mixed together, these two chemicals make a very powerful explosive."

"Just like the crystals underneath the device now. Makes sense," Roger nodded.

Jenna stood. "We need to figure out how much power this thing has left. I'm going to break you into teams and give you your assignments. Once we know how powerful this thing is, then we can figure out if it will pose a threat to the planet."

"Wait a minute," Matt spoke up, making sure to catch Ben's attention. "You think there is a threat? How big?"

Jenna's eyes darted around the room, but she didn't look at him again. Ben knew she needed to stay in control and if anyone thought for a second that she was taking her lead from him, everything would fall apart.

"You saw the damage that was done when the device combined a small amount of chemicals. Think of what would happen if someone got their hands on bucketful, or a tank." She waited for that image to sink in before she continued. "Someone had tried to move the device. We found evidence of modern tools."

"Then we need to set up a perimeter." Matt looked to Ben again.

He couldn't do it. He couldn't undermine Jenna, even though every inch of him 61 was straining to take charge. For once in his life he was going to sit back and let someone else run the show. Jenna had trusted him earlier tonight, it was time for him to repay the favor. Ben looked from Matt to Jenna and waited.

"If it is okay with Mr. Hawthorn, I'd like to put Matt in change of doing just that."

Jenna now turned to face him fully.

Ben felt the muscles in his neck relax a notch, pleased to be officially invited into the process. "Let us know what you need and we'll get it in place."

"Thank you."

He could actually feel the gratitude radiating from her, spreading from her slow smile across the room to hit him in the chest. She looked tired. Ben stood, but Jenna turned back to the others before he could make a move to join her.

"Listen up, everyone, for your assignment," she said with clear authority.

All he could do was stand there and wait. People would file up to talk to Jenna, and he could watch their confusion change to clarity after only a minute or two of talking to her. Each would leave with their purpose clear in every step they took. After ten minutes the only ones who remained were themselves and Matt.

"Matt, I appreciate you taking charge of security. I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of the people who tried to move the device."

Jenna handed him the schematics of the base area. Matt looked between her and Ben, before he reached into his jacket and pulled out a thermos.

"The two of you look like hell. I think you need this more than I do."

Heat from the coffee inside warmed Ben's hand. Knowing Matt, it would be strong enough to keep them up until dawn.

"Thanks. I think Miss Robins needs a short break before we put her to work," he said, casting a quick look down at her face.

She tried unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn.

"And maybe a nap," Ben said as he rubbed her back.

"I'll leave you two alone then. I'm on the wireless if you need anything."

Matt gave Jenna one of his killer winks and headed out to check the perimeter.

The second the door closed behind him, Ben turned and scooped Jenna into his arms.

Her eyes popped wide open. "What are you doing?"

"I was serious. You need a nap."

He almost dropped her when she tried to squirm out of his arms. "Ben, please. Put me down."

"I intend to. In this cot right here."