Lydia could have sworn Galen flushed at her gentle teasing. "Sorry. I guess my brain just wasn't changing gears fast enough. I'd blame jet lag but I think it has more to do with you. For some reason when I'm around you all the blood drains out of my brain into my pants."

"What a lovely thing to say." Oddly enough, coming from Galen, it was a uniquely touching compliment. He was so smart, so tuned into the intellectual side of his nature that being able to rattle that was a ...