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“How is she?”

Hoss looked up at Heath’s words and Mari saw the other Marine’s rueful smile. “I think she’s been cut off.”

“I’m not-” Reiko sat up straight in a moment and before she could speak, she lifted a hand to rub at her temple. “I’m good. I’m fine.”

Mari moved toward her friend and felt the loss of Heath’s hand the moment she lost contact with him.

“You’re not fine.” She put her hand on Reiko’s back. “What’s going on?”

Sitting there beside her, she saw the tension in her friend rising to the surface.

Reiko smiled, but it was a bitter one. “Work stuff…”

Mari opened her mouth to ask, but Reiko waved her hand.

“I don’t want to talk about it. I just want to drink.” Reiko started to get up, but she tipped to the side as if she might fall off of the swiveling seat.

Mari reached out, but she wasn’t as fast as Hoss.

The man was big, muscled like a book cover model, but he moved as fast as a large cat.

He helped her stand up and let her lean against him, keeping an arm around her.

“Wow.”

Reiko’s voice had a dreamy quality to it.

“That. Was. Hot.” She had punctuated each word with a wobbling poke to his chest. “You’re like Captain Puerto Rico.”

Mari grimaced at Hoss’ frown.

She knew where this was coming from, but the other man? Not so much.

Reiko wasn’t seeing the unspoken question on Hoss’ face. Mari saw it and she saw the mild humor on Heath’s.

“It’s the costume,” Mari spoke softly. “There’s just the one star on a blue background and red and white stripes under it. It’s the Puerto Rican flag,”

“I see it.” Hoss nodded, smiling slightly. “I’ve never been called a superhero before.”

Reiko lifted her head, her eyes a little glassy. “It’s the pecs.” She lifted her hand and gave his pec a good squeeze. “Oh wow… it’s better than it looks and it looked GOOOOD.”

Mari mouthed a ‘SORRY’ at Hoss.

He shook his head. “No worries.”

Reiko wrapped her arms around Hoss and squeezed hard enough that his eyes widened.

Mari reached out to help extricate him, but he shook his head.

“I’m good.”

Mari watched as Hoss lifted his hand and gently rubbed Reiko’s back in a comforting gesture.

With his other hand he made a gesture toward Reiko who looked like she might just fall asleep standing up. “You want me to get her home?”

Mari’s instinct was to say no.

She was the designated driver after all.