Carol moved around behind him and placed her cool fingers on the back of his neck. Gently she began to massage him. "There, isn't that better?"
Bert's face darkened as he watched, but he kept his emotions under control now. As he looked into Miles' eyes he realized that he had made a fool of himself. Would Miles suspect anything else? Inwardly Bert cursed himself.
"While I'm playing nurse to the boss, why don't you check over the Deimos contracts, Bert? I just put them on the desk. Now all we have to do is to get to Deimos and have the Waring Cartel sign up. I don't mind telling you I sweated on those papers. If I do say so they're as neat a package as our high-priced lawyers could turn out."
Miles managed a laugh to kill the tenseness inside him. "If you had your way, Carol, we wouldn't need anybody but the three of us to run this business."
She pouted. "Keep it in the family's my motto. Which reminds me, have you told Bert the good news?"
Miles dropped his gaze away from Bert and stared uncomfortably toward the far wall and the model of the Space Queen. He was glad Carol couldn't see his face at that moment.
It was Tanner who broke the suddenly strained silence. "News? What news, Carol?"
She stopped massaging Miles' neck and moved to his side to sit on the edge of the desk. She crossed one shapely leg over the other and there was a happy glow in her eyes as she looked down at Miles.
"There, I guess I've spoiled the surprise party after all." She looked over to Bert. "Did Miles tell you we were going to have a private party this evening?"