Happy Weekend! Thank You everyone for continuing on with GMN by reading/following/reviewing! Big cyber-hugs to you all!

A.N. Last part of this chapter (Coffee shop scene) was written in by my editor...the Fabulous KathDMD (will indicate as in last chapter :-) )

Drowningblonde: If Allura doesn't want him...I'll be glad to take him ;-) Yes...trouble indeed!

KathDMD: I noticed...but...then again...I love Ciroc *giggle hiccup* You can tamper any time... I want everyone to enjoy this story and Italo was too good to ignore!

JustLucky05: We all hope! Yes...Geni loves controversy...for sure! Things are going to get very messy...

Smithy: Sounds fun...will have to look into it!

Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from Voltron or its characters. All OCs (with exception of Italo) belong to me...

"Spring Break: Give Me Novocaine"

Chapter 10

"With every breath that I am worth

Here on Earth

I'm sending all my love to you

So if you dare to second guess

You can rest assure

That all my love's for you

My beating heart belongs to you

I walked for miles 'til I found you

I'm here to honor you

If I lose everything in the fire

I'm sending all my love to you"

- Green Day, "Last Night on Earth"

Over the next month, things on Arus were uneventful for the most part. Lotor attacked earlier than expected, which worked to Arus' benefit. The Drule prince was not at full capacity yet, which allowed the Voltron Force to inflict even more damage on his already compromised armada. According to Pidge's calculations, it would take him at least another three months to replenish the minimum amount of resources required for another attack- and, aside from some bruises and a concussion, there were no major injuries sustained by the Force or the Arusian ground support.

On Earth, a stubborn Allura stuck to her promise of not contacting them, which had some of the team members frustrated; however, Lance was able to get some information out of Geni regarding her well-being. He would pass any news he did acquire along, but it was never good enough for the Voltron commander.

Whenever he had a moment, Keith tried to snoop around with Jeff's help, as Lisa was too pissed at him. Although he was confident that Allura was safe, he still wasn't sure exactly what was going on. He was sure, however, that Dylan was at the center of it. He was going to have to try to contact her one way or another, but he hadn't had much time to focus on it, as his priority was rebuilding the damage caused by the last attack. Now that they were caught up, he could start focusing on the plan once more.

Allura.

He missed her - really missed her. He hadn't realized just how much a part of him she was until she was gone. He longed to see her smile, hear her laugh, and gaze into those azure eyes that had captivated him from the beginning, much more than he wanted to admit.

She had the ability to drive him mad, but he didn't want it any other way. He was in love with her.

Allura's right, this is ridiculous. Maybe we can make this work...if she ever talks to me again.

XXXXXXXXXX

Things were significantly looking up for Allura. As Dylan, she had managed to be given the lead position on the Alliance's elite fighter team: the Black Panthers. She was able to take Geni as her second, along with three others - 2nd Lieutenants Jason Carter and Harold Mitchel, and Tech Sergeant Ryan Perry. All in all, they made a very good team.

She was lucky that her teammates respected her. They were not the least bit intimidated by the fact that she was a woman. Better still, they had no problem following her orders, and it showed. The Black Panther team was favored to win the competition, which would serve to make them all look good.

The training she had received from Keith and the others really showed. She was considered by all to be a brilliant strategist and soldier, and the higher-ups were impressed by her discipline and motivation. She was exceptional, for sure...as was Genevieve McClain.

Geni flourished under Allura's command. While on duty, Allura knew exactly what to do to keep her friend focused and on track. Geni deserved to lead her own team, and Allura was determined to help her achieve that goal. After all, someone would need to lead the Panthers after she returned to Arus. Of course, that was not to say that they did not pull their pranks and have their fun; they just didn't get caught.

Thanks to Allura's intervention, Cliff and Geni had grown closer as well. After spending so much time with them - and, more to the point, acting as Geni's date whenever she went out with Allura and Italo - it was obvious that Cliff really cared about her more than just as protecting 'Lance's little sister'. Ever the good 'wingwoman', Allura was able to help them take the next step. They decided that they should wait a while to tell Lance - maybe when he and Keith came for the ceremony.

She and Liam had come to an understanding as well, especially after the night she broke his nose at The Hangar when he kissed her after she had a bit too much to drink. What made it worse was that she had been on a date with Italo when it happened - "For Pete's sake, Lochlan, I'm here with your freakin' second-in-command!" She would tolerate him flirting with her every once in a while; however, if he ever tried anything more than that again, she would do so much more damage.

He took advantage of the agreement on a regular basis, insisting that, deep down, she really wanted him and was just using Italo to get to him - Whatever, dude! She hated to admit it, but she found Liam to be a lot of fun. Insufferable, perhaps, but fun nonetheless.

Despite all the good times she was having and all the accomplishments that she had made, Allura felt empty. She missed her boys and she really missed Keith. It bothered her that he had just given up and let her go. He wasn't even trying anymore, hadn't called Lisa or Geni in four weeks.

She was having a great time with Italo, but she found herself constantly dreaming about Keith being the one beside her on dates and holding her hand. She wished Keith was kissing her, loving her, never letting her go. She missed him - really missed him.

One afternoon, after returning to the apartment from a training session with Harold, she found herself questioning whether she had pushed Keith too far. Could his feelings for her have changed?

I called him a son of a bitch and told him to fuck off. Hell, if I were him, I'd be pissed for sure!

She sighed out her frustration as she walked into the kitchen for a bottle of water. On her way to the refrigerator, she noticed a package with a note on the table.

Lura-Lu, I got a package from Lance today and this was in there for you.

I'll be back soon!

- Geni

Allura opened up the package to find a music player pre-loaded with obviously hand-picked classic rock songs from a different era on Earth. It was a guilty pleasure; she loved rock music, as did the boys. The note attached was simple:

I know you're upset. I am too,

but I still miss you regardless.

You're always in my thoughts,

the first thing I think of in the morning

and the last thing I think of at night.

Track 7 is for you.

She sat down in the chair by the window, put her headphones on, and skipped to track 7. She held the music player against her chest, smiled, and then closed her eyes. Tears welled up behind her eyelids.

Five weeks. She had been there for five weeks. Only five more to go…

XXXXXXXXXX

Another week had passed. After dinner, Keith headed out to the castle gardens to relax. He sat on the bench that was so often occupied by the beautiful blonde monarch. He smiled to himself, remembering how many times he had followed her out there, making sure she was safe.

Now what?

He knew that Allura was furious with him for putting her in a corner and using Dylan's success to bait her. Maybe it's time I made good on my threat. Maybe that will force her to open up to me and tell me what's been going on.

He glanced at his watch. It was around 0415 on Earth - and he remembered Geni saying that MacKenzie always got up early to run. Standing up from the bench, he left the garden and headed back to his office.

As he turned down the hall, he noticed that he had visitors waiting for him in front of his door. He rolled his eyes as he approached them.

"Seriously, guys, do you have nothing better to do than stalk me?" Keith's irritation was evident in his voice.

"Nah, annoying you has always been at the top of my list of fun things to do." Lance playfully slapped his friend on the back.

Growling, Keith turned to Sven. "What's your excuse?"

Sven shot him a dirty look. "Consider it payback for tearing me away from my fiancée."

Keith rolled his eyes at both of them again and walked into his office - Sven and Lance in tow. He sat at his desk as Sven and Lance sat in the chairs across from him. "So, any new developments concerning our fantabulously stubborn Princess?" Lance smirked.

"No, but I have a plan," Keith informed them.

"And that plan would be...?" Sven prodded.

"I'm going to have a little talk with Lieutenant MacKenzie about her future." Keith shot them a dazzling grin.

"Ah, you mean what you told Allura about giving her the position of Blue Lion's pilot," Sven remarked.

"And how exactly is that going to help, oh brilliant one?" Lance snorted.

Keith glared at him. "Easy, Lance. I'm sure that the Princess thought I was bullshitting about offering MacKenzie the position. If I actually offer MacKenzie the position..."

"You'll piss Allura off enough where she may contact us to retaliate. Got it," Lance cut him off. "One problem, though."

"And what's that?"

"Have you ever talked to MacKenzie?"

"No, not for lack of trying." Keith sighed in frustration.

Lance threw back his head and laughed. "Good luck with that, man! She is one tough hottie, that's for sure. I can't even charm her, and you guys know how charming I can be." He wagged his eyebrows up and down.

"Yes, Lance, we are all too familiar with your effect on women," Sven reminded him sarcastically.

"What can I say, boys? It's a gift." Lance laced his fingers behind his head and leaned back in his chair.

Sven groaned.

"Lance, she's Geni's roommate. Did it ever dawn on you that your sister may have warned her about how you operate?" Keith asked, desperately trying not to laugh in his face.

"Hey, hasn't stopped me before! Nah, this girl, she means business, man."

Sven smirked. "Don't take it personally, Lance. We all saw her. She's quite attractive, so she's probably bombarded by guys like you every day. Hell, didn't Jeff say that Liam was there?"

He paused as Keith clenched his jaw and nodded.

"Heh, can you imagine what she gets from him? She is obviously in it to win it and wants to be taken seriously, and is sick of flyboys like us - er, you- trying to kiss up to her." He finished with a sheepish grin.

"Yeah, I guess you've got a point there, Mr. Soon-to-be-off-the-market," Lance smirked.

Sven threw him a dirty look. "Shut up, McClain! I love Romelle with everything in me. Don't mock me just because you were rejected."

Lance opened his mouth to respond, but Keith interrupted. "Alright, guys, enough! If you want to continue, then do it somewhere else, because I have a call to make."

Both guys dropped the subject and moved on to the next topic. "So, how do you know she'll even answer?" Lance pressed. "Even if Vievi does pick up, she won't give you the time of day. She's still REALLY pissed."

"She won't pick up. It's like 0430 there, and if she's anything like her brother, she'll be out cold," Keith smirked.

Sven snorted in laughter.

"But I remember her telling us that MacKenzie is a stickler for getting up early to go for a run. I'll catch Dylan for sure."

"Always so observant, Mon Capitan," Lance sulked, annoyed by his friend's previous dig.

"Well, someone's got to be." Keith glared at his friends. "Now, both of you, keep your mouths shut or get out."

They rolled their eyes and nodded in agreement.

XXXXXXXXXX

Allura was tearing the apartment apart. Where the hell did she put my music player? Ugh! I'm gonna kill you, Geni! As she flung the couch pillows around, she heard the vid-screen beeping, indicating an incoming call.

Great, it's probably Lance. She leaned over to answer it before turning back to continue looking for her music player. "What do you want now, Lance?" she asked without looking to see who it was.

That was when she heard a soft laugh and his voice. "I'm not Lance. Nice tat, by the way. It's a love knot, isn't it?"

She froze. Oh God! Now what? Be cool, just be cool. No need to panic. You're leading the Black Panthers, for God's sake - you can certainly deal with this!

After taking a calming breath, she decided to acknowledge him while still looking for her music player. "Yes. It is. Kudos on your stellar observation skills." She continued her search as if he wasn't there.

He let out a snort at her abrupt response. "I'm assuming that, based on your attire - or, should I say, lack thereof - that you're heading for your run."

She was grateful that she wasn't facing him, because she was sure she was blushing. "I am, as a matter of fact, and Geni's sleeping, so what do you want?" she snapped.

"Do you always divulge this much information without even asking who is on the line?"

Allura put her funky glasses on and decided to face the music. There was always a chance that he wouldn't realize it was her, after all - she hadn't spoken to him in over a month. She just wouldn't get too close to the vid-screen. With that in mind, she spun around.

There she was, face to face with the man that had occupied her dreams for the last two and a half years, wearing her hip-hugging yoga pants and black cut-off sports tank.

It was more than obvious that he was checking her out. Oh yeah, she works out, all right.

From behind her glasses, Allura narrowed her eyes. "OK, smartass. Who are you? All better now?"

As soon as he heard her, he came back to reality. "Yes, much better. I'm Keith, Geni's other brother, sort of."

"Lance is Geni's brother." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not stupid."

"Yeah, well, I grew up with Lance and Geni, so she sees me like a big brother as well. Anyway, I didn't call to talk about my family tree."

"I see." She paused. "Keith, huh?" She acted as though some sort of profound realization had hit her. "Ah, yes, Captain Keith Kogane, the man who has single-handedly managed to piss off all of my friends. Well, like I said, Geni is sleeping and I have a run that's calling my name, so..."

Keith interrupted her. "I didn't call to talk to Geni, Lieutenant. I called to talk to you." He noticed the surprised expression on her face. "Why don't you have a seat?"

She stood there and stared at him. What game is he playing now? "I don't know about you, Keith Kogane, but I don't like people interfering with my workout."

He mirrored her position by crossing his own arms in front of him as he leaned back in his chair. "I promise not to take up too much of your time. Shocking as this may sound, Lieutenant, I am quite familiar with the concept of working out." He grinned.

She looked him up and down for show. "I can tell."

He looked at her with a raised brow as she sat down on a chair that was not directly in front of the screen. He continued to stare at her, looking as though he was deep in thought. Oh God, I know that look - here it comes...

Instead of the explosion she was expecting, he smiled. "Lieutenant MacKenzie -"

"Dylan," Allura interrupted.

"OK, Dylan. You are one difficult woman to track down. I have been trying to get ahold of you for weeks. If I didn't know any better, I would think that you were avoiding me." Keith grinned, now realizing just how valid his statement really was.

"Why would you be looking for me, exactly?" She was curious as to where this was heading.

"I've heard great things about you, Dylan. Rumor has it, you may be giving some of my team members a run for their money. I find this very...intriguing." He offered a sweet smile.

Oh my God, where is this coming from? Is he trying to flirt with me? She raised her brow. "Are you saying that you find me intriguing, Captain Kogane?"

"Amongst other things," he replied with a bit of a wicked grin. He didn't break eye contact.

Oh my God, he is flirting with me, I mean with Dylan, I mean...what the hell! It's all good, just play the game, you can do it.

Allura smiled. "Very well, you have me now. What do you want with me, Captain?" She shifted in her chair so that her body appeared to be draped over it seductively.

Keith didn't flinch and continued to grin at her. Interesting development. Definitely unexpected, but could prove to be quite fun. "Why don't we save that for a different conversation?"

He noticed the brief look of shock in her face before it quickly evaporated. "I would, however, like to discuss a possible position for you here on Arus once you've completed the competition - and by position, I mean an actual job, Lieutenant."

Who is this guy and what has he done with Keith? Did he seriously just insinuate...oh my! "And exactly what, pray tell, does this...position...involve, Sir?" she smirked devilishly.

He actually chuckled, which sent her heart racing. "The details are classified for now, but you and I would be working closely together. I might even let you work out with me, if you think you can handle it," he winked. Yeah, this is definitely fun.

For the love of God and all that is holy and pure! I'm going to kill him! Stay calm, Allura. Relax…you're Dylan…

"You? Oh, Captain, I can definitely handle you." She waved him off with a flip of her hand, then leaned forward and looked at him intensely. "The question is, can you handle me? I have a reputation for my endurance and stamina, you know. I can go for hours." She paused as she noticed Keith's eyes darkening at her comment, lightly licking his lips as his mouth went dry. Then, for good measure, she added, "Just ask Liam...he couldn't last more than twenty minutes doing my workout."

She smiled wickedly.

Keith grimaced imperceptibly at the mention of Liam's name. He's a dead man! He then gave her an irresistible, smoldering look. "Well, Dylan, in case you haven't noticed, I am not Liam." He, too, slowly leaned forward. Now it was his turn to notice the effect he had on her.

She spoke, almost breathlessly, in a deep, seductive voice. "No. No, you most definitely are not."

Allura felt like she was going to faint. She couldn't stop staring at his lips, imagining herself devouring them. Why has he never flirted like this with me before? My God, I would have absolutely... She forced herself to snap out of it - fast.

She gave him a coy smile. "You know, Captain, we can go on like this all day...not that I mind." She paused to look at him knowingly. "But I really do need to head out or else I'll never finish my routine before I need to report to base."

He laughed. "Understood. All joking aside, MacKenzie, please consider what I said."

She looked at him somberly. "I will think about it."

"Good. We'll talk again soon, I hope - unless you avoid me again."

"I wasn't avoiding you, Kogane. You just weren't trying hard enough." She winked.

"Goodbye, Dylan. Enjoy your run."

"Goodbye, Kogane."

Once he cut the connection and the screen went black, Allura sat up and leaned over the table in complete and utter shock. She remained in that position until she heard a voice behind her.

"I bet you need a cold shower after that one. Geez! It's getting hot in here!" Geni pretended to fan herself.

"Gen, how long have you been standing there?"

"Oh, I heard the whole thing, Lovey." A silly grin was plastered to her face. "I told you Keith could flirt."

"Why? Why is he flirting with Dylan? Is he that pissed off at me? After he sent me that song, I thought things were alright. Shit, Gen! What am I going to do?" Allura was almost frantic, but Geni was laughing hysterically. "And why is it that you can't get your ass out of bed at 0430 any other day? Dammit! This isn't funny, Gen!"

"Like hell it isn't! He's two-timing you with you! HA!" She laughed to the point where tears were forming. Allura started throwing things at her - pillows, couch cushions, anything she could find. That only made her laugh harder.

XXXXXXXXXX

Back on Arus, Keith smiled broadly as he thought about the conversation he'd just had with Dylan. That was it. He'd figured it out. No one needed to know, and he was sure she'd eventually realize that he was in on the stunt she'd pulled.

She was safe and it was time for him to have a little fun. He could finally be free to say things and act like he always wanted to with her, but couldn't. This would benefit both of them. Who would have thought that she could flirt like that? Brilliant. She is brilliant! And that tattoo...is it... real? Damn! He laughed at himself. Now I can finally relax.

He was about to head to his room to take a much-needed cold shower, forgetting that Lance and Sven had been in the office with him throughout the entire conversation. He wiped the silly grin off his face and went into full-on commander mode quickly. He looked up to see Lance and Sven staring at him strangely.

"Um, Keith, what the hell was that?" Lance asked, rubbing the back of his head.

"What was what?" Keith played dumb.

"You were flirting, actually flirting!" Lance cried out, dumbfounded.

"And she was definitely flirting back with him, that's for sure!" Sven teased.

"You guys don't know what you're talking about." Keith attempted to walk away.

"Cut the bullshit, Mr. And-by-position-I-mean-an-actual-job, you know damn well what you were doing! I can't believe it!" Lance continued.

Keith glared at him in response. "So what if I was? Who cares? Or are you just pissed off that she actually preferred to flirt with me and not you?" He crossed his arms over his chest.

"You're a jerk, you know that? I couldn't care less if she flirts with you, or even wants you for that matter - hell, it's no secret that most Academy girls dig Mr. Unattainable-Number-One!" Lance threw his arms in the air.

"Then what's the problem?"

"YOU are!"

"Why the hell do you care if I flirt with her?" Keith snarled.

Lance looked over at Sven. "Allura," he answered simply.

Keith's brows furrowed as he looked back at them. "What about Allura?" he asked with an expressionless look on his face.

"I thought you, you know, cared about her...a lot." Lance rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably.

"Of course I care about the Princess. What does that have anything to do with it?" Keith acted nonchalant.

"Come on, Keith. We're not stupid. We know how you feel about Allura. Play this game with someone else." Sven was annoyed by Keith's obvious attempt to throw them off.

Keith sighed. "Look, I'm not confirming or denying what you're saying." He paused as his friends rolled their eyes at him. "It doesn't matter - we wouldn't be able to be together anyway, there's too much at stake."

"Oh, get off it, Keith! That's all bull and you know it!" Lance snorted.

"Actually, Lance, it isn't!" Now Keith was pissed. "Did it ever occur to you that I'm just a tad bit human? That maybe I need a break from being 'the fearless one', as you love to call me? That maybe flirting with Dylan can help to get my mind off something that can never be so that it doesn't eat me alive? So what? You're the one who's always telling me to loosen up - well, there you go! You just witnessed it!"

Lance and Sven stared back at him, shocked.

"I'm not a player like you, Lance. I have no intention of leading anyone on. I'm just…tired. That's all." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

There was so much truth in what he'd just said. She was there and he was here. He could be free with her, the way he longed to be with her, in a way that was just not possible on Arus.

Lance approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey Keith, I'm sorry, brother, really. I had no idea. I guess it would get to me too." He put his arm down. "Look, man, flirt away. I'm the last one to judge. Besides, you never know. I hate to say it, but you guys have a lot in common. It's like you and Dylan were trained by the same person - freaky, really."

Keith actually chuckled. Huh, you have no idea. "Don't worry, it's all good. I'm sorry I yelled. I guess I just need a break from reality every once in a while - shh, don't tell anyone."

Sven grinned, but continued to look at Keith, unconvinced. He knew his friend better than anyone. Even though Keith and Lance had grown up together, the Scandinavian was more in tune with how Keith thought and operated. He could only hope that his friend would fix things before they became past the point of repair.

xKxAxTxHxDxMxD

Her conversation with Keith had weighed on her all day. In the end, she found herself fuming. I can't believe he would flirt that blatantly with Dylan. He's in love with me, for crying out loud! He should not be flirting with Dylan, even if she is me!

Allura was so aggravated that she'd forgotten all about the music player and Track 7. Talk about your mixed signals - he's sending some for sure! Making her way back into the apartment, she plopped down on the couch. She heard the shower running in the bathroom, and waited for Geni to be done so that they could talk.

When the water turned off, she heard giggling...but not just of the female variety. Allura was sure that she heard two voices in the bathroom. Suddenly, she was overcome with embarrassment - Geni and Cliff! Oh my God, they showered together, and now they're probably gonna...EEP! I've gotta get out of here, quick! She grabbed her phone and dashed out of the apartment, forgetting to lock the door behind her.

Once she was down on the street, Allura headed for a coffee shop. As she sat down at a table on the sidewalk, she felt unbelievably lonely. Knowing that what she was about to do was just a quick fix and not an actual cure, she dialled Italo's number.

"Ciao, Bella," he answered with an exaggerated Italian accent. "What's going on?"

"Hi, Tony," she greeted him. "I was just sitting down at the coffee shop by my apartment building. What are you up to?"

She could hear his sultry grin over the phone. "Well, isn't that a coincidence. I just got out of the gym, so I'm in your neighborhood. I'll be there in less than two minutes."

"Great." She held off on ordering until Italo could join her.

While she waited, she was wracked with confusion. She was using Italo and she knew it. She didn't love him, she was in love with Keith. She had feelings for Keith Kogane that were so overwhelming that they consumed her. But then again, right now he had her guts twisted in confusion and despair.

She thought that Italo was cute and funny and easy to spend time with. He didn't make her feel sick or tortured; he didn't send her mixed signals. In a straight-up black-and-white universe, Italo Luciano had it all over Keith Kogane in terms of boyfriend material.

But this wasn't a straight-up black-and-white universe.

"Ah. There you are." Italo plopped down onto the chair across from her, and Allura couldn't help but marvel at how attractive he was, even straight from the gym. His dark-olive skin glistened with sweat, his sable hair was slicked back, and his sleeveless shirt showed off his powerful, muscular arms. "You look gorgeous."

"And you look good right from the gym. You could give a girl a complex." She blushed slightly, trying to push all of her thoughts of Keith to the back burner.

"So why are you here and not in your apartment?"

In the few weeks he had known her, Italo got her. He seemed to understand that she made every move for a reason. "Do you really wanna hear? It might scar you for life."

He grinned mischievously. "Oh, in that case, I most definitely have to hear it."

"I heard Geni and Cliff in the shower together."

"Oh my God!" Italo shrieked like a Catholic schoolgirl. "Are you serious? Oh, no wonder you ran out of that apartment like a bat out of hell." He covered his mouth with his hands.

"Yeah. That was pretty much my same reaction."

Italo shrugged. "Well, I suppose it was bound to happen. I mean, Geni is a pretty girl, and from what you've told me, she's had a crush on Cliff forever. I can't say I blame either of them." He flagged down a waitress to order a black coffee, and Allura decided on an iced coffee with skim milk. "But man, that must have made you super uncomfortable."

"It sure did."

As they waited for their coffees, Italo cleared his throat. "So, what are you doing this weekend, Dylan?"

She shrugged. "Just the usual, I suppose. Why? What do you have in mind?" She grinned. "It doesn't have anything to do with teasing Geni and Cliff, does it? Because I will absolutely die of mortification."

He shook his head, and for the first time since they met, he looked nervous. "I made dinner reservations for the two of us at Acquerello for Saturday night. Have you heard of it before?"

Allura gasped. Acquerello was the most romantic Italian restaurant - and also one of the priciest - in all of San Francisco. Reservations were next to impossible to obtain, which could only mean that Italo had pulled some major strings to get them in. Which meant that he was most likely expecting to close the deal with her afterwards.

"I'll take that as a yes." He accepted his coffee from the waitress, and Allura merely blinked. "Well, Dylan? Are you free for Saturday night?" Rolling his eyes, he added, "Please don't make me take Liam."

She giggled, and finally relaxed enough to take a sip of her iced coffee. "That's a yes, Tony. I'd love to go to Acquerello with you. But don't be expecting to get into my panties. After all, I'm not Genevieve McClain."

"And that's my favorite part about you. It's refreshing to meet a girl who knows who she is and what she stands for." Italo's eyes flashed with amusement, and he glanced down to check his watch. "Well, if I know anything about Clifford Jack, it's that he can't have lasted this long. I think it's safe for you to go back to your apartment."

"I hope so." She stood up, clutching her coffee in her hand. Then, with a wink, she added, "Because I need to go through my closet to see what I should wear for our date on Saturday night."

"Sounds like a plan." He plunked some cash down on the table for their drinks, then stood up. "So then, I'll pick you up on Saturday, Dylan. See you then."

She thought he was going to move in for a goodbye peck on her cheek, but he didn't. Instead, he tenderly planted a kiss on the corner of her mouth, which seemed almost more intimate than kissing her directly on the lips. The area tingled, and in shock, she raised her fingers to touch it.

Allura watched as the handsome lieutenant commander strode down the street without a glance back. Uh-oh, now I'm in trouble. She was conflicted; she was in love with Keith, but he had done nothing but try to hurt her today by flirting with Dylan and then offering up the Blue Lion pilot position. Italo was sweet and thoughtful and...God, how are his lips that soft?

She couldn't help but feel guilty as she walked back to her apartment.