719 words. MGM owns SGA. Sorry Dani…I thought the bet was for this season. ;)

Rodney was sweating in places he didn't even know could sweat. And seriously- why DO guys sweat down there?

And it wasn't even like he was physically exerting himself. He leaned back from the wall and peered into the opened control panel and nearly growled. He'd been searching for the 'temperature control issue' as Radek had coyly put it- he would have to remember to ask Radek why he hadn't mentioned the temperature was stuck at fifteen degrees above normal- for nearly three fruitless hours, and despite his usual absentmindedness when it came to time and appointments, he was painfully aware that he was twenty minutes late for dinner with Jennifer.

He hadn't bothered to call Jennifer beforehand, having assumed that the problem was minor and he'd have it all sorted out in short order with time to spare. When he'd realized that he was indeed going to be late for their date, he still hadn't bothered to call because he'd thought he'd found the problem and the solution. That had been twenty minutes ago.

Rodney leaned forward again so that his face was nearly inside the panel opening. The thought that this was a bad position to be in with Sheppard and his unnerving penchant for showing up when least expected (and least wanted), had just breezed through his head when a loud voice surprised him and had him falling back onto his rump with a resounding thud.

Jennifer was kneeling beside him before he could even register that it had been her that had scared the crap out of him.

"Rodney!" she exclaimed as she held his face in her hands. She looked intently into his eyes as she asked, "Are you okay?"

"Fine," he answered sharply.

"I'm sorry," replied Jennifer as her hands moved from his face and onto his shoulders. "I didn't mean to surprise you."

"It's okay," he answered, his voice made soft by the fact that he knew with all of his heart that she really hadn't meant it. "I just didn't hear you. I'm sorry I'm late for dinner."

Jennifer gave him a rue smile. "Don't be. The reason I came to find you was because I've been called to the Infirmary." She smiled at the look of profound irritation that came across Rodney's face and said, "I won't be long… an hour or so." She glanced back at the panel and said, "Will you be done here?"

Rodney feigned indignation. "Of course," he said with a sense of confidence he didn't truly feel.

Jennifer must have sensed it because she gave him an impish smile before adopting a completely innocent expression. "Well, perhaps you need some motivation."

Rodney was expecting a kiss. A really good one, which in reality was any kiss Jennifer gave him. What he wasn't expecting, was the dear, sweet and adorable love of his life going on for two minutes describing in agonizing detail just what she was going to do to him once they were alone together later in the evening. By the time she'd finished, he was desperately trying to keep his blood pressure down, his heart rate normal, and raging libido in check.

He failed miserably on all counts, and according to the mischievous grin that had reappeared on Jennifer's lips she knew it.

Jennifer stood up and walked away from him without saying anything else. He stayed in a sitting position until his body calmed down. He was just about to get back to work when he heard a soft clearing of a throat. He turned to his left and found Sheppard looking at him. The smirk on the Colonel's face made his stomach queasy.

"You might want to let Jennifer know that voices carry in these corridors there, Rodney," Sheppard said, his voice an amused drawl. He turned to walk away but stopped and faced Rodney again. "You better get cracking with that repair, and I'll cancel the briefing in the morning just in case you do figure it out. You can thank me later."

Rodney watched Sheppard walk away, trying to figure out if he should maim his friend for his insinuations or thank him. In the end he put the decision off and decided to concentrate on fixing the temperature problem so Sheppard wouldn't be canceling the briefing for nothing.

A/N: "Voices Carry" was written and released by the group 'Til Tuesday on their 1985 album, Voices Carry.