He shook his head at himself. To even consider a relationship with her was beyond foolish. While he no longer wanted the short, meaningless flings with women he had experienced in his younger years, he didn’t know how to be in a serious relationship with a woman. He didn’t even know how to begin such a thing. And he didn’t know why he entertained the idea of something different with Elena. Because she’s different. She is strong and independent and could be the partner to welcome you home from missions. She makes you smile–and laugh–and is giving you her trust after going through a terrible experience. You do have something to offer her. You can offer her a partner to lean on, someone who could care for her. . . Gritting his teeth, he picked up a heavier set of weights. He needed to work her out of his mind. He had to stop thinking about her as anyone other than someone who could help him move his assignment forward. He had just finished with one exercise when his cell phone rang. He grabbed a towel and wiped at his sweaty forehead before glancing at his phone, surprised to see…