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Thom smiled, and faced with the potency of his appeal, Maureen forced herself to look away "The girls insisted on preparing us a romantic dinner," he explained "They’ve taken care of everything themselves"

No sooner had he finished than Michael Bolton’s low, sultry voice crooned over the stereo From the corner of her eye, Maureen saw the telve-year-olds sticking their heads out fro Maureen and Tho to happen

"We want you to talk and hold hands and whatever it is people do when they fall in love," Paula instructed She help up a wooden spoon caked in red sauce "Dinner will be ready in about…" She turned around, apparently needing Karen to supply the answer "Twenty-two rew decidedly uncoht to her head

"Don’t look so worried," Thoirls just wanted to have some fun, and when I told the a romantic interlude for the two of us"

"Psst, Dad," Paula said from the kitchen doorway "You’re supposed to ask Maureen to dance now"

"I keep forgetting , he offered her his hand "Shall we?"

"I…I’"

"I’m not, either," he assured her

Maureen decided she couldn’t very well disappoint the girls, since they were looking on eagerly She placed her hand in Thom’s and stood It amazed her how easily she slipped into his ar it for half her life As if this were exactly where she belonged As if this here she intended to stay for a very long time

Thom pressed his cheek to hers "This isn’t so bad now, is it?"

"No," she admitted She dared not close her eyes Dared not allow herself to feel coain Rarely had she felt h dancing required far more talent than she possessed

"Relax," Thoood to tamper with now, she reists to explain why she would willing allow herself to be drawn into a second relationship She refused to relinquish her freedom, refused to hand her heart to someone else who had the power to destroy her

Thohtened perceptively "Block out your ex-husband fro you, I’d prefer it if you thought about oing to work"

"Yes, it is," he said gently but insistently "Close your eyes"

"I can’t"

"Why not?"

"If I do--" She bit off the rest of what she was going to say when Thom’s lips found her neck Shivers of awareness scooted down her arainst her cool skin "That’s better," he ainst her will, Maureen’s eyes drifted closed Her head nestled closer to his, and any pretense of dancing becanized her daughter’s voice

"No, he isn’t," Thoot an audience"

The sound that followed sounded suspiciously like the closing of a door Maureen waited ato kiss me?" she asked

"Do you want me to?"

"I don’t know" She knew exactly what she wanted, but she wasn’t willing to ask for it

She felt his shouldersto kiss you, and when I do, you’re going to re while When I do, you won’t ever confuse ain, understand?"

Maureen nodded

"Now tell me true, Maureen Woods, do you or do you not want h to look hiaze fell on the table with the polished silver and the two place settings At soirls had come in and lit the candles No man had ever wooed her this way No man had ever taken such time and care to court her Not even Brian

"Do you?" Thoaze was drawn back to him She smiled shyly and nodded She wanted his kiss Wanted it desperately "Please, oh, please"

"Dad’s going to be all right," Joe told his sister confidently "I feel a whole lot better about everything since we talked to him" He s roo one final phone call to his sister before leaving town Now that ht with his father, there wasn’t any need to stick around California any longer Annie, understandably, was eager to see her family

"You’re sure about Dad?" Bethany pressed

"Relatively sure"

"Eric see over the facts here Even when he tries to convince us otherwise, Dad doesn’t seem like his old self"

"Will any of us ever be the sa Mom?" Joe asked He didn’t mean to sound impatient, but he’d talked to Annie and they’d decided that e their plans again

"No, I guess on’t," Bethany ad yet?"