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"What tiree to anything that would convince hi in on the conversationwell pleased with himself, "I’ll see you around six, then Would you like ’s under control Good-bye, Michael," she said, sitting back down at the co he’d take the hint and kindly leave while her sanity was intact She placed her hands on the keyboard until she noticed how badly she was tre and immediately lowered the," he said, reluctantlyfor an excuse to stay, but she refused to give hins of distress, she tried to concentrate on the computer screen

"Your father claims you’re a fabulous cook"

"I do a fair job," sheworse every minute and she didn’t kno much more she could bear

"Good-bye for now"

"Good-bye, Michael," she said, closing her eyes in relief

Michael left then and the door closed with a soft clicking sound The instant he was gone, Monica leaped out of her chair, raced around her desk and into her father’s study By the time she arrived she was both breathless and furious

"Why’d you hide?" she des you’ve said and done in the last feeeks, this takes the cake"

"It would have required aard explanations," was all he’d say

"Well, he’s gone now"

"So I see" A frown darkened Chet’s face and he glared at her "So you’re going to continue seeing him despite what I said"

"What choice did I have?" she cried, throwing her aret him to leave Besides, what business is it of yours who I do or do not date?" How could he say such things to her when he was the one who’d put her in this predicaht, it’s none of my damn business"

Monica was pleased that Chet did care, but she didn’t want him to know it

"Michael’s not so bad," he said after a moment "It’s plain as day that he’s crazy about you"

The man was full of surprises First he de her to see the other ht of the world on his shoulders "I should never have come"

He strode past her and in her heart Monica knew if he walked out the door she’d never see hi

He was all the way across the rooe to speak "Don’t go" She advanced a single step toward him and stopped

Chet turned around slowly as if he wasn’t sure he’d heard her correctly Gradually a grin danced its way across his lips "You don’t want ainst the roof of her mouth and she shook her head, unable to say the words a second tie she possessed the first ti slits "Why not?"

She shrugged

"Come on, sweetheart, you can do better than that"

"Don’t call o, until her buttocks were pressed against the edge of her desk

"What would you like me to call you?"

It was a mistake to have asked him to stay, a mistake to let hihts He , and she’d found no coo," she whispered

He cocked his thick brows at that "You don’t seem to knohat you want, do you? You want me to stay, yet you invite that mild-mannered choirboy for dinner"

"My father invited hihtfully "Michael’s the type of man he wants you to marry, isn’t he? We both knohat your daddy would think of the likes of me"

"That’s not true My father isn’t like that"

"Sure," he scoffed "He’d welcome me with open arms Don’t kid yourself, Monica, we both know better Listen, sweetheart, forget I was ever here, all right?"

"No No, I won’t forget," she whispered heatedly "I can’t forget"

She read the questions etched in his eyes and realized they were a reflection of her own She didn’t have any of the answers and apparently neither did he

Walking toward hi she’d ever done in her life Flattening her palainst the hard expanse of his chest, she slowly, reluctantly raised her eyes to his

He didn’t give her a chance to speak His mouth came down on hers in a kiss that was as hot as it ild Instinct dictated her actions as she raised her ar herself coreedily holding her against hiled several inches off the ground

The kiss ended only when they were both desperate to breathe

Monica was left stunned, her heart in a panic It had always been like this between them, this craziness Her head felt as if it were in its own orbit, spinning madly out of control E

Chet’s lips returned to hers in a series of long, slow kisses and her world righted itself Everything slipped neatly back into place Only when she lifted her head from his did outside influences overtake her

For the love of heaven, they were in a church building, and yet she couldn’t have left his arold in the world