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"Popsicles," I ine results There are a lot of guys named Chad Roberts in the world, and none of them are directly connected to Reid Alexander I don’t have tih search now I have to be at the new Habitat project in twenty hborhood this tiroup of celebrities, apparently

Oh, joy

Chapter 48

REID

Dori is facing away, standing in the center of a rooether that we could have been transported back in ti the same familiar shorts and construction boots with her faded MADD tshirt Ponytailed, her hair hangs down the center of her back Buckets of paint and painting implements are spread across the tarp in the center of the roorave; vu except for this--I kno soft her hair feels when I push h it, and how it looks loose around her shoulders or flowing oversweet and edible, an observation I whisperedme I know her muscular shoulders and ar in her navel, its single heart-shaped charue I know the firm curve of her waist, the smooth flare of her hip, the taste of her ainstme to catch her when she coirl, and the physical craving I feel for her is merely an index to the rest of it I know her patience, her kindness, her inherent desire to leave the world a better place than she found it I’ve felt her forgiveness, her strength, and her ability to see so, and the fact that I may have found her only to lose her scares the hel out ofsensed my presence in the room behind her, she raises her head fro slowly, her eyes connect with ainstme to close the distance between us

"Hey, boss," I say We’re standing ten feet apart and I want to know if she’s experiencing the sa towards her Her eyes are black from this distance, and I stare at her lips, her ears, her hands that stil hold the specs--they’re shaking That treh I know better than to feel infal ible because of it

"Reid?" Her voice ale to do whatever the present-day equivalent is of grabbing her up, tossing her overa cave to make her mine My hands clench and she notices

"I heard you need an experienced painter in here" I lower my chin and stare into her eyes "And I think I’m your man" Her breath catches as Ihalfway I won’t quit until the job’s been performed to your complete satisfaction" Her lower lip treh to catch it with her teeth "What then?" she asks "When everything is done?"

Careful y, I touch ers under her chin and her lips open, her breath hitching again as she looks up atas ‘done’" Her eyes slide down and she steps back, and I drop my hand "Y-you can paint this room, and I’l do the other"

"Whatever you want," I say, and she nods and leaves the rooone I release a pent-up breath

Round One, tied? This is going to kil raphers and a reporter frooodwil story The public loves to see celebs acting like regular, generous people (who re charitable acts, of course) Fans don’t see the schedule interruptions we i prep and rearrange a few short takes for the onlineThe positive side is less paparazzi outside, since sanctioned photographers al owed up close--with an authorized story

--trump any photo someone could nab from a distance, even with the finest in telephoto lenses at their disposal

Just before lunch break, I’ if Dori wil be the one to retrieve me when my costar appears in wil be the one to retrieve me when my costar appears in the doorway "Hey, sexy," Chelsea says, slinking across the room in her white shorts and cherry red tank, her hair in aperfectly around her flawless face

"Ooh, look at you!" She turns a little pirouettesome wicked DIY

skil s behind that pretty face and those buff biceps Who’d have thought?"

"Who indeed," I say, auto for the cameraman who fol owed her in--ful awareness of which side I’hter I' at Chelsea and not the camera, like we’re alone in the rooreen paint on a wal , though I’ve already finished the first coat, including the patching, pri in top and botto or the floorboards, either

As though I invoked her, Dori stands in the doorway the next ti in the roo it up, holding a brush tipped in green paint and pretending to dab it on my nose I take Chelsea’s wrist and move the paintbrush away as Dori whirls and disappears I cal her nareen eyes and I rol mine when she says, "Is that the Dori?" And then I squint at her "Wait How do you know

-- Chad Dammit, Chelsea What the hel happened to attorney-client privilege?"

"He didn’t say a thing tothe other on a bible "I just, you know, see things on his desk occasional y…" Her fingers wrap around my arm and she whispers frantical y

"Reid, please don’t tel him Oh, God, I would be in soand he’s not discussed a thing with irl who absorbs gossip She loves it but doesn’t spread it unless it’s coe "Fine But leave it alone" She locks her lips and tosses an invisible key behind her, nodding

"Coet so to eat"

Dori