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Chet set the menu back in place and waited for the waitress to finish pouring their coffee before he continued "You’re curious about the sa as me"

"Which is?"

He se or honesty to adure out if what happened between us was real"

Monica had entertained a whole spectrum of possibilities of what had happened when Chet had kissed her She bla lived a sheltered, protected life hadn’t prepared her for the sensual netism she experienced at his touch

"I certainly don’t have any intention of allowing you to kisswith disdain It was iht now

"Not to worry, I’m not exactly thrilled with the prospect myself I’m curious, and you have to admit you are too, otherwise you wouldn’t be here Frankly, I can’t figure out what it is about you that intriguesthe sa myself You won’t leave me alone either"

Their sandwiches arrived and Chet tore into his as if he hadn’t eaten in a week Monica glared at him and pointedly reached for her napkin and spread it evenly across her lap Bowing her head, sheWhen she’d finished, she lifted half the sandwich fro it daintily in both hands Chet had started on the second half of his before she’d taken the first bite

When he finished, Chet reached inside his pocket and brought out a ses until he found what he was looking for

"Your father’s name is Lloyd Fischer, the Reverend Lloyd Fischer You’re an only child and your mother died when you were in your teens Currently the church employs you as a full-tis and teach a Sunday school class Your two best friends are married and live in another state It’s said that you miss them dearly and write often"

Monica was so shocked it took an effort for her to disguise her distress "Howhow do you know all that?"

Chet grinned suspiciously "I have ator, remember? Don’t tell me you didn’t find out what you could about me"

"I most certainly did not" She snapped her mouth closed before she added to the lie She had looked up his name in the business directory and noted the address His office was close to the Westlake Mall on First Avenue in a dingy part of town The mission was situated on the sa was his She’d looked his naes as well and learned that his apart

"So," he said, pushing the e for his coffee "Do you have any suggestions?"

"For what?" She wasn’t sure where he was leading, but she had no intention of continuing with this farce Having lunch with hiuring out what’s going on between us," he said loudly as if she were hard of hearing

"Keep your voice down," she pleaded

"The thing is," Chet continued, "I’m not sure I like you You annoy the hell out ofyou could be a real woo a little bit"

Monica jerked her shoulders back and scowled at him "You haven’t exactly endeared yourself toI don’t want in ahirinned as if she’d stroked his ego with compliments "Ain’t it a bitch?"

Her head snapped back at the use of vulgarity "Kindly watch your language"

His grin was cocky in the extre at theso badly she could barely open her purse zipper She removed her wallet and carefully extracted a ten-dollar bill, which she set next to her plate

"I don’t believe there’s anything more for us to say," she said crisply

Chet held up his hand "Don’t be so hasty We’ve got several matters to discuss"

Monica slipped out of the booth and dramatically tossed her purse strap over her shoulder "I won’t say it’s been a pleasure," she said, taking her gloves from her coat pockets "Good-bye, Mr Costello"

She heard him swear and winced at his words as she walked away His hurried footsteps sounded behind her before she left the store and reached the sidewalk

"All right, I apologize," Chet murmured impatiently, "I shouldn’t have said that"

The man was full of surprises She certainly hadn’t counted on hi amends any more than she’d expected him to chase after her Monica wasn’t sure how to react, or what she should do She washiainst the assuo for a walk?" Chet asked before she had tis "It’ll be a test of our control to see how long we can go without finding soest alk?" Monica asked, as if that were her only concern She looked up at hi her

"The waterfront’s as good a place as any There’re always lots of things going on down there"

"All right" Her words were little more than wisps of sound She hurriedly looked away because she found his gazeand buried her hands in her pockets Chet followed suit, his own hands waist deep in the pockets of his beige coat

"You see the conversation, "it only see about yourself" She wasn’t sure, but this sounded like a good place for the exactly what they were starting She didn’t know if she could be friends with thiselse was impossible

"I’m thirty-three and have never been hts

"Why not?"