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He raised his hands and drew in a steadying breath "Sorry The lunatic in this situation is me I don’t know you, I’m not even sure I want to know you, and yet I spent the vastlike hell I’d kissed you"

The , he was serious His eyes were as dark as awas certain: he wasn’t happy about any of this

"I like you, Joy," he continued "I like the way your eyes light up when you’re happy I like the way you have no coa cheese around your fork and then lift it to your mouth"

She smiled and looked down at the sidewalk "But you wish to hell you didn’t likelike that"

"So," she said, when suggestions weren’t i, "what do you intend to do about it?"

"That’s just it I don’t know"

They strolled past a sree set she’d played on as a young girl She recalled the sus, arched her back, and aimed her feet for the sky She’d been a dreamer then She still was

"I used to play here as a little girl," she told hiet those Saturday afternoons in Lion’s Park"

They sat on a bench, and Ted reached for her hand "I want to kiss you," he said, his words soft and coaxing

"Here?" She looked around, certain any nu them "Now?"

"I know it’s crazy Do you mind?"

Did she h to h out loud

"I suppose it would be all right," she told hiest tied your mind?"

"Not exactly" He continued to look down on her

"What?"

"Relax," he suggested "You look like a virgin sacrifice about to be offered up to the gods"

She ignored the latter part of his coed her shoulders, slouching forward "Is that better?"

"A little" He sounded as if he were lying

"Why do you want to kiss ht to know thatto insult her in the process Virgin sacrifice indeed!

"It’s a test"

Frankly, Joy didn’t like the sound of this Tests had never excited her, whereas the thought of Ted kissing her did

He lifted one of her hands and balanced it atop his shoulder

Two could play this game She reached for his arm and tucked it around the curve of her waist

He inclined his head approvingly He claimed her free hand and set it on the opposite shoulder, then joined his at the small of her back

Neither moved, content for the moment to hold each other loosely Time swelled and throbbed between theer feel her breath Ted didn’t see, either

She half expected hi off, but neither of the h they were both afraid of what lay beyond this first kiss

Slowly, as if he expected her to stop hihed softly when his lips settled over hers The kiss was a leisurely exercise in introducing hi the shape and feel of her ed gradually, subtly, alent Urgent on both their parts The intensity of it took Joy’s breath away and sent her pulse into double ti ti ti tie the wisdom of it all

Ted directed her ain with a need and depth that rocked her senses He stopped abruptly and laid his forehead against hers

"That answers that," he whispered

"It does?" As far as Joy was concerned, it resurrected far ain Dinner, dancing, whatever you want"

"I’ appoint with her to agree to date a man already involved with someone else

"Monday I’ll pick you up on my way home from work"

With her eyes closed, she nodded She had the distinct iret this

"What do youwith Dad?" Bethany deh the telephone wire

Joe raised his eyes to the ceiling Having this conversation over the phone wasn’t ideal, but he needed to discuss the proble it on her when she arrived for dinner "Listen to me, Bethany, Dad just isn’t himself"

"You ht"