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Lauren shook her head "You’re wrong Joe couldn’t stop looking at you all through dinner"

"I know, and it was really cool, but how much does that mean? He finds me attractive, and okay, the sex is hot, but that’s not a real relationship"

"It’s not a bad start"

Darcy wished that were true "He’s not like other guys He holds back No one touches his heart He let his wife go without a word It’s been three years and he’s still resisting the Marcellis How long will he resist et it"

Darcy wished that were true, but she didn’t have any evidence to back it up "He’s a goodand loyal I’d trust him with my life and even my heart, but I don’t think he’s interested in either I’ve learned sohere About myself and life and people I’ll be okay when it’s time to leave I’ll…"

"Survive?" Lauren asked, her face serious, but her eyes bright with humor

"Don’t you dare disco et closer to you and Dad I want to coet involved in"

"What about Joe?"

"What do youto tell him how you feel?" Lauren asked "Before you leave"

"I can’t decide It’s not that I want to keep the truth fro him kno I feel is very kind I don’t think he can take one ree He seeuy"

Soet it," Lauren said as she stood and crossed the roo there He looked between the worinned and stepped into the hallway "I was just leaving You kids have a good tione

Joe hovered aardly in the hallway "She didn’t have to leave," he said

Darcy laughed "Okay That could "

He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him "I meant I didn’t want to run her off"

He stood in the center of the room and stared at her There was a sadness in his eyes she hadn’t seen before She rose and faced hi?" she asked

"Hell if I know" He took a step toward her "I’ on isn’t your fault I’ve always been good at nment I don’t knohat to do But I do know that this is the only place where I can draw a breath"

"My roo close to a haven for him "It’s not as if your family won’t think to look for you here"

He reached for her and pulled her close "Not your roo with you It doesn’t ht was clear and cool There was a forecast of rain, but he didn’t believe it Not that it mattered one way or the other Rain, snow, sleet, weather wasn’t his problee was

He didn’t understand her He’d stayed because…because He swore He didn’t knohy Because leaving hadn’t felt right Because they’d had unfinished business Or so he’d thought But in the past couple of days, she’d acted as if he didn’t exist Or matter If he lived to be a thousand he would never understand women Why did they have to be so damn complicated?

He turned and stared at the front door He could talk to her That was so

But about what? She was going to want to ask a bunch of questions, and he didn’t have the answers She was like that Tricky Sly Beautiful

He stared up at the stars and thought about how she hter That in all the years they’d been apart, he’d never forgotten her or wanted anyone the way he’d wanted her

Alex swore under his breath and walked into the guesthouse He headed directly for Paige’s bedroo

She lay on her bed, reading Her hair was mussed, her face free of makeup The tank top she wore over pj bottoms looked thin and worn Not the least bit sexy--but that didn’t stop hi her

They stared at each other Neither spoke Paige put down her book, then slid down on the bed and smiled

That’s all it took One smile

Even as he jerked off his T-shirt, he moved toward her He reached for her as she reached for him, and then he was in her arms She felt soft and feminine and so familiar that he ached inside Their , he thought as need rocketed through hiled and brushed and circled, they tore at each other’s clothes He needed her naked--he had to touch her or die

There were no gentle preli and getting naked and kissing And then she was on her back and he was between her legs She stared at hireen eyes dark with passion

"I want you," she breathed

"I’ve ht before he claimed her

Tessa sat alone in the dark Her rooht allowed her to see the vineyard and nearly to the ocean Hints of salt air rapes

The chardonnay harvest had begun Soon therooain

Across fro, empty bed where she and Lorenzo had slept for soin her chair But tonight she felt differently More at peace

"Are you here?" she asked the quiet darkness "Lorenzo?"

As she asked the question, she sreat beyond, he was just stubborn enough to refuse to speak to her

"I miss you, Lorenzo," she whispered "So much"