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He stood again "So, look--I’et to know each other a little bit I was going to tell you tonight I would never try to trick someone into a relationship with me It’s all public record I have no control over that"

"And you’re trying to start a business in Thunder Point," she reed "If I’m lucky, otten to knowthe chicken," she said

"I’ht But daood time I wanted you to like me, I did"

She stood up She put her hands on her hips "Go ho ht special coffee for you and special wine for o right--"

"I’et involved with persons of ill repute, so you better have turned a corner Because daht"

"You sure?"

"Are you?" she countered

He grinned "As long as you promise all hat pins and corkscrews are out of reach"

"Six," she said "I’ll drop the duile We don’t screith dus Don’t be late"

Five

Eric felt the i he hadn’t felt in many years He wasn’t even sure how many years This time it was for an entirely different reason--for once he wasn’t afraid of being trapped, he was afraid Laine wouldn’t give him a chance He was afraid she’d come to her senses That fear was torturously coupled with his overwhelness to take any risk to make it happen It was undeniable He wanted her It was so new and hot, he didn’t even recognize the eirlfriend, Cara, had not inspired these feelings in him, not at all He’d been fond of her More than fond, really--she was adorable Cute and funny When they were together, which hadn’t been too often even when they lived together, they enjoyed each other They had good sex and he’d been trerateful for that And when she’d told hirieved It felt a lot like saying goodbye to a friend at the train station Like, "Good luck, be safe, stay in touch if you can, take care of yourself, I’ll be thinking of you" Even then he knew that the thought of her wouldn’t keep hiirl He’d been lucky to have two nice years with her He was all too aware Cara had never created a fierce hunger in hies, excellent privileges Eric had thought that’s what it was supposed to be like

But now, he ached for Laine

All through the afternoon he did what he did best--buried hiue with itself He could do the noble thing and let this relationship end before it began because it was destined to be a disaster Well, that was if Laine wanted him as much as he wanted her She was the law, he was the reformed criminal She came from an educated, mucky-round in which only his brother-in-law had attended college She wanted to soar froround And yet he was drawn to her like a erous prospect to want soer he felt for Laine It couldn’t work He tried like bloody hell to turn back, to call her and say, "Look, let’s not be stupid here, we are not going to last through the weekend and we both know it Let’s cut our losses"

Instead, he asked Manny to keep the station open for Saturday evening, asked Nor, asked Justin to ith Nors I have to take her to church," Justin said

Eric grinned "You? Church?"

"My ot very excited," Eric said "Any chance you pick up pointers while you’re taking your mother to church?"

"Yeah I don’t pick ress," he said "Nor I won’t be too late"

Well, look atfor et hurt, but instead I get people to cover for ht If she’s half as smart as I think she is, she’ll nip this idea in the bud

He went to his e clothes At exactly six, he knocked on Laine’s door She opened the door and just looked at hihim Then she pulled him inside, kicked the door closed and jumped into his arms He lifted her off the floor and went after her one He leaned back against the closed door and held her against hi, muscled, supple little body in his arms Had they said hello? They hadn’t even said hello

He held her tight, his hand running over her butt, his lips urging hers open, his tongue penetrating He was getting ideas, which preceded getting hard by about three seconds Her breathing was already rapid and somewhat labored and he was dizzy He leaned his head back, breaking the lip-lock for a second "Whoa," he whispered

"Double whoa," she said "You sood"

"You smell even better," he said

"I lit the fire upstairs"

"I love a wo and wet and deep and luxurious She was delicious She illing She was his

"I didn’t have a plan," she said "I didn’t knoas going to do that I’o upstairs Huh, Eric?"

"What about those fragile dus--they’ll be fine After we’re fine"

He slid an arm under her knees and carried her up the stairs "We’re crazy, you know," he pointed out to her "No way this works"