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I head straight for Erin’s desk "I need you to get the florist on the phone And the caterer And set up an appointner we talked about yesterday"

She picks up her phone and dials "I’ner You don’t knohat that’s for, do you?

It’s the grand finale My winning ht

Chapter 26

SEE THAT RAKISHLY HANDSOME GUY in the charcoal slacks and black shirt with the sleeves half rolled up? The one arranging the china plates on that table?

That’s me Drew Evans

Well, not really Not the old uess what that stands for? Half the woive their left tit to have ht now Pussy whipped Obsessed

In love

But there’s only one woman as able to put me here Now I just need to show her I’, excruciating days It wasn’t as bad as the seven, but it was close

Anyway, take a look around What do you think? A?

Fresh flowers cover every available surface White daisies Before, I thought seeing them would remind her of Warren, but I’m not worried about that now They’re Kate’s favorite, so they’re the only kind here Bocelli plays softly on the sound systelass-enclosed

You can’t go wrong with candles Theysht on time I scan the room once ’s ready I’m ready As I’ll ever be I blow out a deep breath And open the door

And then I can’toption either

Kate’s dark hair is piled high on her head Elegant tendrils kiss her neck, caressing the very spot that I spent hours nibbling on not so long ago Her dress is dark red--shiny--e her shoulders and fall low in back The bottos inch by delectable inch

And her shoes…Mother of Christ…her shoes are all heel, held on by an intricate black bow tied at the back of her ankle

When I’h "Is there any e could renegotiate the no-ass-grabbing clause? ’Cause I have to tell you, in that dress? It’s going to be hard"

And it’s not the only thing, if you catch my drift

She smiles and shakes her head "All previous stipulations stand"

I stand back as she walks in, looking me over out the corner of her eye Watch her face closely See how her eyes darken? How she licks her lips without realizing it? Like a lioness that just spotted a gazelle in the high grass

She likes what she sees She wants to complimentabout here Post-my-colossal-foot-in-ress, she’s still defensive Untrusting On guard

And that’s okay I’ she won’t let herself say

I lead her toward the living roo?"

And then she stops short when she spots the candles And the flowers And the perfectly set table for two

I tell her softly, "We’re already here"

She gazes around the roo "The roo

I want to kiss her Badly

You ever been thirsty? Really thirsty? Like on a ninety-eight-degree suh spit in your lass of water in front of you And you can look at it, and you can picture how perfect it would taste--but you can’t touch it And you definitely can’t drink it

That’s pretty much the hell I’m in at the molass of red wine Then I take a long drink ofto the Band-Aids that cover four of y little bastards don’t appreciate being sliced"

She looks surprised "You cooked?"

I was going to take Kate to a restaurant The best in the city But she’s about quality, reure she’ll appreciate ourmet chef could come up with

I smile "I have ht remain true I’ve never cooked before

Which reminds me--Martha Stewart? She’s my new idol Seriously I used to think her whole deal was a joke Who becooddamn dinner napkins correctly? But that was before Before I actually tried to use od Like Buddha And if her recipe helps y sandaled feet every day for the rest of s at the office?" I ask

She sips her wine and brushes nonexistent wrinkles off her dress "Good Things have been good You know…quiet"

"In other words, you’ve been bored out of your otten a lot done"

I smirk "You’ve missed me"

She snorts "I didn’t say that"

She didn’t have to

"Come on, Kate, I’ve taken a vow of honesty here It’s only fair that you do the same" I lean forward "Look ht about me--at all--in the last few days"

"I--"

Buzzzzz…buzzzzz…buzzzzz

Dinner’s ready Kate takes another drink froet that, Drew Don’t want it to burn"

And she’s saved by the buzzer