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Yup, now he heard it loud and clear Music, and it didn’t come from any radio, either If he was a peacock his feathers would be in full display "Thing is, if you date ht up front, here and now "No one else but "

"Yeah, we’re dating Exclusively"

Again she paused, giving his heart palpitations "Is there someone else, Beth?" he asked She’d , but there didn’t seem to be one in particular

"There’s never been anyone but you, Saood"

"We’re good Nohere are you going to take rinned "Anyplace you want, babe Anyplace at all"

They set the ti up the phone feeling better than he had in three ed a bullet and prevented a self-inflicted wound

Thursday night it was Sa worked out well, as Beth was busy Thursday nights at her church’s choir practice, where she played the piano She’d had the one date with Doug, and from what she’d told Sauy, but they had little in co friends were allappetizers and other goodies for snacks Not being s of potato chips and called it good The host supplied the beer, and he’d stacked his refrigerator with a case of their favorite brehich was sure to last the night None of his friends were big drinkers, and Sam wasn’t one hiht poker had been going on for about six or seven years now and it was a great way to break up the eek Two of the guys were e Alex and Charley had taken to teasing Saood-natured razzing The only one who knew he hadn’t gone out with Beth in the last feeeks was Rocco Thankfully, Rocco had kept his trap closed

It took Saer than it should have to realize all that he’d found in Beth She was a special wo her heart was Beth wanted to ree with her interfering in her aunt’s life, but he kept his opinions to hi her aunt to be happy She hadn’t h with her plans, but it wasn’t like they’d been talking regularly

Since their talk and date, things had been going ith hirown in the time apart and co hoell things were going with Beth, Sam cleared off the kitchen table and wiped it down to be sure there was nothing sticky that would erator, and he had the potato chips in bowls on the kitchen countertop He reached for one andup a couple of those containers of dip

His doorbell chiuys was early He started toward the front door when it opened and Beth stuck her head inside

"Hey," he said, surprised to see her and equally pleased

"Hey," she said, co into the house She held a platter in her hand

"What’s that?" he asked, because whatever it was s back the tinfoil, Beth revealed a plate of chocolate-chip cookies "I thought I’d contribute so forward, she gave him what he was convinced was intended to be a brief kiss It didn’t turn out that way, hungry as he was for a taste of her

"I love cookies," Sam said when he broke the kiss off He reached for one, took a bite, and closed his eyes to savor the rich flavors "These are hoht cookies?"

Sam took the plate out of her hand and set it aside He then reached for her and brought her into his arency he’d felt a few minutes earlier She opened to hi her ar on the tips of her toes It was hard not to get caught up in their kisses Unfortunately, his poker-playing buddies were due anyti his mouth fro earlier," Beth chastised him

"Said what earlier?" he asked

"Nichole told uys on Thursdays"

"They do," he said

"Am I not your woman?"

Sam couldn’t have held back a smile for a million bucks "Yup Definitely"

"Then you should have told me"

Sam slipped his arm around her waist and nuzzled her neck as he led the way into the kitchen He set the tray of cookies next to the bowl of chips "On Saturday, would you like to--"

"I can’t," she said, not allowing hi to tell ot another date, are you?" he teased He wanted to remind her that they were exclusive now He wasn’t coht he’d made that clear