page31 (2/2)

Holly smiled ‘I love you’

‘Again’

‘I love you I love you I—’

Nick kissed her When he drew back, he was s

‘Do you remember the first time we made love?’

‘How could I forget? We drove up to Cape Cod’

‘It was a ht, in early fall And the beach was deserted’

‘We went for a walk, down by the water’

‘And then into the dunes’ Nick’s voice roughened ‘You said you were cold, and I put my arms around you’

‘You kissed ain’

‘And you slipped your hands inside my jacket, up under my shirt…’

Holly put her arht’

‘That was the night I told you how much I loved you’ He looked into her eyes and smiled ‘I love you even ain’

‘I don’t want to lose you, either But—’

‘No “but”s’ We’ll make it this time, baby’

‘Will we?’ Tears glistened in her eyes ‘I couldn’t bear it if we failed again, Nick I couldn’t!’

Nick kissed her mouth, her eyes, her tear-stained cheeks

‘We won’t,’ he said ‘I promise’

She knew he o wrong between a promise and reality They had to talk about what had separated them the first time…

But Nick was touching her, caressing her After a while, there was nothing to say that couldn’t be better said with kisses

Nick shouldered open the front door His arroceries he’d taken back out to his truck, his computer, his cellphone, his wireless fax He dumped the stuff on the hall table, took off his jacket and ran his fingers through his hair

It had started snowing again He wondered if another stor in, and smiled Actually, he didn’tsnowed in with Holly? Ellen expected hi, and yeah, there was business to attend to, but nothing—nothing—would ever be as important as the miracle that had happened here this weekend

He’d co back the only woman he’d ever loved

A grin lit Nick’s face He peeled off his jacket, turned on his computer and set up the fax machine Then he picked up the carton, and strolled into the kitchen He had a feeling this wasn’t quite what the radio shrinks had in ood enough for him Perfect, if you wanted to be accurate