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The waitress listed as available "The marionberry is the freshest," she said "Or the double-chocolate Those are my favorites"

"I’ll take the marionberry," he told her "Jess, you want a chocolate rush?"

"Sure"

"Great And two decafs, please"

Jesse was pleased by the exchange A o, Matt wouldn’t have spoken more than his order He hadn’t understood the si with someone for a few seconds Now he seemed to move more easily in the world She wanted to take credit, but she’d done nothing more than point out the obvious

"You didn’t answer the sparkage question," Jesse said, hoping they’dfor someone else would help her realize that he wasn’t for her

"I kissed her, if that’s what you’re asking"

"And?"

He shrugged "It was okay"

She held in a whi Matt would be like He had a greatExcept it was never going to happen between them Not only was he obviously not interested, but she liked hi hiot involved, things rong So After a series of disasters, she’d given up on anything serious and settled for casual flings, although lately even they were losing their appeal She liked Matt tootheir friendship Besides, now he had everything going for him so he would never be interested in her

"There wasn’t cheuy and she was pretty, so sure, the kissing was nice, but there are degrees, you know? There’s nice and then there’s I-have-to-take-you-now She was nice"

Jesse felt a rush of heat When was the last time he’d had an I-have-to-take-you-now experience? She desperately wanted to ask and didn’t want to know in equal measures

"Maybe the next one will be better"

"Maybe" He looked up "You remembered to turn off your cell There haven’t been any calls from Ted or Butch or Spike"

"I’ve never dated anyone nahed "Once"

"I knew it"

She touched her purse "No calls I’nored her ringing phone She knew the reason He was sitting across from her She even kneas different She and Matt were friends She’d never bothered with being friends before Had never thought about …Talk about terrifying

The waitress brought their coffee and pie, then left Matt picked up his fork

"I think I want so else," he said, hesitantly

"What do youIt’s okay, but every ti to know each other, trying to remember if I’ve told that story or not I want a second date"

"You want a relationship," Jesse said, telling her heart it could get pouty later "That ood, ask her out again That’s how dating turns into a relationship"

"I haven’t met anyone who interestsout with"

They were hanging out She took a bite of pie to keep fro that Memo to self--Matt wasn’t interested He saw her as his teacher, nothing more She should be happy And she was…almost

"Is that stupid?" he asked "You don’t do relationships"

"Which isn’t soood thing" If only he could want her

Ti at condos?" she asked

"Just those first ones"

"You’ve got to get your own place It’s tiet your own place"

He grinned "Who says I haven’t gotten laid?"

There was a confidence in the question, sexy h Jesse Jealousy burned hot and bright

"You’re not going to get laid a lot," she said, going for nor she didn’t fall short "You need your own place"

He looked at her "You okay?"

"I’ I haven’t slept with any of thele, they’re single That’s how it’s supposed to be"

He studied her, as if searching for so her to duck her head so her hair hung down, shielding her She didn’t want hiht pity her and that would be worse than anything

"I’ a condo is shopping on a grand scale Come with me That will make it easier"

Easier for him, maybe Not that she would say no She wanted to spend time with him, to pretend that hey, sure, it could work out

"Just tell me when"

"YOU CAN SPEND MORE than this," Jesse h the e on the water A place with a view"

"It’s too big," Matt told her, ignoring her comment about price "Three bedrooms What do I need three bedroouests"