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He hesitated a moment as they stood at the counter and then he leaned in to brush his lips across her cheek "I’ll see you in a few hours Try to take it easy, okay?"

As he walked away, she raised treers to the place he’d kissed her

Hot and cold She could never figure out where she stood with hi she knew for certain--she wasn’t going to wait around forever while he got his act together

Fifteen

Cao out and lights start to flicker off inside He gave the voice command to dial Pippa’s cell and then turned to circle the block

After a few rings, she answered, her breathless voice doing odd things to his insides

"I’ll just be a

"No hurry I’ the block I’ll pull up so you can just coh traffic and waited for the light to turn so he could turn back onto her street He tapped his thu wheel and he realized that he was anxious to see her again

It didn’t co on He wanted to be as far from her as possible She ht past the front he put on

At the saot anxious He needed to know she was okay, that she had everything she needed That she was safe And hell, if he was honest, he just wanted to see her again

He had to let go of his pain He had to ? At what point did the hurting stop? At what point did one stop being gripped by paralyzing fear over the thought of losing someone you cared about?

He didn’t have the answers, and until he did, this thing between him and Pippa would never work He didn’t want it to work

Which didn’t explain why he was circling the block, anxious to see her again It made no sense He should be at hoh he certainly owed her the apology and ry with him In the end it was kinder to both of the it out only to rehash it all again later

But he wanted to see her He wanted… He wanted her On his own ternized the selfishness of it and yet he couldn’t stop hi her In or out of bed It mattered little to him He just wanted to be near her because, God help him, he felt more alive whenever she walked into a room

He slowed as he approached her shop and leaned forward to see if she aiting She was at her door, locking up, the wind blowing through her dark hair Then she turned and he was struck by the picture she presented Young, vibrant, beautiful

She saw hieous smile She hurried forward, one hand cupped to her belly and the other hanging on to her purse He stopped and leaned over to push open the door for her She clih and then turned that dazzling s kicked in the stomach

"It is sooo nice to be offstill while angry horns beeped behind hi as she talked in ani the turnout had been

His blood hummed with desire With need He wanted her He didn’t want to want her

He couldn’t process a single rational thought

Suddenly the thought of spending so much time in a restaurant didn’t appeal She looked tired He was ie in plans," he said gruffly as he turned left so he could circle back to her apartment

She roused frolance "What’s up? You standing rowl in her voice "Oh, no, far fro you back to your place so you can put your feet up on the couch while I order us the best daive you an all-over body e and make love to you until you pass out"

Her eyes widened and then she blinked, momentarily speechless "Well, okay," she finally said

He smiled in satisfaction at her acceptance It was more than okay

When Pippa let them into her apartment, the air was electric and heavy with anticipation She wouldn’t even aze because she was sure she was an open book, and hey, a woht?

Only it wasn’t a mystery that she wanted him Or that fro she’d beco ball of anticipation

She walked ahead of hihter than it had been all day Her fatigue had fled and she felt energized Ready

Her skin prickled with tiny goose bumps every time he so much as looked her way It felt like her very first date Her very first kiss The first tiotten nad in front of a man She wasn’t sure whether she liked it or not

"Why don’t you sit and relax," he said "I can find et things started Would you like so to drink?"

This suddenly very solicitous side of Ca the hell out of her She liked this new Caet used to it

It wasn’t as if he was never generous with her Quite the opposite He went to great lengths to take care of her needs but he did so as i seemed very personal She didn’t know if this was a further atteenuinely softening toward her Who the hell kneith hie," she said as she settled on the couch

She propped her feet on the ottoainst the back of the couch and closed her eyes while she listened to him putter around the kitchen Then she heard the rumble of his voice as he placed their dinner order Aroorand opening was quite the success," he said

He took a seat in her armchair and propped his feet just inches fro day success to you Maybe all of it"

He shook his head "I gave you a place but it was your talent and hard work thatthat Ittime"

He put his hands behind his head and cupped his nape "Have you thought about what you’ll do after the baby is born?"

She cocked her head to the side and glanced questioningly at him "What do you mean?"

"Will you keep your current schedule or will you employ others to run the shop so that you have more time with our son?"

For a moment she couldn’t respond She was too struck by the reference to their son And she was reminded that she and Cae to be there on a 24/7 basis

It shocked her how much that hurt How much she wanted it to be different