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"Oh," Vanni said through a yawn "Matt’s having an extra-long nap and I kind of shared it with him" She rubbed her eyes, then looked at Shelby "Oooohh," she said "It happened"

"And happened and happened and happened," Shelby said and laughed as she kicked her legs on the bed

Vanni came into the room and sat on the side of her bed "Welcome aboard," she said with a soft smile "How do you feel?"

"Like I’ve had sex all afternoon with a brand-spanking-new vagina Isoak in the tub"

"Was it okay?"

"Indescribable Like I’ve never really been alive before today Vanni, he was so good toin love with hiet a sense about Luke, that he ave et tied down" She laughed again "The least of my worries," she said

"Oh, baby, see--I was afraid of that I don’t know if you’re up to that"

"You wanted et over it, but I have to tell you, he doesn’t treatto break my heart Besides, if he does, haven’t you and I already been through orse and recovered?" she asked

"Yeah, we sure have," Vanni said "He treated you right, I guess"

"Don’t tell anyone and ruin his reputation, but he’s the sweetestto shoot hihed, re

"Where is everyone?" Shelby asked

"Paul’s not ho of starting dinner Have any ideas?"

"Yeah," she said, sitting up "I’ back"

"So soon?"

"I can’t help it I just have to You and Paul are great corinned "You think Uncle Walt will have a fit?"

"Don’t worry, heher head "He’s pretty savvy about this kind of thing He didn’t say toodown the hall into my room You slip out if you want to I’ll handle the hoo back Not for more sex; she couldn’t take any more She wanted to kno he’d receive her Would she be welcome? Was he done with her now, at least for today? She had many curiosities about his world--he warned her not to count on him, then treated her like a queen He hadn’t pros to her--that she was beautiful, that he’d never had a sweeter experience, that he didn’t want her to leave Could he say those things and not care?

After a long soak, she went to the kitchen where Vanni was at the stove and Matt was in his high chair Paul sat at the kitchen table with the newspaper spread in front of hi up the bathrooed slowly into a look of surprised recognition, his h the wine rack and pulled out a bottle "Think Uncle Walt can part with this?" she asked Vanni

"Sure Take it"

"Don’t wait up," she said

"Shelby," Paul said He stood up fro an ar, anything at all, you can call me" He dropped a kiss on her brow

"Wow There aren’t ," Paul said "No one had to"

"Did anyone warn Vanni when you were sneaking into her bed at night?" she asked softly "Paul, he’s wonderful, but I’ed "Right now, he’s what I want And he’s very good to me"

"He’d better be You can tell hioing to have to tell him that" She rose on her toes and kissed his cheek "Now let , she reood ht

Shelby had left his bed and he’d taken her home at about four o’clock and he had hated it He was not nearly ready to let her go Far from cured of her, he wanted her more than ever And not just her body, all of her--her sweet laugh, her softwith hi else in her life He had warned hiet involved with someone so innocent and it had turned out he was the innocent--not prepared to feel such a rush of e, "Show ood," it sent a ripple of desire shooting through hi hione to Jack’s for his beer tonight He didn’t feel like being around anyone, unless it was Shelby Right nohen he thought of her, his eyes steah his whole body He couldn’t be in the same room with her and keep his hands to his in private, undistracted

He went to Art’s cabin and helped hietables out of a can They talked for a while about what they’d do around the cabins in the , then Luke went back to the house He made himself a sandwich, drank a beer, took a shower, content to be alone Hisher silky skin, feeling her warainst his chest He could still smell her, taste her, even after the beer

He had never felt like this before in his life Never

Wearing just a pair of jeans, no shoes or shirt, he sat on the sofa in his s roo a beer by the neck of the bottle, thinking of nothing but her awesome body, her luscious lips, and all too often, the way he felt inside her Had he warned her to be careful of him, that he was a heartbreaker? Jesus, he was an idiot hat he was Thinking there would never be a wo he’d take his taste and move on