"I'll guard them with my life."

Sophie smiled her approval.

Dune paid the vendor. The man nodded toward Sophie, who waited with Chuck by the door. "She'll treat my hamsters like family."

That she would. They were her kids now, Dune realized as he drove her home. She held the plastic ball on her lap with the protective fierceness of motherhood. She told him twice to slow down when going over speed bumps. He did his best not to laugh, but his smile soon broke out.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"You're funny," he said. "You're such a mom."

She frowned slightly. "That's a bad thing?"

"It's all good," he assured her. He'd never discourage her from getting attached to her pets. Sophie was a natural nurturer. These were two very lucky hamsters.

They pulled into her driveway moments later. He helped her out of the Tahoe and into her house. She settled in the library and sat cross-legged on the floor. She watched the plastic ball circle the room while he unloaded the SUV.

He placed her purchases in the living room. Sophie had supported the community. She would gift wrap and hand out her presents. It would be Christmas in May for her friends.

He lugged the Habitat Plaza down the hall. "Where shall I set this up?" he asked her.

"In here." She was quick to make up her mind. "This is my favorite room. I spend so much time here reading."

She could read and watch the hamsters run. Sophie was a homebody. The Dwarfs would keep her company.

He hunkered down beside her and tore open the box. The pieces spilled out. The ventilated wire top was a bright yellow and the lower plastic levels were pink and orange. It was a simple task to put the parts together. He could've done it in five minutes flat. Instead, he took his time.

He liked being here with Sophie. She helped him fit the tube tunnels and attach the cylinders to the side panels. The running wheels came next, followed by the water bottle. She filled their food dish.

"Do you have an empty can? A toilet paper roll?" he asked her. "They need a place to sleep."

Sophie was up and searching before he could finish his sentence. She returned with a Kalamata olive can and a roll of paper towels. She ripped off one sheet and shredded a narrow strip for their bedding. She then stuffed it inside the can.

She took a deep breath. "I'm ready to hold them now."

Dune retrieved the ball from near his foot. The hamsters looked tired. They'd run several miles tonight. He twisted the top and reached inside. They were small and light as air. They sniffed his hand. The darker of the two nibbled on his finger. He gently scooped up the hungry one and set her on Sophie's palm.

Dune got to know the lighter-colored hamster, while Sophie became acquainted with the darker one. His Dwarf was so small, it could get lost between his fingers. "Do you have names picked out?" he asked her.

"I will in a day or two," she said. "I want to learn their personalities first."

"Are you ready to introduce them to their home?"

She nodded and he unlatched the cage door. He lowered his hand and the hamster ran off his fingers and into the habitat. Sophie released her pet, too. Immediately curious, the hamsters explored.

"I want to put the cage on a card table next to the sofa," she said. "My grandparents left one behind. It's in the hall closet."

Dune went for the table and the hamsters were soon set for the night. They'd disappeared into the olive can and never reappeared. He glanced down and found Sophie staring up at him.

"Thank you for my girls," she said.

"You won our bet."

"It must seem childish to get so excited, but I've never had a pet. Trace wanted a Golden Retriever when he was a boy. My parents felt a dog would be too much work and cause too much of a mess."

"The hamsters will be easy to care for," he said. "Enjoy them."

"You don't think I'm acting like a kid then?"

Sweet, sensitive Sophie needed his reassurance. He was honest with her. "I like the way you look at life, excited and expectant. It's a great way to live."

She nodded, smiled, pleased by his answer. "Mac's never grown up," she said. "Unless he's got everyone fooled."

"What you see is what you get with Mac," Dune told her. "There's no hidden agenda."

"I'm easy to read, too," she said. "I can't hide my feelings. I frown when my heart hurts and smile when it warms."

She smiled as often as she blushed. Dune was glad to be a part of her life. Their age difference no longer mattered. Sophie had him seeing life through fresh eyes. He hoped she'd never lose her exuberance.

It was easy to become disillusioned. Life had pushed him down at the height of his career. He'd become a bit of a cynic after falling and hurting his wrist at the South Beach Open. Somehow Sophie soothed him.

He glanced at his watch. Eleven-thirty. It was getting late, yet he wasn't ready to leave. "Decaf by the pool?" he asked, hoping she'd let him stay a while longer.

She welcomed him, but on her terms. "Coffee at the kitchen table," she countered.

"It's time for you to get your feet wet."

"You only mentioned my swimming lesson today," she said. "I thought we were taking it slow."

"Slow starts with a full moon and splashing your feet."

"I'm afraid."

"I'll be with you all the way."

He took her hand and felt her shiver. She was scared. He wouldn't push her hard, only a nudge to get her out by the pool. They rose and he followed her down the hall to the kitchen. He dropped onto a chair while she made the coffee. The scent was dark, rich, and earthy.

"Marisole's Rainforest," she told him. "Our chef grinds an assortment of beans into a special blend. I add Italian sweet cream."

She poured two cups and crossed to him. He nodded toward the sliding doors and she sighed heavily, knowing his intent. They proceeded poolside. The full moon turned the water silver. The deck was natural blue stone. The patio furniture was stacked against the house.

Dune kicked off his sandals and rolled his jeans to his knees. He settled on the side of the pool. He sipped his coffee and waited for Sophie to join him.

She was slow to cuff her pants and slower still to sit. She was anxious as she perched on the edge. She extended her legs, stiff and straight, long before lowering her feet into the pool. The water was warm and soothing. He watched her wiggle her toes.

"Not so bad?" Dune asked.

"Not so good." She peered down on the water. "It looks deep."

"Three, maybe four feet," he said. "You could easily stand."

She took a sip of her coffee. "I prefer to sit."

They sat and talked. "What would you be doing if I wasn't here?" He didn't want to keep her from anything important.

"I often read until ten, then watch a movie," she told him. "My life's more boring than yours."

"I've watched my fair share of movies," he admitted. He often camped on the couch with Ghost, preferring a quiet night over the bar crowd. His dog didn't expect small talk or run up a bar tab.

"A little movie trivia," she challenged him. " 'Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.' "

He recognized the quote. "Bogart in Casablanca. Do you like the classics?"

"I have very eclectic tastes." She surprised him with " 'Toga! Toga!' "

He grinned. "Bluto from National Lampoon's Animal House." He swirled his coffee in his cup and tried to stump her. " 'Cinderella story,' " he recited the dialogue. " 'A former greenkeeper, about to become the Master's champion. It looks like a mirac . . . it's in the hole! It's in the hole! It's in the hole!' "

She rolled her eyes. "Is that the best you've got?" she asked. "Bill Murray, Caddyshack."

He came back with " 'Do, or do not. There is no try.' "

"Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back."

"Your turn," he said.

" 'No wire hangers, ever!' "

She stumped him. He didn't have a clue. He shrugged. "Sounds like a slogan for a dry cleaning commercial."

"It's Mommie Dearest with Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford."

"You're good, Sophie."

"Books and movies are my escape." She snapped her fingers. "I have a quote you'll know: 'Where is it? Where's the thump-thump?' "

"That's Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man's Chest."

She leaned into him. "Such a smart man."

Her body fit against his side, soft, warm and distracting. He had one further piece of dialogue for her. " 'Y'know, this was supposed to be my weekend off. But nooo. You got me out here, draggin' your heavy ass through the burnin' desert with your dreadlocks sticking-' "

" '-out the back of my parachute,' " she finished for him. "The alien smelled bad, too. That was Will Smith as Captain Steven Hiller. He could've been at a barbecue instead of tracking aliens on Independence Day."

"You have an amazing memory."

"For trivia," she said with a hint of defeat. "I'm book smart, but life-challenged."

Sophie knew her limitations. She was shy, uncoordinated, and inordinately fearful. Most people had been around the block at least once by her age. She'd just started down the driveway.

He nudged her shoulder. "Your favorite heroes and villains?"

She didn't have to think long. "Silence of the Lambs would be the scariest pairing with Clarice and Hannibal Lecter. Animation: the 101 Dalmatians were all heroes. Cruella de Vil scared me as a kid. Christopher Reeve as Superman and Sally Field in Norma Rae were heroic. Jack Nicholson in The Shining and Kathy Bates in Misery gave me nightmares."

"That's quite a list," Dune said, impressed.

She caught her breath and blushed. "Sorry to run on," she apologized.

He turned slightly and dropped a light kiss on her forehead. "I'm going with Han Solo and Darth Vadar, although Jabba the Hutt qualified as a villain, too."

She looked at him for a long moment, as if summing him up. "I bet you have a shelf of Western DVDs."

"I bet you're right." He'd only mentioned cowboys to her once, when he admired her antique pearl-handled six-shooter. Yet she'd remembered. He liked that about her. She focused on what he had to say. "I admire the morality of the Old West and gunslinger justice."

"Spaghetti Westerns or legends?"

He grinned. "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly ranks up there with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid."

"I enjoyed The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," she said. "It was the first instance John Wayne called someone Pilgrim."

"What's your all-time favorite movie?" he asked.

She pursed her lips. "There are so many to choose from. Movies I've watched over and over. I could go with Wuthering Heights, Titanic, or Funny Girl, but I'm going to say Jerry Maguire."

" 'Show me the money!' " said Dune.

" 'You had me at 'hello.' "

"You're a romantic, Sophie Saunders."

"Romantic but realist." She leaned back on her palms and swung her feet in the water. The side of her foot brushed his and their ankles bumped.

He looked down in the water. She had small feet and slender calves. Every part of her body was compact.

"Up for a midnight swim?" he asked.

"Up for more coffee?" she countered.

"Half a cup."

She scooted back several feet before standing. Distance was her safety net from falling in the pool. She picked up his cup, then crossed to the kitchen.

"You're going in the water," he called after her.

"Later rather than sooner," she said from the sliding door.

He'd keep after her. She had a pool in her backyard and a canal beyond. She had easy access to the beach. Knowing how to swim was a safety precaution at any age.

He heard the pad of her bare feet as she came to stand behind him. She bent over and set his cup down near his hip. She went on to rest her hands on his shoulders. He felt the bump of her knees at his back.