Julie grinned. She and Dan made a handsome couple. Ann wondered if Jack and she would have been as happy today if they had stayed together all those years ago. Would they be married with children, divorced and hating each other or broken up before they'd ever said "I do"?

"Deep thoughts?" Jack asked as he rejoined her.

"Wondering if I can get myself invited somewhere else tomorrow night," she teased, unnerved with thoughts of permanence. "So I don't have to cook again. That smells terrific, Julie."

The party moved to the table, and during dinner she laughed as much as she ate. Sam and Laura had a wonderful way of playing off each other, and their loving relationship gave the meal a lighthearted feel.

"I'm going to tell everybody you came to my house for dinner," Josh bragged.

"How about you just tell Heath? Not everyone needs to know our business," Julie cautioned. "Besides, you don't want all the other kids to be jealous."

"Yes I do."

Everyone laughed at that.

"He gets his chattiness from you, you know," Sam said to his wife.

Jack nudged Ann. "True."

Dan nodded. "Yeah, Mom."

Laura flushed and snapped at her husband, who laughed it off. Then Julie stood up for Laura and invited Ann's opinion on the subject.

"I can't say much. I'm just a guest."

"Oh, poo on that," Laura said.

Josh looked delighted. "Ha! Poo!"

Dan and Jack groaned, and Ann choked on a laugh.

"You know me, Ann. I'm the same woman I was when you and Jack were dating in high school."

The brief silence could have turned awkward, but Jack covered smoothly. "In that case, you probably don't want Ann defending you, Ma."

"Nonsense. I'm not one to spread rumors."

"From what I remember, you were everyone's favorite parent," Ann said with a smile. "Whenever we had a party, the cla.s.s wanted you to chaperone."

"See?" Laura preened.

Ann continued, "And wasn't it Dan who got caught pa.s.sing notes and being chatty in school?"

"Ah ha! I knew it." Julie gloated. "You were a troublemaker back then."

Dan redirected the blame. "Me? No way. Try Jack."

Instead of engaging, Jack subtly turned the conversation to Dan and Julie's new addition. Ann loved how excited Josh seemed at the prospect of a brother or sister.

An odd longing struck her. Perhaps being around such a happy home made a difference, but since seeing Jack again, old wants returned with stinging clarity. She'd always figured they'd marry and have two kids, a boy and a girl. Now she was in a position to financially support children, with a home and a job she loved, and she felt...incomplete.

Jack wanted to date her, but they had a lot of unfinished business. She was nearly thirty, not getting any younger, and had no prospects on the horizon for a husband. Even if Jack wanted to date her, she feared he'd bolt at thoughts of diapers and playdates.

His arm crept around her shoulders, and she tensed. He hadn't been very touchy in front of his family, so she'd taken her cues from him. Granted, she was still deciding how to go about dealing with him-as a boyfriend or just friends with benefits-but he'd been standoffish since she'd arrived. Now a visible hug?

His parents saw but ignored the gesture as Laura harangued her husband. Dan raised a brow and Julie grinned, but otherwise no one said a word. Josh seemed too focused on avoiding his broccoli to care about what his uncle did with his teacher.

Then Jack leaned closer and whispered, "How about we bolt after dessert? My mother only has so much patience before she'll start trying to size you up for a wedding dress."

She'd been sipping her wine when he spoke and choked when it went down wrong. Wedding dress?

She could see him trying not to laugh as he patted her back.

"Jack, don't break the girl's spine. Give her some water," Laura suggested.

"Yes, Ma."

Laura slid Josh's plate closer to him and pointed at his broccoli. "And you, eat."

"Grandma's bossy," the boy muttered.

Julie sighed. "No, she's a mom. This is what happens when you have boys. You sound bossy because they don't listen. Now eat your trees."

He forked one and ate it, making the most G.o.d-awful faces. Even Ann felt bad for him as she sipped her water.

Jack leaned close to her and said in a low voice, "Five bucks says he spits it out in his napkin and hides it under the table."

She watched the boy do just that and nearly choked again on laughter.

The meal wrapped up, dessert and coffee followed, and Ann left with Jack, thanking everyone for a lovely time.

"I don't think I've ever laughed so much or had such fun watching a child hide broccoli before." In the corner, Josh sulked. "Thanks for having me."

She got hugs and kisses goodbye, a more than friendly greeting she hadn't expected, yet the inclusion felt wonderful. Even Josh took time out from his punishment to hug her goodbye.

Walking with Jack back to her house, they didn't speak, enjoying the crisp night air. His hand grasped hers and held on, and they continued in companionable silence.

Once on her porch, he stopped her. "Can I come in?"

"I think it's time we talked, don't you?"

His smile took her off balance. He hadn't seemed to want to discuss the past before. Or had she been wrong? "Sure. I have a few things to tell you."

Once inside though, he kissed her before she could speak. When they parted, they were both breathing hard.

"G.o.d. I've been wanting to do that all night."

"Me too," Ann admitted on a sigh and stroked his cheek. "I thought you were still mad at me though."

"Mad? Why? Because you went out on a date with some d.i.c.khead teacher-a guy you see every day-when we're an item?"

"We're not an item...yet." She didn't sound convincing, even to herself. His smug grin made her want to slap him. Then hug him.

"I rented a house today."

She lost all train of thought. "What?"

"Yeah. That cute blue house on Shield? The one with the big tree in front? I'm renting it for a few months until I figure out where I'm moving."

"Oh." She tried to digest that.

"With Dan and Julie back, I know they need their own s.p.a.ce. Besides, living with my slob of a brother is more than I can handle."

She smiled. "That bad, huh?"

"If you think dirty socks are gross, they're just the tip of the iceberg. I've tripped on more shoes, seen more dirty underwear, wet towels on the floor, and-"

She interrupted his tirade with another kiss. This one she led, and she showed him how much she cared without saying a word. This way she wouldn't have to put herself on the line and risk rejection by admitting how she felt out loud.

Jack slowly took over the embrace until she clung to him. "Angel, I want you. Right now. Just you and me and your bed."

She walked back with him to the bedroom, dropping clothes as they went. They moved onto her bed, bared to each other and entwined. He thrust inside her, moving faster and deeper while she held on and enjoyed being the center of his world. Jack could make her feel so special and precious at times like this. He kissed her, touched her, watched her and never broke eye contact as he made love to her. Each thrust seemed to go deeper, as if he were melding into her.

Sappy, and far too much emotion to handle as he continued to lead her into an o.r.g.a.s.m which shattered her. He came moments after she did-no condom, just him and her, naked and exposed.

Since their bet last Friday, something had changed between them. It wasn't just about having s.e.x without protection. Or the lack of inhibitions between them. Ann felt closer to him than she ever had before. It scared her, because she couldn't bring herself to commit to a relationship.

She'd gone and been stupid, she admitted. She was falling for him all over again. Bad enough he rocked her world, but his generosity of spirit and love for his family rounded out the ideal partner she'd always wanted. Then to see his little neatness quirks, his irritation with his brother and jealousy with her "date" showed the very human side of him. A flawless man, no matter how handsome, would bore her. Jack was far from perfect, but he was also the only one she imagined by her side when she thought about the future.

Catching her breath while he kissed her and finished inside her, she watched him, committing each gesture and touch to memory.

"You're so sweet," he said and rolled them to their sides, hugging her. He remained inside her, softening, yet still connected. "I don't want to leave you."

"Don't yet." Don't ever. "Just lay with me."

He kissed her and smiled against her lips. "Now that's one order from a bossy lady I'll take."

She tried not to laugh. "I'm not bossy. That's your mother. You don't have us confused, do you?"

"I just had incredible, mind-blowing s.e.x with you. Never mention my M-O-M in conjunction with my c.o.c.k, okay?"

"Now I'm grossed out."

He chuckled and hugged her. "Close your eyes and relax. Trust me, I have a lot more to share with you."

But when she next woke, the alarm clock read three a.m. She was on her side, Jack behind her with a thick arm over her. His warm breath brushed her neck, and she felt safe. Loved.

Panicked.

She shifted.

"Ann?" He hugged her tighter but didn't sound fully awake.

"Jack?"

He gave a satisfied grunt, kissed her neck and continued to hold her.

Despite her worry, she didn't want him to go. She extricated herself enough to set her alarm, then snuggled back into his embrace. She'd face any recriminations tomorrow. Tonight, he was hers.

The next thing she knew, a slap on her bare a.s.s woke her.

"Up and at 'em, Ms. Weaver. It's seven-thirty. You sleep like the dead, you know that?" Jack sounded way too happy this early in the morning.

She buried her head under her pillow. "I thought you hated mornings?"

He must have heard her, because he laughed. Then a firm hand spread her thighs wide. When she tried to roll off her stomach to see him, he kept her pinned down.

"No. Stay right there." In seconds, he blanketed her with his body.

"Jack?"

"I don't want to make you late for school," he said as he settled a firm erection between her legs. "But I can't stop myself. It's all your fault." He pushed himself inside her.

Still slick from last night and aroused from the feel of him, she lay trembling while he took her with long, slow strokes.

"Faster," she prodded.

"Touch yourself. Yeah."

She slid her hand down her body and fingered herself while he plowed into her with greater urgency.

"Come on, angel. Come with me. Together."

He was so much bigger than her, so strong. But he never tried to seek pleasure without ensuring she had hers first. His generosity and care touched her in places she'd thought unreachable.

"f.u.c.k me back, Ann," he whispered as he ground into her.

She arched her a.s.s up and plucked her c.l.i.t until she came. Just as he groaned and stiffened over her, his release hers to enjoy as well.

After he withdrew, he pulled her with him into the shower. They cleaned up in silence, each watching the other. He continued to smile at her, his grin soft and loving while she stared at him with bemus.e.m.e.nt, wondering where they went from here.

He'd stayed the night. Again. And she'd loved it.

She could almost hear Maya ranting. Not a great way to maintain emotional distance, dumba.s.s.

But his entire being radiated happiness, and she found it infectious.

They dressed, him in the same clothes from last night, and met in the kitchen over a fresh pot of coffee.