something, anything.

"I have always loved your hair," he said, his voice ruggedly deep.

She mentally rolled her shoulders, took a deep breath, and let him kiss her.

His lips met hers, gently coaxing, and when she couldn't quite bring herself to open up, he ran his hand down her spine with sensual prowess.

She brought her arms up and slipped them around his shoulders, making him moan in pleasure. Then suddenly her mouth was open, and his tongue tangled expertly with hers as he pushed her back into the cushions.

Her pulse raced, though it was a panic born not of fear of Parker, but fear that no other man but Jesse could make her feel anything. This time, with this man, she didn't feel anything. She felt nothing for him other than a warm, comfortable friendship.

With effort, she concentrated, trying harder to lose herself in the moment. She wanted to have sex. She was going to have sex.

She relaxed into the kiss. She ran her hands up his arms. But still she couldn't drum up more than a blip on the Thrill Chart.

Okay, she told herself, you can do this.

But when his hand drifted up her midriff, and she realized he was headed for her breast, she couldn't take it anymore. Feeling like at any moment she would cry with aggravated frustration, she pulled back.

Kate squeezed her eyes closed, embarrassment racing through her, then opened them again. "I'm so sorry," she said. "I never should have started this."

Parker looked like he didn't know what to think, much less say.

"It's too soon," she added, hoping that this was true. "You are so wonderful and I don't want you to think less of me for being so forward."

"I don't think less of you, Kate."

She wanted to strangle him for understanding. She wanted him to rant and rave and tell her that she didn't know what she wanted and that he wasn't going to wait around forever. She wanted him to stand up to her, not put up with the runaround she constantly gave him.

Then he surprised her.

"This is about Jesse, isn't it?"

Her mouth fell open in disbelief, then she groaned silently. She didn't know how to answer.

"Of course it is," he said. "Everything changed when Jesse showed up in town. Next thing I know you're calling me, wanting to go to lunch. The other night you called for no other reason than to talk." He took her hand. "I was flattered. You are an amazing woman. You're beautiful and smart. But you're also kind and caring. It's an incredible combination." He studied her fingers. "I even thought that maybe you'd come around and really see that I'm not half bad."

"Oh, Parker. You are a wonderful man." Disappointment seared through her at the realization that this wasn't enough for her. "Any woman would be lucky to have you."

He smiled ruefully. "But I'm not wonderful enough to capture your heart."

She opened her mouth to say something, deny his words. But she couldn't lie. As much as she didn't want to admit it, to him or herself, she knew he was right. He wasn't enough to capture her heart.

He stood. "Come on, I'll take you home."

Feeling horrible and wistful for what might have been, she let him guide her to the car. They drove through the dark streets silently. Kate pressed back against the leather seats and wished desperately that she could love him.

At her house, she started to invite him in, but he touched her hand.

"Good night, Kate."

She nodded, then slipped inside, waiting quietly with her back against the closed door until his headlights

shone against the house as he pulled out of the drive. Then she sighed, every ounce of energy and

determination flowing out of her, leaving her weak, utterly spent, and not at all happy.

She felt frustration push at the wistful longing. Everyone wanted her to change-the audience, the auditors, Julia-everyone, that is, except Jesse, who wanted her to remain some figment from his past.

She couldn't quite do either.

Thinking she'd fall face-first into bed, she went to her room. But when she craved a cup of chamomile tea, she changed quietly into a tank top and shorts before heading to the kitchen. As if deep down she had known he would be there, she found Jesse sitting at the table in the moonlight.

As always, the sight of him made her body come to life. His dark hair was raked back from his forehead to fall against his neck in gentle sleek, shiny waves. His elbows were planted on either side of a placemat, his biceps showing from beneath the edges of his soft cotton T-shirt. For long seconds all he did was look at her when she entered, like he hadn't a clue why he was sitting there.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Yeah," he answered finally. "Just about everything. But that's beside the point. How was your date?"

She came into the kitchen and flipped on the light switch. "It was great."

"You don't look so great."

"Okay, it was less than great, not perfect."

Then her voice cracked. "It's over."

"What?"

She sat down at the table, dropping her head in her hands. "Parker and I aren't going to see each other

anymore."

Good, Jesse thought.

Fortunately, he didn't say it out loud, though he did feel the all too familiar need to protect her.

"It's over, finished." She swallowed hard.

He couldn't help it. He muttered an oath, then scraped his chair closer and placed his hand on her head.

"Ah, Katie. Tell me what happened."

"I can't do anything right these days," she whispered, her voice cracking again as she fought back tears.

"That's not true." With infinite care, he pulled her into his arms as one tear slid down her cheek, then

she buried her face in his chest and cried. "You do plenty right," he whispered, rubbing her back.

"No, I don't. And tonight I failed."

"Failed at what, sweetheart?" he asked patiently, rocking her gently.

She pushed away with a start. "At sex."

Jesse's mind took a second to adjust. "Sex? You had sex?" Hell, just as Travis predicted.

"Failed at sex, and failed at having a boyfriend."

"You were barely dating." He set her back in her chair and pushed up from the table. "I want to get

back to the first part. Are you saying you had sex with Parker?"

"Tried? Yes. Had? No. I went to his house with every intention of sleeping with him. That's what led up to calling it quits."

Staring at the top of her head, he was foolishly pleased.

She jerked up her chin, fire burning in her eyes. "I couldn't go through with it! I went to his house ready,

willing and able. And ..."

He started to pace. "And what?"

"And then he kissed me and I didn't feel anything, at least not anything as good as when you kissed me,

which made me want to run in the opposite direction and not have sex even though I was telling myself

t was high time I had some and-"

Shuffling footsteps came down the hallway, catching their attention.

"What's going on?" Travis stopped in the doorway, his hair disheveled with sleep, his eyes squinting against the overhead light.

Kate tried to smile. "Nothing's wrong, T. Everything's fine."

"Bad date?" he asked knowingly.

All of a sudden, her lower lip quivered.

"Thought so," he added.

Without a word, the boy walked over to the freezer, reached up on his toes and pulled out some Haagen-Dazs, found a spoon, then returned to the table. Peeling off the top, he set the ice cream in front of her, then offered the utensil.

"What are you doing?" Jesse wanted to know.

"It's a cure. Chocolate's better, but all Kate's got is strawberry."

"Don't tell me," Jesse said with a grimace. "You learned this from your mother."

Travis smiled.