Wouldnt that be nice? Samantha would love to be positive she wouldnt ever take another drink. She was pretty sure she wouldnt. But she knew that the one thing she had to do was look at one day. Today. I can promise I wont today.

Do you think thats good enough? Maureen folded a red dish towel over her arm.

Its the best I can do.

Humph. But Maureen's voice had softened a bit. I guess youre trying.

I am. Samantha decided shed take a risk and take a bite of the womans food. The knitting needles were still in their basket and the worst that Maureen might do right now was snap her with the wet towel. A forkful of the mostaccioli proved to be as delicious as it had smelled. This is wonderful.

Maureen didnt answer but took a plastic-wrapped block of parmesan out of the refrigerator and grated some over the top of the plate. Needs more cheese.

Thank you.

Maureen said, Im leaving you the dishes, Hank. Come see me tomorrow. She straightened her sweater which was wet at the belly b.u.t.ton area.

I thought you were going to make me watch that dancing show you like.

Raising an eyebrow at Samantha, Maureen said, I think youre busy tonight. I cant say I approve of you, girl. You know he hasnt fallen in love since you? I blame you for that. For scaring him.

That couldnt be true. Samantha tried to catch Hanks eye but he busied himself drying a fork meticulously. How is that possible? Hank?

Come on, Gramma, you know Im not scared of anything but a scolding from you. Love just isnt for me. I fall in deep like as often as I can, though. He gave Samantha a cheeky grin and tossed the fork in a drawer with a flourish.

Maureen wasnt done. How do I know you wont hurt him all over again?

Its just like the drinking, said Samantha. I can only try not to do that again today.

Maureen picked up her knitting basket and held it to her chest. Try hard. As hard as you can. She went up on tiptoe to kiss Hanks cheek goodbye. You be good, too. Dont either of you let me down.

She slammed the door on her way out.

Hank laughed. That was her last word. Im sorry about that.

Samantha spoke around another mouthful. This pasta would be worth her giving me a sharp punch to the nose.

Its my favorite. You picked a good night to come by. To train, I mean.

But there it was, in his eyes again. That banked, quiet heat, the look that seemed to say so much more. Samanthas appet.i.te suddenly fled. Train, she repeated weakly. Like the one that was about to hit her.

Thats what you said you came by for, right?

Um. Yeah. Thats what shed said. What shed meant to do was kiss him. Shed meant to march in, wrap her arms around his neck and not stop kissing him until he ran out of protests and took her to his bed. Theyd work out what to do the next day. Samantha knew that leaping before you looked might not be the best game plan in all cases, but in s.e.x? Sometimes you just get something out of your system. Maybe it would help her get over these jangling nerves she felt whenever he was near, the sense that nothing else mattered but touching him, getting her skin next to his.

Hank angled his head like his neck hurt. Or we could just go to bed.

Samantha's mouth fell open and she forgot how to speak, which was fine, since she wouldnt have known what to say, anyway. Shed planned to make it happen, not to talk about. And that was before shed been derailed by an angry grandmother.

You know. Get it out of the way.

Yes! Samantha felt light with relief. Thats it!

Way I figure it, weve had it building up between us for what, thirteen years? Might be time to just jump right in the sack.

Samantha coughed and took a sip of the water hed given her.

Naked, I mean, Hank clarified. In case you didnt think thats what I meant.

Mmm. I You want to go there now?

To bed, she hedged.

My bed.

With you, said Samantha.

All six foot three of me. If you dont mind a" he paused for effect "big guy.

Samantha wondered if it was actually possible to faint from l.u.s.t. Im not sure talking about it soprosaically is exactly the way it usually goes.

What? Hank said, hooking a leg around the chair next to her and pulling it toward him. He straddled it like a horse, looking long and easy in his body. This kind of planning? I reckon that sometimes thinking about something you want is almost as fun as getting it. And Ive got to tell you, Ive sure spent some quality time thinking about the way youre going look under me.

Oh!

I like thinking about the way youll feel against my body, when Im moving against you. I like wondering how your b.r.e.a.s.t.s will fit in my hands. Hank held out his fingers and looked at them, and Samantha noticed again how very large his hands were. I like thinking about how soft youll feel and I like wondering how wet I can make you before you come.

Oh, she said again. There werent any other words left in the world.

I like thinking about that last moment, right before you climb to the top, when Im inside you. Your hair is all over my pillow, and your eyes are closed and then you cry out and you look at me, and then I kiss you. Hard.

Samantha touched her lips. She could almost feel it, could almost feel him holding himself over her.

What do we do now? she whispered.

He rocked forward on the chair so that they were only inches apart. We go in my bedroom. I take off your clothes. You take off mine. Then we get in the bed.

Naked.

Extremely naked.

She stood, unsure if her knees would hold her up.

Dont you worry, he said. Ill catch you if you fall.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

HANK WOKE UP with Samantha in his arms. She was cradled perfectly against his chest, her cheek on his shoulder as if shed slept there for years. She breathed steadily, a dark strand of hair fluttering in front of her mouth every time she exhaled. Samantha Rowe was not only the s.e.xiest woman hed ever seen, she was also the cutest.

His plan had failed spectacularly.

When hed seen her standing on the other side of Maureen in his doorway, with that look on her face, the look she couldnt hide from him even though she tried to be all business in front of his grandmother, hed decided hed go along with her.

Hed get her out of his system. Hed give just about anything not to feel this way about her. In love.

Honestly, last night Hank had hoped that one good roll in the hay would clear his brain, for once and for all.

Instead, he woke up and realized that he still wasnt over her. Maybe he never would be.

And that just sucked, because if he knew one thing about Samantha Rowe, it was that she wasnt a good bet. Above anything else, Hank used to want safety. Now he wanted Samantha. How the h.e.l.l was that safe?

And while maybe he should be upset about it, he wasnt.

Instead, even though his plan had backfired, Hank realized he was in just about the best mood of his life. Right there, in that pile of sunlight and sheets, with Samantha lying on his shoulder.

She stirred, stretching her legs and giving a slight, low groan in the back of her throat. Hank felt himself get hard again.

Nuzzling herself under his chin, Samantha pressed her nose against the stubble of his jaw and made another throaty noise.

Then he felt her jerk backward. She gasped.

In an instant, she was sitting upright, the sheet pulled up to her chin. Oh, man. She rubbed her eyes with her free hand. I was just having this dream, and He filled in the blank. And then it wasnt a dream.

Something like that.

Im going to make you some coffee. Dont leave.

She made a high-pitched noise and pulled the sheet over her head.

Hank laughed his way into the kitchen.

She had to get out of there. As fast as possible.

Shed done the worst thing she could have.

The worst thing ever.

And it wasnt sleeping with Hank Coffee.

That was the thing"sleeping with Hank had been wonderful. Okay, there had been precious little sleeping involved, mostly there had been his fingers and his tongue and his glorious body Hed fit her like no man ever had. Shed felt beautiful in his arms, like a s.e.xy tramp. Like a G.o.ddess.

But what had broken her, really, what had made it clear to her that this wasnt normal, none of it was, was when hed kissed her at dawn. It had been a different kiss than all the others.

It was a kiss with a promise of the future.

Samantha didnt do the future. One day at a time wasnt a slogan to her, it wasnt just a motto. It was her life. Tomorrow, she might be gone. She could only bank on today. The only time she thought about the future was when she was planning her training cla.s.s. When it came to the women she was responsible for, yes, shed look into the future. But apart from that? Shed made sure to sign a month-to-month lease on her apartment, so she could leave at a moments notice. She always bought a pint of half-and-half for her coffee, never a quart. Just in case.

Coffee. Hank Coffee was making her coffee.

And heaven help her, she was wishing hed do that every day for the rest of her life.

Why did the word love keep sounding in her head like a bell she couldnt stop hearing? It was a quiet bell, as if she was hearing it from far away, but it was insistent and clear and beautiful.

Samantha groaned and covered her head with the pillow next to her. That only made it worse, though. It was his pillow and smelled deliciously of him"wood chips and pine and soap. She threw it to the foot of the bed and sat straight up, keeping the sheet over her naked b.r.e.a.s.t.s in case Hank walked in.

And what if he did? Hed pretty much seen all there was to see last night.

Here you go, trouble. Hank was only wearing red checked boxers. His chest was so broad, so well-defined, the muscles that shed traced last night with her lips disappearing into the top of his shorts It was light with cream, just the way she liked it. How did he know that about her?

He must have read her quizzical look. You liked cream in college. I thought maybe you still did.

She nodded quickly and took a too-hot sip of the coffee. Thanks. Ive always liked it hot.

In response, he quirked an eyebrow.

Hot Coffee.

She laughed. Oh, come on.

I didnt say anything.

Well, thank you.

In response, he dropped a kiss on her collarbone and moved to sit with his back against the headboard. Anytime.

You dont have to work today? Part of her"okay, a big part"had been hoping hed slide out of bed and go to work and she could start piecing together this new life, the one she couldnt make heads or tails of yet.

Nope.

I cant keep track of your schedule.

Two days on, four days off.

Thats a lot of time off, she said weakly.

More time with you.

Samanthas sip of coffee choked her as it went down the wrong way.

Need help?

She shook her head.