Out on the street she stopped in midstride, turned to the right, reached for Ted's windbreaker, and pulled him forward. She planted a lip-lock on him that made her toes curl up inside her pointy-toed high heels. When she released him, she gasped for breath.

Ted's eyes rolled back in his head. "Jesus!" was all Ted could say.

"We will not talk about this. . .ever."

"Yeah, yeah, right. We won't talk about this. . .ever. You want to go home and have sex?"

"Sex? What? You think I'm easy? Just because I kissed you doesn't mean I want. . ."

Ted was still rooted to the sidewalk. "It was a yes-or-no question, Maggie. You didn't answer the question."

"Yeah. Yeah, I do."

Ted almost fainted. He felt like scooping her up, slinging her over his shoulder, and running down the street. Why the hell not? He grabbed her, threw her over his shoulder, and started running as Maggie squealed and laughed and pedestrians clapped their approval.

"Put me down, Ted! Let me take off my shoes, and we'll run!"

Run they did.

Two hours later, the new editor in chief of the Post and the Post's star reporter snuggled in Ted's big bed with the two cats, who were purring so loud it was hard for the humans to hear their own words.

"That was the best sex I ever had," Ted said sleepily.

"Yeah, it was pretty good," Maggie agreed. "You got anything to eat in this place?"

"Everything under the sun. Help yourself."

"I don't mean leftover takeout. I mean food."

"Check it out, Miss EIC."

Maggie padded naked out to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. She blinked at the array of food inside. Fresh fruit and vegetables. Half a ham covered in Saran Wrap. A plate of leftover fried chicken. Milk, juice, beer, eggs, bacon. She didn't know what to reach for first. She turned around when she felt Ted's hand on her shoulder. He was just as naked as she was. She smiled. This was familiar ground, something she'd missed the past year. Sex, pillow talk, raiding the fridge. Companion talk. Easy, comfortable. "Want a sandwich? What's up with this loaded fridge? I was expecting to see a ton of take-out cartons."

"I've been staying home a lot. Cheaper to cook than eat out. I've been running and exercising a lot lately. I didn't know what to do with myself. I actually like cooking. I meant it when I said I missed you, Maggie. I've been trying to be the kind of person you want me to be. I paid attention to everything you said. I need to know something, though. Was. . .is this just a hit-and-run? Or are we. . .Whatever it is, I'm okay with it if it's what you want. I might not like it, but I'll do whatever works for you."