She gave herself a moment to think by fumbling for the iPod shut-off. She couldn’t have felt more unattractive, in spite of the running shorts Heather said made her bootylicious. She finally made herself look at Linda again. This conversation was not supposed to happen standing in her parking lot before the sun was completely up.

“What do you mean you want me?” Marissa tried to face Linda square on, fighting off all the memories of her skin, her laughter and the soft, welcome words that had made Marissa feel attractive and wanted. “You wait a year?”

“I know. And I know you’ve reason to be mad.”

“I got over being angry a while ago. I don’t feel anything but regret now.” Okay, given the way her heart was pounding, that was a boldfaced lie. But a pounding heart didn’t mean good feelings, only strong ones.

The dark eyes shimmered with emotion—oh, how does she make her eyes do that, Marissa wailed inside. It wasn’t fair. “I have a lot of regrets too,” Linda said quietly. “I know I must have hurt you. If you’ll let me explain, at least you’ll know why.”

“Does it matter? I’m past it.”

A new set of lines around Linda’s mouth creased as she smiled, but not happily. “I was hoping it would still matter to you.”

“It would have nine months ago. You broke my heart, do you know that?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Are you just here because you want me to forgive you so you can move on? Fine.” Marissa wiped sweat off her brow and, dang it all, wished she didn’t look like a drowned rat and smell worse. “You’re forgiven.”

“Can we maybe get together tonight and talk?”

“I have a date.” That, at least, was true. She didn’t have to explain it was a first date in a short series of first dates as she worked up the courage to call the women her own program reported were 98% highly compatible with Chabot, Marissa.

“Then you pick a time. I was going to call tonight and let you know I was in town but I couldn’t wait. I thought I’d at least see where you lived.”

“I don’t see what there is to be gained in all of this.”

Linda took a deep breath and it was not fair that somehow, though her face had new lines, she looked even more embraceable than before. It’s just physical, Marissa told herself angrily. She’s the last woman you went to bed with. Well, Eve tonight might get lucky, because she wasn’t going to let Linda hurt her again just because she wanted Linda bad. Oh hell.

“Okay, well, let me give you this and maybe if I call after a while we’ll be able to talk. Because I’ve missed you. And I’m here for the right reasons finally. I know that doesn’t make sense. But if I’d shown up earlier it would have been for the wrong reasons.”

Linda held out a wrapped package she’d drawn out of a shopping bag. It was about the size of a box of chocolates, but when Marissa reluctantly took it she decided it felt like a book.