“You know,” Rich said softly, “I didn’t believe in love at first sight before meeting you. Sure made a believer out of me. I truly believe God brought us together and plans for us to share the remainder of our lives.”

“Truly?”

“Truly.” He reached across the console and, with one hand on each side of her face, kissed her, gently but long enough to leave her shaking. “I sure hope that shaking is from joy and not fear.”

“Oh, I think you are so right.” She touched her tingling lips with her fingertips. “Oh, my.”

He rested his forehead against hers. “I knew when I kissed you, it would rock my world. I think I better take you home.”

She nodded. “I think so.” How long would it be before her heart settled down again? There was surely no doubt that they had chemistry, volatile chemistry. But was this love or merely attraction? Not that “merely” had anything to do with it. There was also no doubt that she had kissed him back. None of that fainting damsel stuff.

At her door, he wrapped his arms around her and this time kissed her with depth and fervor, as if searching for her answer. “I hope this clarifies your confusion; it sure erased any hesitancy I might have felt as to the rightness.”

Please don’t pressure me, Roxie’s mind cried while her body sang for more.

“I’ll see you Sunday if not tomorrow.” He tipped up her chin and kissed her again, lightly this time but filled with promise. “Night.”

“Night.” She realized later that she’d floated into the house and had almost forgotten to shut the door. She could hear the TV on in the family room so Loren was home. She wandered into the room to see that Nate was still here too. Sir Charles leaped up and came to greet her rather apologetically, head down. “That’s okay, Sir Charles, I snuck up on you.” She petted him and smiled at the two on the sofa.

“Did you have a fun ride?”

“We did. And stopped for pizza on our way back.” Nate released Loren’s hand and stretched his arms over his head. “I think I better head home.”

“Don’t leave on my account. Stay and watch the rest of that if you want. Either way, night.” She headed for the stairs, Sir Charles at her side.

She undressed and removed her makeup in a daze. Had that really happened? She’d not been dreaming of such a thing so it wasn’t that. She touched her fingertips to her mouth again. Crawling into bed, she reached for her Bible and her journal and didn’t bother to open either one, instead sat propped against her pillows and let her mind wander back over the evening. She was still sitting like that when Loren poked her head in the doorway.

“All right, Mom, what is going on? You floated in the house and up the stairs.”

“I’ll tell you about it when I have a better handle on this evening.”