“Anyway, in the grand scheme of things it was just a blip, and I was fine, and it’s not something I think or talk about much. The few times I’ve told people about it, they often get weird—fascinated in a creepy way, or all condescendingly proud of me. Sometimes I’ve talked about it when I’ve volunteered with kids and teenagers, and once a few years ago I alluded to it at a city council meeting to help my sister out, but I don’t tell a lot of people about it anymore. But I thought … I guess I just thought I wanted to tell you.”

He took her hand.

“You didn’t have to tell me, but I’m really glad you did.”

She kissed him this time. She kept her kiss soft and slow, but as she drew him closer to her, his kiss, his touch, got more passionate. His hands roamed around her body, and my God did they feel good. She didn’t let herself touch him below the shoulders until his hands were on her thighs; then she sighed happily and moved her hands down his chest. She slid her hands up underneath his shirt.

“Can I?” she whispered in his ear.

He nibbled at her neck as his hands moved up and down her body again.

“Mmmhmm.”

She pushed his shirt up and over his head, and gave herself up to stroking his chest as they kissed. His chest hair was springy under her fingers; it delighted her. She couldn’t stop touching him, kissing him. By the way he kissed her harder, he felt the same way. She trailed her hands down to his waist, and lower. His hands slid up under her dress.

This felt too good. She pulled away from him.

He reached for her again.

“We don’t have to stop,” he said.

She wanted to listen to him so much, but she knew she couldn’t.

“It’s been an emotional day for you, and as much as I want to take you at your word right now, it feels like it’s a better idea to chill out a little, eat some of that pie, and watch the rest of this movie.”

He sighed.

“You’re probably right about that.” He reached for the pie again, but this time he turned around with a grin on his face. A very sexy grin.

“I have a better idea than pie.”

She scrunched her nose at him.

“Better than pie? How is that— ”

Before she could finish her sentence, he pushed up her dress and knelt at her feet.

She looked at him in disbelief. Was he really going to do what she thought he was going to do?

“Max, you’ve had a long day, you don’t have to …”