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me about her childhood, everything she had liked and disliked. I paid attention to what made her frown and what made her smile. I listened as she told me that her parents had divorced when she was young, but since both of her parents had lived within minutes of each other, she had grown up happy with what had felt like one big, extended family. Peggy, her mom, was married to her stepfather Mark, and she a little sister named Sarah.
    Melanie had two stepbrothers from her father’s second wife Cheryl. It was her father’s recent divorce from Cheryl that brought Melanie to Colorado. Steve, Melanie’s father, had taken the divorce hard, and he didn’t want to stay in the same city as Cheryl. Melanie had moved with her dad, certain he shouldn’t be alone in such dark times.
    Clearly, her family was as important to her as mine was to me.
    With a wistful smile, she listened to stories of my childhood, giggling as I told her of the trouble Erin and I used to get into together. She asked me what I liked and what I didn’t like, and I knew she actually cared to know the answers. We talked about school and about how I hoped to become a doctor like my dad.
    It was as if we already knew each other; we just needed to fill in the blanks.
    We didn’t need to make any declarations; we just were.
    The whole time we talked, we lay, facing each other, our hands intertwined.
    “Daniel, it’s getting late. I’d better get home before my dad notices.” Melanie stretched, obviously not wanting to leave any more than I wanted her to.
    I said, “Okay,” but didn’t let her go.
    Instead, I scooted closer, gentle as I took her face between my hands. My heart beat so hard, I was sure she could hear it, just as I could hear hers. I stroked her cheeks, hoping she didn’t notice my fingers trembling with anxiety.
    She watched me with anticipation, clearly just as nervous as I was, but I felt no hesitation from her. She leaned in a little closer, and I pressed my lips against hers.
    It felt so good.
    I kissed her softly and slowly for a couple of seconds. My hands found their way into her curls as I pulled her closer. I felt a tremor roll through her body when our tongues first met. Obviously, neither of us was very experienced as the kiss remained slow and tentative, our mouths gently moving together as we learned each other.
    Her hands shook as they moved up my arms and onto my face, making their way into my hair and leaving that same trail of warmth I had felt earlier when we first touched. Her fingers created a desire I had never known. I clutched her to me as the kiss became urgent, the need to consume her overwhelming. She kissed me with as much intensity as I showed her, pressing her body into mine. My whole body sang with want for her. As desperately as I wanted to keep going, I knew it was too much too fast.
    I slowed the kiss, bringing my hands back to her face. My body trembled and my hands shook. I rested my forehead against hers as I tried to catch my breath.
    I looked into her eyes, seeing her emotion there, and I just knew.
    I was in love with Melanie Winters.

    “Hey, Katie,” I said, smiling as I climbed into her car.
    “Morning, Mel.” She leaned across the console to hug me. “Al set?”
    “Yep.” I was as ready as I could be to spend a day shopping with Katie. Shopping wasn’t my favorite thing in the world, but I knew how much Katie and Shane had riding on tonight.
    I would never have turned her down.
    I buckled in as Katie threw her silver sedan in drive. She sped back out of my neighborhood and jumped on the highway leading downtown.
    If it were up to me, I would have grabbed the first thing I saw, but every time we went shopping, Katie insisted we try on everything. It was exhausting. It wasn’t as if she didn’t look amazing in anything she put on. She had a body any woman would envy.
    I found a dress we both approved of at the third store. It was dark green and fel to just below the knees, accentuating my