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utterly devastating, devoid of makeup, her hair wet from a shower. He made his way to the kitchen, set the pie on the counter. She brushed past him, and then started to shake. He grabbed her, held on and let her cry it out. "Shh, it's okay. Just relax."
    She had his shirt bunched between her hands. Her body pressed into his. He ran his hand down her hair, made more soothing noises, then, without even thinking about it tilted her chin up and gazed at her streaming eyes. He slid his hand around to the back of her neck, and covered her lips with his. The kiss was slow, easy, and perfect. She arched into him and had started to wrap her arms around his neck when he broke the kiss and stepped away, not even sure why. He could have had her right then, right there, and he knew it. It was well within his skill set, but it felt off, wrong somehow.  So he let the moment spin out. "I'm sorry," he whispered. The doorbell rang and she ran out leaving him clutching the countertop. Kathy and Val from the office came in clutching a wine bottle and pizza. They eyeballed him as he ate, calmly, willing his cock soft so he could walk out from behind the counter.
    When he left them to their girl power session he stopped at the door, kissed her once more, lightly. "I'm not sorry, not really. Can I call you?" She nodded then ducked back inside to her friends. He drove home in a daze, ever closer to his goal, but unsure of what he would do when he attained it.

Chapter Seven
     
    Craig looked around the party and wondered not for the first time what the hell he was doing. He had accepted an invite to a cookout at Sara's brother's place with trepidation. He'd been strong and true to his word on many fronts. Lindsay had begged him to fuck her, once leaning on his condo door weeping and wailing until he threatened to call the cops. It hurt. He was not one to like hearing women crying, but he knew she was playing him.  After that incident, she had left him alone.
    He'd gone on a few dates, even gotten his first listing and was presiding over his first successful buyer's agency transaction. Things were generally looking up, but his obsession with Sara had taken on frightening proportions in his head. He used every excuse to be around her, talk to her, and loved how close their tiny workspaces were in the back of the downtown office. She was an incorrigible flirt, which didn't really help, but he worked it and listened to her rant and rave about Jack enough that he felt as dialed into that guy as he did to himself. But the memory of her lips, and her body, pressed against his would simply not fade.
    "Come out Saturday to Blake and Rob's party," she'd said. "Allie will be there," she batted her eyes.
    He'd rolled his. He had gone out with Allison, from the Stewart administration office. A fairly forgettable night and one he ended with a chaste kiss. She did nothing for him. Besides, he was bound and determined not to get into another meaningless physical relationship, unless, of course, that was what Sara wanted. Then he'd do whatever, just to have her in his bed.
    So there he was, parking his bike, waving to a few people he knew, although there were plenty he didn't, and trying to blend in. He grabbed a beer, let Allie hug and kiss him, then chatted a while, ever watchful for Sara. He spotted her immediately when she rolled up with Gordon in some amazing over-the-top convertible. She bounded up the steps to greet her brother and Rob. Craig observed Gordon sauntering up and noted the somewhat pensive look in Jack's eyes. Then he stepped back and watched Jack talking with some friends, including a very interesting-looking red-headed chick. He sipped, let the party flow around him, and ate some of the delicious food. Sara's brother and his partner owned a brew pub.  The tall one, Rob, was a French-trained chef. Two more beers in and he was starting to relax, but switched to water knowing he had to make the trek back to his condo. A shout caught his ear and