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relationship.
     

Chapter 7
     
    The next day, Dean was sitting at his desk. When he rented the house, he’d done so primarily because of its proximity to the lake. The large picture window that looked out over the surface of the water had been the icing on the cake.
    Today, however, he wasn’t able to tap into the peace and tranquility he normally found in this place. Usually this was the perfect place for him to sit and write. He needed to complete the outline for his book about dragonflies. Today. Organized and self-disciplined as he was, he’d set very specific deadlines for himself, and that deadline was today.
    But as he sat gazing out the window at the lake, the words just wouldn’t come. The blank piece of paper on his desk stared at him, wanting to be filled with ink. Even holding his favorite pen between his fingers, didn’t help. He hadn’t written a single word! Melissa! His mind kept wandering back to her, again and again.
    Dean finally tossed the pen down on the desk and leaned back in the leather chair. He loved women. Always had. Even back in high school, and then college, he’d always been lucky with the ladies. He was a cheerful guy and seemed to draw all sorts of women around him.
    Two years ago, he’d hooked up with Jaqueline. His family had never approved of her, but he’d pushed their concerns aside. He hadn’t liked to disappoint them, but he’d had little time to dwell on their feelings. Jaqueline had kept his attention focused solely on her!
    Now that he was on this side of their breakup, he could see that they’d been right all along. She hadn’t been loyal to him! She hadn’t cared about making him happy; the only thing she’d cared about was that he made her happy! In the end, she had betrayed him in the most humiliating way he could have ever imagined!
    In contrast, there was Melissa. Sweet. Empathic. Just a tad shy. And though she was young in age, she was mature beyond her years in common sense and the nastier side of life. When he thought of Melissa, he had a strange urge to protect her. She was so petite and sweet, an angel sent to earth; he wanted to wrap her in his arms and hold her tight so that nothing could ever hurt her again.
    And her smile. It warmed him like no other. Holding her in his arms the night before had been as much pleasure as torture. He’d barely been able to breathe when she’d willingly gone into his arms, and when their lips had touched for the first time, he wanted to devour her!
    When he had first seen Happy, he’d been taken aback that such a young woman like Melissa could have a baby. But as he’d gotten to know her more last night, he realized her child was the same reason she was so mature. She’d been forced to grow up quickly, choosing to put the welfare of her child before herself. Something women of twenty-five and thirty often struggled with.
    He closed his eyes and brought the image of her daughter to his mind. She was adorable, and he was slightly stunned to realize he felt emotion for the little girl. Love? He pondered that for a moment and then smiled. Yes! I love Happy! From the first moment I saw her! I’d love to be her father! Dean continued to smile at how nice this new emotion was. Was that the feeling his parents had enjoyed for so many years with their seven kids?
    The more he thought about it, he realized he had a similar emotion towards Melissa. How can that be? I’ve only known her for a few days?
    Not spending more energy thinking about it, he picked up the phone and called her. I’m going to win her trust and make her and her daughter mine!
    “Melissa? It’s Dean.”
    “Dean. Hi!”
    “Hi! I’m not disturbing you, am I?”
    “No. I just got home from the diner, actually. I worked the early shift today.”
    “Do you have to work tomorrow morning?”
    “I start at 10 a.m. Why?”
    “Well, I wondering if you want to accompany me on an excursion tomorrow morning?”
    “At the lake? I’d love to see what you