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on, she leaned back in the chair holding the steaming mug to her face while inhaling deeply.  Feeling better, she took several more deep breaths before focusing on her current work.  Opening the file, she knew that this was probably one of her best works.  The heroine was off to Europe on a great adventure and had met her soul mate. It was easy for Alex to visualize herself as the character, her words weaving a perfect world of love, some conflict, intrigue , and happiness .   Each book would ine vitably have a happy conclusion; the kind of end that she had always dreamed about for herself , yet one which seemed so unattainable.   Her nightmare faded as she became engrossed in her fantasy while her fingers flew over the keyboard.
                  Seth pulled down the street in his truck , glad his shift was finally over.  Alex had been on his mind again all day , and h e wanted to see her .   It has been a long time since a woman intrigued him enough to want to get to know her .  Alex, he felt , had a few walls built up that he would need to tear down first , and having built a few walls of his own , knew how stron g those walls were and how hard they were to tear down .  Pulling in to his driveway, he was stunned to see all the lights were on inside of her house. Frowning , he glanced at the truck’s clock to see it was 3:45 am .   Concerned , he did not hesitate to walk to the front door.  Knocking for several minutes , his concern escalated when she didn’t answer . 
                  Inside the house, Alex’s heart started to beat rapidly in h er che st . Walking to the door, she pressed her ear against the wood.  “Who is it?”
                  “Alex?!  It’s Seth.  Open the door!”
                  Filled with relief but surprised , she cracked it open several inches. He was dressed in his State Trooper uniform , and she realized that he must have just retu r ned from his shift at work.
                  W orried , he took in her paleness , which only served to deepen the dark circles around her eyes .
                  “ Are you ok?”
                  “ Of course I am , Seth…I was just working.”
                  “At 4:00 am?  Let me in , Alex.”
                  “ You hardly know me .  Maybe I don’t even sleep - I am fine, really Seth , I was just writing.”
                  How much he should push her he had no idea.  She was right , t hey bar e ly knew each other , and realizing he was not going to get any further with her tonight , he stared at her for a moment .  H is voice softened.  “ Please l et me in Alex… Did you have the nightmare again? ”  Her face unreadable, her silence was all the answer he needed .
                  “Why didn’t you call me?”
                  “I am fine. I really am writing .”
                  She was touched at his concern, her body slowly relaxing as her heart rate slowed back to its normal pace .   “Ok ay .  I saw all of your lights on and was concerned. ”  Reaching across the threshold Seth brushed her face with his fingers .  H is thumb strayed down her chee k , and as if with a mind of its own , brushed against her lips.  Mesmerized , Alex stared back at Seth, watch ing as his breath drew in sharply when her lips parted slightly at his touch.  Her breathing quickened, this time not from fear. 
                  “ You had better get used to me Alex .  Y ou cannot shut me out forever , and I am not going away.”
                  He watched the lines form on her forehead as she frowned deeply at his words .   H is fingers moved the hair that had fallen over her face and tucked it behind her ear.  The touch and simple gesture felt intensely intimate , and her he art fluttered in her chest.
                  “I am sure you ’ r e not. Good