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his hands loudly and, in a tone much like Richard would have used, put the kitchen staff back on task.
    Richard exceeded the speed limit on all the roads that separated him from the woman he couldn’t stop thinking about. On the way he rehearsed how he would tell Madison that he’d changed his stance on virginity.
     
    ***
     
    Right, left, then another left after the farmhouse. Or was it left, right, then left at the farmhouse? Shit. Maddy stood at an intersection, wishing she’d paid more attention on the way into the small town near Richard’s house. Her arms were aching from the weight of the bags she’d filled with Christmas decorations.
    When she’d decided to head into town and pick up a few holiday items to surprise Richard, it had seemed like a good idea. However, getting lost outside the town near his house added an almost comically ridiculous element to the day.
    Would it kill this town to have a taxi service? Not that it would have helped much because I can’t remember his exact address.
    Yes, please drop me off at the large stone mansion on the hill. Oh, all the mansions in this area are stone and seem to be on hills? Well then, how about the one owned by a hot French chef? There can’t be many like him around.
    Name? Richard.
    Last name? Oh, I forgot to ask. Sure, I almost slept with him without that knowledge, but it would be helpful to know it now.
    Or even the name of his restaurant.
    No wonder Gino thinks I can’t survive on my own. I feel like a five-year-old who should have worn a tag to help people return her home if she got lost.
    Home.
    Maybe that’s where I belong. Maybe my father is right. Maybe if I grow up I’ll understand why my family made the decisions it did.
    I should call Gino and tell him to pick me up. Hard to ever truly be lost in the world of technology and GPS tracking. The moment I turn on my cell phone he’ll find me. He’s probably still in the local area looking for me. He’d never leave me. That used to make me feel safe. Now I feel cornered.
    Choosing a direction, Maddy set off walking down a side road, regretting again that she wasn’t wearing practical walking shoes. Her suede high heels were comfortable for a short stroll, but this was becoming a several-mile hike. She was dressed in black corduroy pants, an ivory loose-fitting sweater, and her jacket, and yet the wind blew right through the layers and chilled her skin. Along with the fading sunshine, the temperature was quickly dropping.
    Nothing looked familiar, and her frustration was growing. At any other time in her life, she would have called her mother for advice, but she’d made that option impossible. She saw now that she should have spoken to her mother before leaving, but she’d been angry, and the anger had made her impulsive. Her mother must have known about Uncle Vic’s lie. She’d probably known for years and done nothing. Maddy had always thought that she and her mother told each other everything. She’d been wrong.
    Is that why I felt ready to toss my virginity to the wind? Do I want to hurt my family like they hurt me?
    She remembered the feeling of Richard’s lips on her body and blushed as her skin tingled in memory. No, it was more than that.
    Although she was uncertain about how to deal with her family, she knew exactly why she was waiting for Richard to come home. I’ve never felt anything like what I felt last night, I want to feel that again. I have to know if his kisses really are as good as I thought they were. Was my heart beating wildly the whole time we spoke because he’d woken me with a start or because our attraction was that strong?
    What would have happened if I hadn’t blurted out my lack of experience? Does it matter? Will I ever find out?
    The street ended in a driveway. Maddy cursed and waved a hand angrily at the waning late-day sun. She dropped the bags at her feet, hugged her thin coat to her, and shivered. As the sun slipped below the tree line she took out her