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darted into his mouth, Michael thought he would explode. This time there was no hesitancy. This time there was fire; this time there was passion.
    He crushed her to him, tangled his fingers in her silky hair.
    A whimper escaped her lips, making his body burn anew. Not since he’d been a teenager had he responded so wildly to a kiss. Not since he’d been a young man had he wanted something so much. Never in his life had that something been a woman.
    Until now.
    This doesn’t mean anything, Amanda told herself as she leaned against him. It was simply a matter of chemistry...of proximity.
    It was more than that. And she knew it. Suddenly frightened by the realization, Amanda pushed at his chest.
    Easing his hold, Michael drew away slightly. He looked into her eyes, smoky and warm with desire.
    â€œMichael.”
    â€œShh.” He dropped another kiss on her lips. The sight of Amanda’s beautiful face flushed, her mouth swollen from his kisses, caused his body to ache even more. He pulled her back into his arms.
    â€œNo,” she whispered, panic seizing her. Kissing Michael had been insanity on her part. “This was a mistake.”
    â€œIt wasn’t a mistake,” he insisted, hearing the alarm in her voice and not understanding it. He stroked her hair, wanting to reassure her.
    Amanda heard the denial in his voice, saw the yearning in his eyes. She stepped back, out of his arms. Taking a deep breath, she filled her lungs with fresh air, trying to clear her senses. How could she have done this? Let things get so out of hand?
    â€œDon’t push me away, Amanda.”
    â€œPlease, Michael. It was just a kiss,” she said, deliberately sounding flip. “Let’s not make it into more than it was.”
    Michael stiffened. Just a kiss? He dropped his hands to his sides. It was a hell of a lot more than a simple kiss and they both knew it.
    â€œThank you for dinner,” she continued primly as though nothing had happened. But Michael heard the slight catch in her voice, saw the tremor of her lips.
    â€œWe’ll have to do it again—soon.” He edged a little closer and experienced a small measure of satisfaction at the flash of panic that clouded her brown eyes.
    Just as quickly, she schooled her expression and retrieved her keys from her purse.
    Michael took them from her fingers. Unlocking the door, he pushed it open.
    â€œWell, thanks again,” she murmured politely.
    â€œAren’t you going to ask me in for a nightcap?” he baited, irritated with her for denying there was something between them and with himself for caring.
    Amanda shot him a look that would, no doubt, quell a lesser man. “No, I’m not,” she said in those crisp, clear tones that had made him peg her as a New Englander the first time he’d met her.
    Michael bit down on his anger at her rejection. “Then next time,” he managed.
    â€œThere won’t be any next time,” she said, tipping up her chin.
    The haughtiness of her tone caused something to snap inside him. Before he could stop himself, Michael reached for her. Cupping the back of her head, he pulled her to him. “I promise you there will be a next time, Amanda. Tonight was only the beginning.”

Three
    A manda glanced at the small, crystal clock sitting on her desk. Four-twenty. The knot in her stomach tightened. Only ten more minutes before Michael arrived.
    Unable to concentrate, she closed the file folder she had been studying and, walking across the room, she gazed out the window to the school playground at the dozen or so children who had remained for after-school care.
    Hearing a squeal of laughter, Amanda smiled as she spotted Summer—her long, dark braids flying behind her while she raced across the yard engaged in a game of tag.
    She wasn’t at all the same child she had been when they had started working together ten weeks ago, Amanda thought. Sad and withdrawn, it had been so