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herself, she let the giggles take over.
    Wade stepped forward and the soft glow of a distant streetlight revealed his serious face. “What's so funny? You're not having some kind of breakdown, are you?” He looked so sincere, so intent, it made Kylie laugh harder.
    "You know, I believe I am. I think I may very well be ready for the booby hatch. Wanna call and book me a room?"
    "Look,” he whispered, leaning close to be heard. His big hands steadied the swing and forced her to stillness. Kylie felt her breath suddenly solidify in her lungs. He was so close. Close enough for her to smell the fruity scent of wine on his lips. “Can we please take a walk? Talk away from the house. I know this sounds paranoid, but I can almost feel them all in there. Faces pressed against the window, watching our every move. It's freaking me out."
    "My mom knows I'm upset?"
    "Christ, Kylie! She's your mother . She was wringing her hands when I left. She kept saying she should have told you. She just had no idea it would upset you. It's been so long.” The last words were barely audible.
    "It has been so long.” She sighed. Kylie stood and pulled her coat tighter against the cold. Thank goodness she'd had the presence of mind to grab it before fleeing the house. “Let's walk down to the gazebo. Dad said he put new chairs out there. It'll be a good excuse as to why we wandered off."
    "Thank you,” he said a little too earnestly for Kylie's taste. She wanted to hate him or, at the very least, be angry with him. Wade took her hand in his. His hand was so large, so warm, so male . The heat felt good on her cold fingers but what felt better was the familiarity. She let herself enjoy the feel of those hands again. Hands that had traveled and explored every part of her body. There was no harm in enjoying it for just a moment .
    "Let's go. I'm starting to lose the feeling in my face."
    Wade followed her in the dark, still holding tight to her hand. Every so often his thumb would sweep a small circle across her palm and Kylie felt her insides heat up and start to soften. How very erotic it was. It was just fingers running over the palm of her hand but it inspired so many more sensual thoughts. It made her wonder what the gentle caress of his fingers would feel like on other parts of her body. Other very eager parts. When she curled her fingers with unease, he released her hand willingly.
    They came to the gazebo at the farthest reaches of her parents’ property. “Look. He put the screens in,” Kylie said, momentarily forgetting her warring emotions of terror and joy at being alone with Wade. She stepped inside and viewed her father's most recent handiwork. “Chaise lounges, fancy cushions. Bamboo blinds!” she said, lowering one elegant wheat-colored blind. “Wow. So this is what parents do when their nest is empty.” She laughed and flopped onto a chaise. She was suddenly exhausted. Too physically and emotionally drained to be nervous anymore.
    Wade settled on a wicker ottoman and eyed her. His body was full of tension. Taut muscled forearms resting on his knees, shoulders hunched. He looked tightly coiled. Ready to spring.
    "You didn't bring me out here to kill me, did you?” Kylie said, trying to make light of the situation.
    "No. I came out here to apologize.” He rubbed his hands together and shivered. “Didn't expect it to be so damn cold. Most places I've been lately are a little warmer than Maryland."
    "Let the blinds down,” she said without thinking. Stupid! Let the blinds down? Then she'd be sequestered from the world with a man who made her body go insane even though he'd left her heart scattered in a million little pieces.
    He nodded and rose to do what she'd suggested. Kylie's heart rate went up as each blind went down. After a moment, when all the blinds were lowered, it was completely dark. “Now I can't see you,” he muttered.
    Kylie felt around on the round table that sat between the matching chaises. “Eureka,