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everyone felt the need to remind me of what a terrible failure I was. So I brought him up to clear the air, mention him once, and hopefully put it all behind us.”
    He scowled. “You’re not a failure. He’s an ass.”
    A white knight, fighting for me! “All the same, that black cloud’s overshadowed me constantly, like a curse.” She allowed herself to look at him. “But tonight was absolutely incredible.”
    “Even though I’m not a ‘real’ man?”
    Oh no. Why had she ever mentioned it? “Forget what I said. That was Desperate Susan talking, the ex-wife ready to abandon everything I’d worked so hard for in order to get away from The Ex Factor.”
    “The Ex Factor? Oh, the curse?” His brow furrowed. “You’re not really considering leaving, are you?”
    “Not anymore. You opened my eyes. I know what a real man is now. You.”
    The light of the computer screen glowed in his face as he looked up at her, relaxed and happy. He rested his hands on her shoulders. “I hereby declare the curse broken.”
    She whirled an arm in the air. “Woo hoo, no more Ex Factor. I’m free.” More serious, she said, “But that’s what I was trying to tell you. You already freed me.”
    “Perfect. Because I want two people in our bed—you and me. No Ghosts of Spouses Past hovering around, getting between us.”
    “ Our bed?”
    “If you’re in it, it’s ours.”
    The sensation welling up inside her was an indescribable high. “I get such a good feeling from you.”
    His mouth gaped, as if he groped for something to say.
    She spoke first. “I know, I shouldn’t have said anything, shouldn’t have put it out there to jinx us, put any bad juju on us. But it’s true.”
    “Bad juju aside, I agree. Completely.” He kissed her lightly.
    “Thank you for seeing past the two-dimensional tabloid image.” She returned the kiss.
    Lips still touching hers, he said, “Thank you for seeing past the Thornballs Legend.”
    Her attempt not to laugh failed. “You knew about that?”
    “Hard not to know. I think I read some graffiti about it in the restroom, way back.”
    She mock-pouted. “Oh, poor baby.”
    “Now that you know the truth, will you write it in the ladies’ room?” he teased.
    She wrinkled her nose. “Mmm, no.”
    He feigned shock. “What do you mean, no?”
    She stroked his cheek. “Then other women would know what an amazing guy you are, and try to steal you away.”
    “Not a chance,” he said, all seriousness.
    She jumped up.
    “Hey, where are you going?”
    Carefully stepping each leg beneath the steel arc of the chair’s arms, she straddled him. “I’m ready for my close-up.”
    “Now that’s a sequel I’m always happy to make.”
    From the hard-on rising beneath her, he was already ready for Take Three.

 
     
     
~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~
     
     
    Cate Masters has made beautiful central Pennsylvania her home, but she’ll always be a Jersey girl at heart. When not spending time with her dear hubby, she can be found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company. Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com, and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.
     
    Cate loves to hear from readers.
    Email her at: [email protected]

 
     
     
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