Every time. He smoothed a hand over the soft length of her back, as she lay besides him, hovering in that insouciant peace between waking and sleep. ...t made him smile. She had not been this relaxed, this calm in a long time, the last few weeks a constant parade of violent reassertions of her power, followed by timid withdrawal. Now she lay replete besides him, her long limbs soft in repose. He could not resist kissing that soft shoulder so invitingly close. She stirred, her eyes fluttered then. I sighed, feeling alittle hurt. Bethany had been resentful towards me over something forseveral weeks now, but I had no idea what and she wouldn't tell me. I'ddone my best in the five years since her mother had died, but being asingle father was hard. Looking at Bethany now - blonde, pretty, readyto take on the world - I wondered what had happened to the little girlwho used to love it when I bounced her on my knee."Don't stay up too late," I said, heading out, an order that was metwith folded. He wanted to actually go out with Anne, not just to a dance class as a friend, but as a boyfriend. Ha! A boyfriend who was almost ten years her senior. Did he really think he had anything to offer such a wonderful person? ‘Oh God, I’m going to have to ask her out!’ he groaned. In all his life he’d only ever done that once, to Caron, the first time. After that, with Caron, things had just… happened. Caron had initiated everything. In fact, he’d come to understand that she’d fished for him and. Then she followed the couple into the restaurant proper. The place was lovely. It had white washed walls and a high wooden ceiling. It was shored by ancient beams. Huge bouquets of flowers stood everywhere.Most tables were occupied by elegant people. They were gorgeously dressed Italian women and men in immaculate summer suits. Lovely waitresses glided around as if on roller skates. A tall blonde waiter immediately captured her gaze. She felt a hot blush rise from her exposed cleavage. Her skin.