Yes, I want to have sex with you. But I don't want to take advantage of you. I don't want to do anything to hurt you or to cause you to have regrets."... smiled and placed my hand over his. His obviously heartfelt response to my offer is touching. I said, "You're an honorable man, Ski. And I do consider you my friend, one of my few friends. That's why I was able to open up to you last night the way I did. Trust me. You have nothing to feel guilty about. I like sex, probably as much as you do. Rob. I couldn’t let Ricardo hurt her any more than he had Chloe. “Lisa,” I said, drawing her attention to me. “I need you to take Chloe back inside.”Lisa looked at Ricardo and shook her head. “No, you can’t trust him.” She had read the situation quickly.I looked at him too. “I don’t trust him.” I looked down at Chloe. “Chloe! Talk to me.”She opened her eyes and smiled. “I just need some energy.”Ricardo shook his head and tightened his grip. “Don’t do it. If you boost her energy, I will snap her. But then, tomorrow will be today and there we go, all over again. Hey, there’s a guy on a late night TV cooking show right now, telling people how to make tarts. I made a tart once. She wore a fruity fragrance and possessed a couple of apple-sized appendages. Delicious. Not sure what other fruits were represented but no cherries were involved. That’s a different story for another time. Oh oh. I ate at an Asian restaurant again for lunch today and my fortune cookie had no fortune in it. Now I’m. She wrote: "STARSHELL"."DARKSTAR" came the reply. The message went on. "I KNOW ABOUT A BRILLIANT WOMAN COMPUTER SCIENTIST FROM SAN DIEGO, CHRISTINE LOCKWOOD. SHE STOLE ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM THE WESTAIR CORP. THEY ARE STILL LOOKING FOR HER. DOES THIS INTEREST STARSHELL?" She sat there transfixed for long moments. It was the end of the line, doom and disaster. Somehow she'd been traced all the way across the continent. Her insides knotted and tears came to her eyes. For her it was not.