." Tim, Tim, Tim. Don't tell me a fib." She held herself against me. Then smiled at me. I was caught. I looked down at her, she was a bit shorter...than me, maybe 5-3. I smiled back."Caught." We kissed again then turned to follow her friends.When Cindy's friends turned to walk up separate blocks to their homes, I continued walking with Cindy to her family home. We stopped outside and shared some more time in each other's arms, my hands following along her back, down her sides to the swell. We took some lunch to the apartment and opened a bottle of wine. I was told that I could have one glass as I had turned sixteen the previous winter. I had a small glass and felt a little woozy.After lunch, Mum went off to have an afternoon nap. Step-dad and I stayed on the balcony. It was private and we started chatting. He was in his swimming shorts, I was in my bikini bottoms and had pulled a white crop-top over my bare titties (what little I had at that time. I had been topless sun-bathing. Ibumped into Michael the following week, and the week after that. Infact, it seemed that ever where I went Michael was either there orturned up later and we always hooked up. I believed at the time that ourlove was destined to be, I was so smitten and I convinced myself that hewas as well. For my birthday that November he had surprised me with atrip on the Eurostar and a weekend in Paris. We had dinner on the train,served in our seats not bought from a buffet car and there were roseswaiting in. " It was the bad man's fault," Mark said with assurance."But your Daddy hurt the bad man more than the bad man hurt your Daddy," Paul said. "And the bad man will never be able to hurt Carrie or your Daddy ever again. How does that sound?"Mark looked up at my friend."Good," he said. "I like Carrie. And I love my Daddy." I love you, too," I told him. "As much as I love anything in this world. I love you."He put his tiny hand on mine."I know," he said with a smile.I was still enjoying the brief.