he looked down at her, shaking his head. "i don't know how it's possible. is everyone in bodega bay blind? you just about sent me into a coma the first night i saw you. they should've been beating down the door..."

she stroked his face. "this is a whole new world for me, luke. to have this kind of freedom. to think about myself. to flirt with a man." she smiled. "a dangerous man." then her smile faded. "something like this couldn't have happened while i worried whether my mom was okay at home."

"this is new territory for me, shelby. i never would have planned this."

she grinned. "is that so? i suspected that, which is why i decided not to mention it. until it was too late for you to turn back."

"i don't get into things like this. there are a hundred reasons why i shouldn't be in bed, naked, with you right now." he pressed a soft kiss to her temple. "a hundred and one, now that i know you're a virgin."

"was," she corrected. "no one had ever been inside me, and you're... shew." she shook her head.

"i'm what?" he asked, running a hand along the hair over her ear.

she laughed softly. "i admit i don't know much about men, but i suspect you're a little more blessed than the average guy. plus, you're amazing. i've always heard the first time is uncomfortable." she smiled. "that was great."

"i think if i'd known, i would have moved away. left town for good."

"i'm really glad you didn't. it was perfect."

"it was pretty perfect. but damn, girl. i've never done that before."

"what?"

"i'm thirty-eight. you're the first virgin i've ever been with. why did you cry?"

she dropped her lids. "it's a little embarrassing, being this old and..."

"aw, baby," he said, kissing her closed eyes. "it was sweet. sweeter than anything i've ever experienced."

he rolled onto his back, looking at the ceiling. crazy thoughts began filling his head, chief among them was that he couldn't imagine there ever being another man in her life, in her body. he'd never had such possessive, proprietary feelings. he wasn't sure if this was because it was shelby, or because she'd never been touched inside until he claimed her. "i'll be honest with you," he said. "it shakes me up."

"i noticed," she said with a laugh.

"i'm serious, shelby. i'm wanting you again. i don't want you to leave this bed."

she rolled over onto her stomach and raised herself up on her elbows. "i'm going to have to go home eventually. before there's a search party."

"i will shoot anyone who touches that door," he said. "don't move. i'll be right back." he slipped off the bed and headed for the bathroom to get rid of the condom.

as he walked back into the room, she got her first sight of a naked man in full form. she smiled. he was so beautiful. it was so awesome to have a gorgeous, lusty man walk toward her. he stretched out beside her, pulling her against him again, placing a gentle palm over her soft mound. "how does it feel? down here?"

"lush," she said, snuggling closer.

"there's a little blood."

"yeah. no surprise. nothing to worry about," she said.

"are you sore?"

she shook her head. she felt him against her thigh. growing. "am i going to be able to walk out of here?" she asked, humor in her voice.

he covered her lips with his. "not soon," he whispered. "but don't worry. i'm going to be good to you."

luke took her home in the truck. the motorcycle would have been too hard on her tender parts. when he pulled up in front of the general's house, she leaned toward him. he cradled her jaw in his big hand and pulled her lips to his. they were all going to know. her face was branded with his love. her cheeks were aglow, chafed from his beard. her lips were bruised bright pink from hours of kissing and the look in her eyes reflected a whole afternoon of the finest love he'd ever made. "you should hide all the guns and sharp objects," he whispered against her mouth.

"you worry too much," she said. "i'm an adult."

"when am i going to see you again?" he asked her.

"soon."

"i just want to keep you flat on your back for a month."

she laughed at him. "luke, don't ever let anyone tell you you're not romantic." she gave him a peck on the lips and got out of the truck to go inside.

no one seemed to be around, which suited her. she really didn't feel like walking into dinner in progress with vanni, paul and uncle walt. in fact, there was no activity in the kitchen and she wondered if everyone had gone to jack's. she went to her room, pulled off her jacket and boots and flopped on the bed. she stared at the ceiling dreamily. after about ten minutes, she heard a door open down the hall. vanessa, looking sleepy, peeked into shelby's room. "i thought i heard someone come home."

"i didn't think anyone was here," shelby said.

"oh," vanni said through a yawn. "matt's having an extra-long nap and i kind of shared it with him." she rubbed her eyes, then looked at shelby. "oooohh," she said. "it happened."

"and happened and happened and happened," shelby said and laughed as she kicked her legs on the bed.

vanni came into the room and sat on the side of her bed. "welcome aboard," she said with a soft smile. "how do you feel?"

"like i've had sex all afternoon with a brand-spanking-new vagina. i might have to take a long soak in the tub."

"was it okay?"

"indescribable. like i've never really been alive before today. vanni, he was so good to me..."

"you aren't falling in love with him, are you?" vanni asked. "because i get a sense about luke, that he might go a little hard on the heart."

"yeah, he gave me that talk. he doesn't like to commit or get tied down." she laughed again. "the least of my worries," she said.

"oh, baby, see-i was afraid of that. i don't know if you're up to that."

"you wanted me to be a virgin forever? if he makes me cry, i'll get over it, but i have to tell you, he doesn't treat me like a man who's going to break my heart. besides, if he does, haven't you and i already been through way worse and recovered?" she asked.

"yeah, we sure have," vanni said. "he treated you right, i guess."

"don't tell anyone and ruin his reputation, but he's the sweetest man i've ever known. he's afraid uncle walt is going to shoot him."

"daddy sure worries the boys." vanni laughed, remembering when paul was afraid of the same thing.

"where is everyone?" shelby asked.

"paul's not home from work yet and i don't know where daddy is. i'm thinking of starting dinner. have any ideas?"

"yeah," she said, sitting up. "i'm going to soak in the tub for an hour, and then i'm going back."

"so soon?"

"i can't help it. i just have to. you and paul are great company, but i want to be next to that man." she grinned. "you think uncle walt will have a fit?"

"don't worry, he may not even be home himself," she said, shaking her head. "he's pretty savvy about this kind of thing. he didn't say too much when paul was sneaking down the hall into my room. you slip out if you want to. i'll handle the home team."

"thank you, vanni," she said.

she had to go back. not for more sex; she couldn't take any more. she wanted to know how he'd receive her. would she be welcome? was he done with her now, at least for today? she had many curiosities about his world-he warned her not to count on him, then treated her like a queen. he hadn't promised to love her, but he said such tender, lovely things to her-that she was beautiful, that he'd never had a sweeter experience, that he didn't want her to leave. could he say those things and not care?

after a long soak, she went to the kitchen where vanni was at the stove and matt was in his high chair. paul sat at the kitchen table with the newspaper spread in front of him. he was still in his dusty work clothes; she'd been tying up the bathroom. he looked up at her and his smile of greeting changed slowly into a look of surprised recognition, his mouth open slightly. she must be beaming.

she poked through the wine rack and pulled out a bottle. "think uncle walt can part with this?" she asked vanni.

"sure. take it."

"don't wait up," she said.

"shelby," paul said. he stood up from the table and went to her, draping an arm around her shoulders. "you know if you need anything, anything at all, you can call me." he dropped a kiss on her brow.

"wow. there aren't many secrets around here."

"no one said anything," paul said. "no one had to."

"did anyone warn vanni when you were sneaking into her bed at night?" she asked softly. "paul, he's wonderful, but i'm not naive. i understand what kind of man he is." she shrugged. "right now, he's what i want. and he's very good to me."

"he'd better be. you can tell him, if he isn't, he'll answer to me."

"i don't think i'm going to have to tell him that." she rose on her toes and kissed his cheek. "now let me be. i have a man in my life. at last." maybe not for long, she reminded herself. but at the moment-a good man.

okay, the joke's on me, luke thought.

shelby had left his bed and he'd taken her home at about four o'clock and he had hated it. he was not nearly ready to let her go. far from cured of her, he wanted her more than ever. and not just her body, all of her-her sweet laugh, her soft mane of hair, her gentle and secure way of dealing with him and everything else in her life. he had warned himself not to get involved with someone so innocent and it had turned out he was the innocent-not prepared to feel such a rush of emotion. every time he remembered her voice whispering, "show me, luke. i want to learn what makes you feel good," it sent a ripple of desire shooting through him that almost overpowered him, leaving him weak in the knees.

he hadn't gone to jack's for his beer tonight. he didn't feel like being around anyone, unless it was shelby. right now when he thought of her, his eyes steamed with lust. he felt electric shocks soar through his whole body. he couldn't be in the same room with her and keep his hands to himself. so he'd stayed home to feel those things in private, undistracted.

he went to art's cabin and helped him fix some chicken and dumplings with vegetables out of a can. they talked for a while about what they'd do around the cabins in the morning, then luke went back to the house. he made himself a sandwich, drank a beer, took a shower, content to be alone. his mind was whirring with the memory of holding her, touching her silky skin, feeling her warm, fragrant breath against his chest. he could still smell her, taste her, even after the beer.

he had never felt like this before in his life. never.

wearing just a pair of jeans, no shoes or shirt, he sat on the sofa in his small living room in front of the fire, feet up on the ottoman, holding a beer by the neck of the bottle, thinking of nothing but her awesome body, her luscious lips, and all too often, the way he felt inside her. had he warned her to be careful of him, that he was a heartbreaker? jesus, he was an idiot was what he was. thinking there would never be a woman he'd want to hang on to. thinking he'd take his taste and move on.