"I can't believe you made this," she said for approximately the hundredth time as she debated taking thirds of the salmon and scalloped potatoes.

"Anything for you, sweetheart, although pretty soon Virginia is going to think I've never cooked for you before." His smile was indulgent, tinged with a warning only she could see.

He was right. She needed to do a better job of playing her part. "Oh, of course you have.

It's just that this is so darn good." Really trying to play it up, she added, "In fact, this meal is worlds better than the last dinner you made for me."

Anna almost groaned as she saw Cole's eyebrows go up at her back-handed

"compliment," his lips quirking up before he forced them flat again.

After Virginia excused herself from the table to find the powder room, he softly said,

"Remind me to paddle your ass for that last comment after your friend goes home."

Anna flushed hot at the thought of Cole's hands on her bottom. Liking the thought far more than she thought she should, she ignored his comment.

"You've been so great tonight. Thanks for being so nice to my friend."

He did just as good a job of ignoring the change in subject. "You don't think I'm serious about spanking that sweet ass of yours, do you?"

"But you've never made me dinner before," she protested. "I was just trying to make it sound like we've done this before. It's not fair for you to--" She had to stop and breathe to get it out. "--to spank me."

His sensual grin stole her breath. "You want me to. That makes it fair."

She shook her head, but couldn't get the word no past her lips. Not when she was suddenly feeling all tingly. Not when she suddenly realized that she did want to see what being spanked felt like.

But only with Cole.

Standing quickly, Anna began to clear the table. He didn't take his eyes from her as he pushed his own chair back and stacked plates in the sink. They were done by the time Virginia walked back into the room.

"Thank you so much for dinner, Cole. It was really nice to meet you."

Anna linked her arm through Virginia's. "I'll walk you out."

"Wow," her friend said when they were standing outside on the front step. High on its hill, Cole's property had a 360-degree view of the city lights. "This place is really something."

"I know."

Only, Anna wasn't just talking about the lights. Overwhelmed wasn't even close to how she was feeling.

"I love him."

The words left her lips before she realized they were coming. She lifted her hand to cover her mouth before she could stop herself from giving herself away.

"I know you do." Virginia turned to face her, her head cocked to the side. "Although, honestly, I never would have picked a man like him for you."

Virginia didn't know he never would have picked her either, if it hadn't been for his grandmother. But Anna couldn't forget it. All she could do was try to convince herself that it had been fate. A lucky accident.

And that it was all going to work out perfectly.

Anna fought back a chill of foreboding at her hopeful thoughts as her friend joked,

"Know where I can find a big hunk of my own?"

It felt good to laugh, to firmly push away the fear that kept bubbling up inside her.

Cole hadn't been in her plans. A husband hadn't been anywhere on the horizon. But maybe if she was really, really lucky, it would all work out better than even her biggest dreams.

"I'd love it if you'd come with me to the next game," she said. The VIP box would be way less scary with a friend by her side. "Maybe we can sneak into the locker room after the game."

Virginia's eyes widened with momentary shock before she laughed again. "It's great to see you so happy, Anna. Not just happy, but--" She paused, searching for the right word. "Free.

You seem free."

Anna blinked back the sudden tears that wanted to fall. She did feel free. Happy. In love.

And scared.

More scared than she'd ever been before.

* * *

Cole didn't want to interrupt Anna's conversation with her friend, but he missed her like hell already. A full day away from her was way too long. And sitting with her at dinner, barely touching her because he knew if he started he wouldn't be able to stop, had only fueled the flames inside. On the verge of going outside to claim her, he finally heard Virginia's car start up. Thirty-four years, he'd been as cool a f**k as they came. Now, he couldn't even begin to act like he wasn't waiting for his wife.

She stepped inside and he was about to go all Neanderthal on her again when he saw something that shook him: She looked like she'd been crying.

"What's wrong?"

She looked up at him, her eyes wide with surprise at both his question and the fact that he'd practically jumped over the couch to take her into his arms. Studying her carefully, he didn't see any tear tracks, but her eyes were glassy.

"Something happened to upset you. Tell me what it is."

The last thing he expected was for her to smile at him. "You always tell me how sweet I am, but you really are the sweet one." She went up on her toes and kissed him softly.

That one kiss had his c**k growing from the hard he always was around her to downright uncomfortable behind his zipper. He needed to get her naked and taste her, take her, f**k her until they were both sweaty and panting. But even that, he was starting to understand, couldn't ease his need for her--or ease the strange ache in his chest.

Besides, he knew he had a bad habit of throwing her over his shoulder and ripping her clothes off within thirty seconds of her walking into a room.

"Tell me about your day, sweetheart."

"It was crazy."

She nestled into his chest and, sweet Lord, he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out on the urge to take her upstairs and strip her down. He wanted to take her, Jesus, he'd never wanted it so bad, but he wanted to hold her just as bad.

Worse, maybe.

He was about to lift her into his arms when his too-thick brain finally clicked into gear.

"Crazy?" Was this why she'd been on the verge of tears? "What happened?"

"We didn't do word puzzles today."

He loved the feel of her soft curves against him, the vanilla scent of his shampoo on her hair, the sweet smell of her feminine heat. None of that, however, gave him the barest hint of what the hell she was talking about.

"You were crying over word puzzles?"

She pulled back just enough to look at him, her confusion mirroring his. "No. Why would I cry over word puzzles?"