Stevie listened, hugged me occasionally, got me tissues when the tears threatened to spill and cast no judgment. Then he took me home, snapped through the hangers in my closets, opened and closed boxes of shoes until he found what he was looking for, all the while he communicated His Plan.

While Stevie walked me to the Crossfire, he told me that Tod was at Denver International Airport, he had a flight and wouldn’t be back for a few days. Stevie was leaving late the next morning to do the same and asked me to look after Chowleena while he and Tod were gone.

“If I need to take her to Lee’s, would that be a problem?” I asked.

“Just write us a note.”

Then, like a fairy godfather (pun intended), he waved me off on my errands that would eventually end with Lee.

I went to Cherry Creek and popped into Linens ‘n Things. I grabbed a few necessities and went over to Fresh and Wild, got the stuff I needed for the night and added a few things for the morning and just in case my stay at the condo was even longer, carted it all, plus the stuff from Kumar’s store, the dress and the shoes, up to Lee’s condo.

I dumped everything in the kitchen and living room and started work. I made the chocolate cream pie first, then prepared the au gratin potatoes, topped them with aluminum foil ready to put in the oven. I trimmed the green beans ready to be blanched. I left the steak in the fridge, I could broil it in ten minutes and Lee told me he’d phone when he was coming.

I set the table and put out the placemats and cloth napkins circled with napkin rings that I bought at Linens ‘n Things. I tried to buy the most macho placemats, napkins and rings I could find, as they would be adorning Lee’s table, but they didn’t really do macho in that kind of retail.

In the center of the table I placed the high, tapered candles in silver candle holders I also bought. I arranged the flowers I got at Fresh and Wild in the vase I purchased. I got out the deep bowled glasses I’d noticed in Lee’s cupboards and, as a finishing touch, I put the expensive bottle of red wine between them on the dining room table.

I didn’t exactly need to plan a seduction but a little romance never hurt, or at least that’s what Stevie said. And anyway, Lee was running himself ragged. I knew he liked steak, au gratin potatoes and chocolate cream pie. Kitty Sue made it for him every birthday, he deserved a treat and maybe after I gave him one, he’d give one to me.

I went into the bedroom with dress and shoes and stared at the chair. Both my bags were gone. I did a check in the closet and a couple of drawers. Not only were my clothes put away, the dirty ones were cleaned, ironed and also hung in the closet or were folded in the drawers. I looked around the room and the bed was made with fresh sheets, the carpets freshly vacuumed.

Obviously Monday was a Judy the Housekeeper Day.

I did the whole girlie thing, going overboard with full, wild Tawny Kittaen hair, the front pulled loosely back in a clip and dark makeup on my eyes. I put on the dress Stevie chose, black satin, thin strapped, skimming my body in a clingy, but not obvious, way, decent cle**age but the kicker was a killer dip in the back. I put on Rock Chick sandals, high, death-defying, thin heel with so many straps, you had to wrap some of them up your calves. Subtle perfume, no jewelry because, in the heat of the moment, who wanted to waste time taking off jewelry?

It was getting late, so I slid the au gratin potatoes in to cook, even if Lee was really late, I could warm them easily enough when I broiled the steaks.

I found a John Grisham and started reading. I took the potatoes out and went back to reading. Then later, I got up and went to the kitchen, got my cell and Lee’s cordless and put them both on the coffee table so they were within easy reach and went back to reading. I settled on my side to get more comfortable and kept reading.

Then, being who I was and seeing as it was late, I fell asleep.

Chapter Fifteen

You Didn’t Say Anything about Pie

My hair slid off my shoulder and fell down my back.

I opened my eyes and Lee was sitting on the couch in the cushion exposed above by my curled legs.

“Hey,” I said.

“Hey,” he replied.

“You didn’t call,” I told him.

“It was late, I was worried I’d wake you.”

I got up on my elbow.

“What time is it?”

“Comin’ on midnight.”

I did a mini-stretch and came up a bit more. As I was doing this, his hands found my waist and twisted me around onto his lap. My book fell to the floor but neither of us went for it. He settled into the sofa and I settled into him, putting my head on his shoulder and wrapping my arms around his middle. One of his arms was around my waist, the other hand resting above my knee.

“You planned dinner,” he said. “Is it ruined?”

“I made stuff that would fit into an uncertain schedule. We can have it tomorrow or I can make it tonight. You hungry?” I asked.

“Not for food.”

His hand slid up my thigh, taking the hem of my dress with it.

My stomach did a dip.

“Are you tired?” he asked.

“I was asleep,” I stated the obvious.

“That wasn’t what I asked.”

“Aren’t you tired?”

“I was, I’m not anymore.”

“Oh.”

Yikes.

His hand came up more and his head bent so he could touch his mouth to my neck.

“How’s your man?” I asked.

“Alive,” he said to the skin below my ear. “Critical but he’s a fighter.” His tongue touched my skin and I shivered.

“That’s good, I guess.”

“Do you wanna go to bed?”

“Yes,” I told him.

He lifted his head and his hand slid around my thigh, going under the fabric of my dress. The tips of his fingers glided across the edge of my panties at my leg.

“Let me rephrase that, do you wanna go to sleep?”

Was he high? Did I want to go to sleep? What kind of question was that?

I tried to be cool.

“Not really.”

He smiled The Smile.

My stomach melted.

“Good,” he said then he kissed me.

It was a f**king great kiss, long, slow, deep and hot. When it was over, his mouth slid across my cheek, down my neck and across my collarbone. His hand at my waist went up my back and he tugged at my hair, making me expose my neck and then his tongue dipped into the indentation at the base of my throat.

He let go of my hair, his hand cupped the back of my head and he kissed me again. A repeat of the first but better, lots of tongue. One of his hands was holding my head, the other one went to slide across my breast over the fabric of my dress.