“God, I hope panic attacks don’t run in the family,” she said. “If it’s any comfort, I haven’t felt that lonely since I got here.”

“Well, we each have one short, crappy marriage to our credit. I’d like to think I’d have somehow got you, anyway, even if I’d accidentally married the right woman, but, Maggie, everything has a higher purpose. Walter’s right—you just slow down a spell and try to remember why you decided to spend a hundred years getting ready to do brain surgery.”

“I’ll think about that,” she said. “Let’s walk over to the house.”

When they got to the house, Cal was stretched out on the couch, dead to the world, the TV still on. Beau, lying on the floor beside him, perked up in greeting.

Maggie sighed and went to wake him. She jostled him, then pulled on his arm. “Come on,” she said. “I’m putting you to bed.” She led him to her room and he flopped on the bed, facedown.

She went back to the living room. “It’s okay,” she told her father. “I can take the couch. And he owes me.”

“There’s that bed in the loft,” Sully said.

“That is the worst bed ever built. I think you pulled it off a trash heap. There’s a spring sticking out of the mattress. Just go to bed. I’ll turn the volume down on the TV,” she said. “Sweet dreams.”

* * *

Cal was having a lovely dream and in a half-conscious state he decided it was brought on by sleeping in Maggie’s fragrant sheets. He felt her naked flesh under his hand, sliding down her flat belly, headed for the promised land. Then he felt her lips on his neck and came awake to the delicious sensation of her soft skin against his. He moved just enough so that her lips found his and he pulled her against him. He’d awakened sometime in the night and shed his T-shirt and he was glad. Her breasts were pressed against his bare chest, her nipples branding him. He moaned in appreciation.

“When did you decide you had to have me?” he whispered.

“I don’t know. An hour ago, maybe.”

“You’re completely naked. Thank you.”

“It didn’t seem to disturb your sleep much,” she said.

“I’m not sure what woke me up, your flagrant groping or this raging hard-on.” He ran a hand through her hair. “I don’t have a single condom. Not much need for them on a hike...”

“I have a couple,” she said. “I stole them from the store while you were showering.”

That had the effect of making him harder, if possible. He covered her mouth in a searing kiss and brought her over him, grabbing her butt with his hands and pressing her against him. “I must have balls of cast iron,” he whispered. “I’m going to do a girl in her daddy’s house...”

“If you’re shy...”

“Don’t even think about it,” he said. “There’s no stopping this now. Do you know how long I’ve waited for this?”

“Almost to the minute. Assuming you’ve been faithful...”

“You spoiled me, Maggie. I couldn’t think about anything but you all the way back. I can’t wait for you to wrap those long legs around me...”

“We should get you out of these sweats, then...”

She lifted just a bit and he slid them over his hips and off.

“Oh boy,” Maggie said, giving him a stroke. “We better take care of this.” She rolled away to get a condom and while she was fussing with the package, his hands were exploring. His fingers were stroking her, sliding into her.

“Beautiful,” he said, feeling her deeply. “I’m not the only one in a bad way. You need me to take care of you, too. Gimme that thing,” he said taking the condom from her and rolling it on. “God, I hope Sully is a sound sleeper.”