Part 292 (2/2)

”There's no law against it. I checked. I guess you've got luggage.”

”Yes, I do.”

”You want to pick it up now?”

She answered his grin, then settled back to enjoy the ride. ”Not

particularly.”

TWO HOURS LATER they were in her bed, sharing a bowl of ice cream.

”I'd never developed the habit of eating in bed before I met you.”

Emma scooped out a spoonful and offered it. ”Marianne and I used to

h.o.a.rd Hershey bars in our room at school. Sometimes we'd sneak them

into bed after lights out, but that was as decadent as it got.”

”I always figured girls snuck guys into their room after lights out.”

”No. Just chocolate.” She slid the ice cream into her mouth and closed

her eyes. ”We only dreamed about boys. We talked about s.e.x all the

time, looking up with envy to any of the girls who claimed to have lived

through the experience.” She opened her eyes and smiled at him. ”It's

better than I imagined it would be.” She offered him another spoonful

and the strap of the tank top she wore slithered off her shoulder.

Reaching out, Michael toyed with it. ”If you let me move in, we could

practice a lot more.”

He was looking at her, waiting. Wanting an answer, Emma thought. And

she didn't know which one to give him. ”I haven't decided whether I'm

going to keep this house or look for another one.” That was true enough,

but they both knew it was an evasion rather than an answer. ”I need

studio s.p.a.ce, and a darkroom. I think I'd like to find a place where I

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