"Okay," he said, resigned. "Julie and I got married. I was working at the network, restless with the job and life, but that wasn't anything new or different for me." He'd always been restless, ready to move on. So why wasn't he compelled to bolt now, when things in his personal life were at their most complicated? He knew the reason lay in his arms, waiting for more answers. "I think Julie sensed my restlessness. Not that it's an excuse for cheating, but I think she wasn't any happier than I was."

"She cheated on you?" Rina asked.

Realizing he hadn't been clear, Colin laughed. Amazing that she hadn't jumped to the conclusion that he'd been the one to stray, which said volumes about her faith in him. Unwarranted faith under the present circumstances, but it pleased him anyway. "Yeah, she did. Obviously she wasn't getting what she needed out of the relationship."

"Or she didn't know the meaning of truth, honesty and fidelity," Rina said in disgust.

Ouch, he thought, taking the direct hit. "I think Julie just wanted me to be satisfied at home and, sensing I wasn't, she went looking elsewhere."

"I never realized we had anything so fundamental in common. My husband wanted me to be more satisfied at home than I was."

"He didn't cheat on you, did he?" Colin wouldn't want Rina to suffer the humiliation.

She shook her head. "I think what he wanted was almost worse. He wanted to change me."

"Foolish man."

Her eyes shimmered with moisture and happiness. "That's what I like about you, Colin. You accept me for who I am and respect what I want to do in life." She shook her head. "For as long as we last, I'll know you're not a man who has some wrong vision of who I am or some alternative idea of what I should be doing. You want me."

Yes, he did. For as long as she'd have him and, he feared, beyond. Colin nudged her legs aside with his and while she watched, he entered slowly. "I want you." He thrust deep and she took all of him, arching her hips while her body contracted around him, milking him with her tight, wet heat.

She shuddered and sucked in a breath. "I want a man to know me and accept me."

He withdrew, feeling her swollen and wet surrounding him. "I want to know all of you. Every last thing about you."

She bent her knees, forcing him to thrust deeper in order to maintain body contact. "I want to know you the same way."

"Then what are we waiting for?" he asked, and proceeded to know her. Accept her. And she did the same, taking him, accepting every last bit he had to offer.


* * *

RINA TURNED ON the shower in Colin's bathroom. She inhaled the scent of shaving cream and aftershave. Colin's aftershave. Just the delicious smell was enough to arouse her sensitive body all over again.

As much as she'd like to head back into the bedroom to repeat the experience, she knew she had to shower and let Colin drive her home. She'd called Frankie and left word for her to walk Norton, but she couldn't be certain her friend had gotten the message. And Norton, the pampered pooch, wasn't used to being alone overnight any more than Rina was used to spending her nights in a man's bed.

Any more than she was used to bonding with a man emotionally, and for that reason, her escape home came at the perfect time. She needed space and time to think.

And an hour later, Colin drove her home. He pulled up to the Cape house and she noticed an unfamiliar black car parked in the driveway. "Maybe Frankie's got company."

"Frankie, your company?" he asked wryly, reminding her of last Saturday night's phone call.

Rina grinned. "Frankie, my female friend who lives downstairs." She'd told him about Frankie over a quick breakfast of cold cereal in his kitchen, where she'd admitted to baiting him last weekend.

"Wouldn't be unusual for people to have family over during the holidays. By the way, that reminds me of something I've been meaning to bring up. And would have if you weren't so sexy and distracting. Christmas Eve is tomorrow night." He turned off the ignition at the same time he turned on the charm, treating her to the endearing grin she'd come to know so well. "Did you have any plans?"

Jake and Brianne were coming up from New York tomorrow when her sister-in-law got off from work, and she wanted Colin to meet them. She refused to think about what that meant. Neither did she want Colin to be alone while Joe lay in a hospital bed.

But she wanted to hear his thoughts before she sprang her suggestion on him. "What did you have in mind?"

He twirled her hair around his finger. "I noticed there's no Christmas tree in your apartment."

Now that he mentioned it, she'd noticed the same about his condo. "I didn't want to put one up alone." Jake would probably kill her when he arrived and discovered she'd neglected their favorite family tradition, but she hadn't wanted to go tree shopping solo.

"Tsk, tsk," he said jokingly. "Don't you think Norton deserves a festive holiday?"

"Norton!" She had to get inside and let him out. Reaching for the handle, she jumped out of the car and ran up the back stairs.

Once outside her apartment, she paused. A pair of women's slippers sat by the welcome mat in the hall. A pair of wet women's slippers with gold embroidery that could only belong to one person. Rina crinkled her nose, recognizing that Norton had done his business yet again, this time on Emma's shoes. Though what Emma would be doing here, she hadn't any idea.

"Oh, no. Emma? Emma, is that you?"

Colin's footsteps sounded behind her as he followed her inside. "Emma's here?"

Rina pointed to the damp slippers. "No self-respecting prowler would wear these or leave them as evidence. Frankie must have let her in." She ran a hand through her still-damp hair. Colin, macho guy that he was, didn't have a blow-dryer. "I wonder what she wants."

He groaned. "Does it matter? We get to be interrogated by the matchmaker the morning after. That's fun I wouldn't mind missing."

"Chicken." She grinned, grabbed his hand and pulled him inside, surprised when Norton didn't come bounding toward her. "Emma?" she called once more.

"I'm in the kitchen."

Rina stepped into the room and found Emma, the sleeves of her silk blouse rolled up to her elbows as she rinsed what looked like a pair of panty hose in the sink.

Norton had obviously ruined them, as well as her shoes. Rina winced. "Hi, Emma."

"Hello, dear. Your friend Francesca let me in. Lovely girl. Bad date last night and I'm coming up with a list of possible men to help her out." Emma shut off the faucet and wrung out the damp hose.

"I see you met Norton?" Rina asked carefully.

"Oh yes." Emma smiled.

"And you aren't angry?"

She shook her head. "What can you expect when the poor thing's been left alone all night. You should be happy I don't report you to the ASPCA." Her wink made a mockery of her words.

Rina rolled her eyes. Norton was perfectly capable of holding himself for the time she'd been gone. He had an extraordinary bladder. "What happened?"

"He got so excited when I rang your bell. It was about the same time Francesca had come upstairs to walk him, and while she was looking for the leash, he…uh…well, suffice it to say he didn't quite make it this time." She lifted her shoulder in the delicate shrug Rina had come to know well. "Anyway, Frankie took him for a walk and she said she'd keep him downstairs for a while. Just in case he had any ideas about repeating himself."

Rina shook her head. "I'll pay for your shoes and panty hose." Knowing Emma's expensive taste, replacing them would probably set her back a fair penny. But somebody had to pay Norton's debts.

"Never mind that." Emma lay her stockings over one of Rina's kitchen chairs as if she lived there and walked into the living room, expecting them to follow.

Of course, they did.

"You two have some explaining to do," she said as she turned around and seated herself in the club chair in the corner, holding court in Rina's house.

Colin walked by and knelt down beside Emma. As he passed, Rina inhaled his masculine scent and her body heated up all over again. The timing was all wrong, of course. As much as Rina enjoyed Emma's company, the older woman seemed to have taken up residence, hadn't told Rina what she wanted and didn't seem inclined to leave anytime soon.

After lifting Emma's hand in his, Colin placed a kiss on her hand. "You know I adore you."

Was it Rina's imagination or did Emma actually blush?

"Of course you do, you charmer, you. It still doesn't mean you don't have some explaining to do, keeping Rina out all night."

"How do you know we didn't just go for breakfast?" Rina asked.

"Because you're dressed like a hot number in wrinkled clothing, which leads me to believe you've been out all night. You can't pull the wool over my eyes. I'm too old and I've been around. Now, young man, what do you have to say for yourself?"

Colin laughed. "Only that I adore you."

Rina walked closer to the chair. "Not that you aren't welcome anytime, but what are you doing here now?"

"That's a good question." Colin rose to his feet and thrust his hands into his back pockets waiting for an answer.

"Honestly?"

Rina threw her hands in the air in pure frustration. "Of course!" she said on an exasperated breath.

"I came to snoop."

That took Rina off guard. "What?" Last time Emma nosed around, she'd found Stan's card. This time Rina had nothing to hide.

"I came to have tea, make small talk, excuse myself to go to the ladies' room and see what evidence you'd left around. Then I realized that you're my dear friend and such behavior is inexcusable. Not that you've been looking out for my feelings, but I certainly look out for yours."