Dr.Jonson did not seem to mind that it was the worst "saving" ever made. The deep, lovely noise filled the spacious garage. The sound caused me to look at him. His look was one of muted enjoyment, and he had his palms propped up on the door frame.

However, he just blinked it away and straightened up. "Did David ask you to pick up a six-pack for him?"

I opened the fridge with a shrug and surveyed the virtually barren shelves. The chilly air from the open fridge helped cool my flushed cheeks. As the saying goes, "I offered."

When I took the container by its handle and pulled the24-pack off the rack, the cardboard made a creaking sound. Since this was the second time this summer that he had caught me, I did my best to ignore the guy in the doorway and concentrate on the weight in my palm.

This was the second time he had caught me in a questionable act.

No, really, don't even consider it.

I slapped on a stoic look and hobbled toward the door with my drink, having spent more than enough sleepless hours daydreaming about that moment. As we got near, Dr.Jonson remained immobile. Suddenly, his brown eyes narrowed on mine, and I braked. I couldn't go past him since he was in my way.

Is everything all right between the two of you? he inquired anxiously.

Due to my shock, I almost misplaced the case. David didn't appear to notice how far apart we were becoming. In what possible way could his father justify this?

"We're . . ." Neither the content nor the delivery of my message was clear to me. I attribute it to being a result of my academic obligations. Because of this, we lost our rhythm.

Dr. Johnson gave a cautious nod. As a first-year college student, David had trouble adjusting to his newfound independence and maintaining a consistent academic schedule. His poor academic performance was a source of tension between him and his father.

I tried to force a smile on my face. We'll be alright, I'm sure of it.

Nothing could alter the look on his face. When he glanced at me, it was unclear if he was scared, upset, or just didn't believe me. Nonetheless, he gave me another nod and moved aside so that I could pass. Before I even reached the kitchen, he started talking.

"Jessica." His words carried quietly yet decisively. Not sure if I ever properly expressed my gratitude for everything that you done for David, but please accept my sincere appreciation.

I had to put on the brakes since I didn't know what was going on. "What?"

Dr. Johnson moved about uncomfortably on his feet. "It was tough for him to adjust to life in Havai. You simplified things, and I appreciate that. He placed his balled fists on the kitchen island and pressed his knuckles into the granite while leaning forward. He's a better man because of you, and for that I'm eternally thankful.

I huddled the box closer to my body, still in disbelief, and felt the cold cardboard.

He had a tumultuous upbringing. David was born to parents who never wed, and he stayed at home with his mom until he was sixteen, but he seldom discussed the subject.

As for his connection with his father before moving to Havai, I can only assume it was strained at best. According to the tale I had coaxed out of his mother, he had been hanging out with a group of youngsters she was afraid about, so she had sent him to live with his dad to protect him from their influence.

David and I sometimes joke that we began dating because I was the first female in town to be kind to the new child. The strategy devised by his mother appeared to succeed when he began hanging out with my group of intellectual, somewhat geeky pals.

Not knowing what to say in response to his father's thankfulness, I clutched the drink tightly in my arms. I didn't know what to say. To whom do I extend my thanks?

That's really kind of you, but I can't take any credit for it.

Dr. Johnson's lips raised in a little grin at the beginning of each sentence, and it grew in size and intensity as he continued talking. Either way, I'm grateful, so there. I'm sorry to have walked in on you mid-whatever you-were-doing.

To hide my shame, I stiffened at the little taunting he gave me. Well, I just couldn't help myself. Personally, Joven is one of my favorite people.

To which she said, "I agree they're nice, but they don't cause me seizures." His grin broadened.

I said, "Ha, ha," in a monotone. Let me tell you, generally I'm a wonderful dancer. I had no idea anybody else was in the area. I gave him a really stern look.

He seemed to submit by raising his hands, but his grin remained. Saying, "Well, I don't really have space to discuss." Using his thumbs, he looped them back toward himself.

There's no better candidate for "World's Worst Dancer"

I'm stumped. It's possible that your youngster is already more skilled than you.

Whenever David went to a school dance, you could usually find him standing off to the side. He had the spastic hips and flailing arms of one of those inflatable windsock guys you see at car lots selling secondhand automobiles whenever he tried to dance.

When I finally left David's dad and headed downstairs to the basement, I still felt uneasy. There was a strange, pleasant feeling in my chest.

It took me two more weeks with David before I finally snapped.

Sadness overcame me as I sat in my hot vehicle in the Lowe driveway. When our friendship ended, I felt a deep sense of loss. I yearned for the return of the man I'd loved, but I knew it would never happen.

The funeral for my grandmother, who died last week, was last week, but David did not go. He claimed to have had to work, which was great by him. But he also didn't show up for the visitation. Although I had been crying and looking at the coffin, he did not comfort me. He abandoned me to answer the never-ending "Where's David?" from my relatives.

I fabricated a "sick" excuse.

Our common acquaintances informed me that he had forgotten and gone to see a movie. Because of it, it was crystal clear to me how unimportant I really was.

I heaved a sigh of exasperation as I reached across the bench and grabbed my bag. In preparation for the inevitable moment of telling him I was done with him, I had brought a swimsuit and towel over. That was the first time I ever ended a relationship.

Not me; I didn't ring the bell. Confident in my ability to enter the Lowe home unannounced, I up the porch steps and pulled open the door. Should I consider this my last attempt?

The door slammed shut behind me as the wind pulled it tight, and I heard his father's heavy boots pounding on the wooden floor.

"Jessica?" The look of bewilderment that had crossed his attractive face faded into a casual grin.

My body just stopped moving. Hey, Dr. Johnson. Is it possible he didn't inform you I was coming over?

In an offhand way, he shook his head. I believe he is now submerged in the water.

"Oh. Okay." I took a few steps toward the basement door before my sandal's toe snagged on the fringe of the foyer carpet. "Ah!"

I took a few wobbly steps forward while trying to keep my balance and ended up colliding into Dr. Johnson.

As I slammed into his solid chest, he let out a low moan. I was able to push him back halfway before his strong hands gripped onto my waist and wouldn't let go. I felt a flash of embarrassment, but as I looked up sheepishly into his eyes, the feeling quickly dissipated.

My chest tightened at the feeling of his hands on me.

His air of worry for my near-fall vanished as his grip tightened on me. His dark eyes collected what looked suspiciously like fire. His jaw tensed and the muscles that ran down it flexed.

I couldn't possibly be having these thoughts. No way was he gazing at me like he was contemplating putting his hands behind my back and pulling me to him. My whole being buzzed from the touch, and the more still we were, the louder and more frenzied the hum became.

Surprisingly, his hug threw me off more than the rug had.

There was a problem with our proximity, yet he had a magnetic presence. Even though I knew I should resist it, I found it difficult to shake my attraction to him.

Strange and shaky was the way his voice came out. What's up?

Yes, I sucked in a deep breath and said. I don't know why, but I never noticed how stunningly deep and blue his eyes were.

His grip suddenly loosened, and he dropped me as if I were a hot burner. His face suddenly blanked out as a wave of embarrassment swept over him. "Sorry."

He walked away from me, turning around so that I could only see his hulking back. Exactly what did he have to apologize for? Preventing my free fall, if you will? A hand on me? Or his lustful, hypnotic look that reminded me of David's.

Before, I'd thought some unsavory things about Dr.Jonson. I tried not to feel bad about them, but I just couldn't stop myself. I told myself that these dreams didn't pose any danger since they were just mine. No longer did I have to feel bad about brooding about my boyfriend's dad.

A vivid blue pool was enclosed by a stylish black wrought-iron fence on the outside stone patio yard. The pool wasn't huge, but it was the perfect size for the large property. David was apparently swimming laps in it, and any of the Lowe men could do so if they so desired.

Apparently he felt my approach because he paused mid-stroke to wipe the water from his eyes, brush his wet, black hair back out of his eyes, and flick it aside with his fingers. He cocked an eyebrow at me in intense scrutiny.

You're not wearing a suit, are you? Without a hello. Simply his tone of annoyance.

I may say, "I have it with me." Seeing the vacant lounger by the pool, I cast my gaze in its direction. If I didn't feel like swimming, I could always just sit down and start the talk we needed to have with him.

His arms were pushed up on the stone ledge as he swam to it. "Then you need to modify your lovely behind. It's boiling outside, and the water feels wonderful

It came across as a command. The thought of saying "no" had me bite my bottom lip.

I, however, was a dismal failure. I retreated back inside the home to delay things. I slogged my way past Dr. Johnson's massive media room and into the bedroom he converted into a gym. The only other rooms on the ground floor were the bathroom and the bedroom David used when he was home from college. A lot of his clothing were strewn over the place, but he was able to quickly change into something else because of this.

To call this space a "home gym" would be overstating its purpose. There was a treadmill as well as a multi-gym. I sighed as I tossed my stuff on David's college futon sofa, which had been moved to one corner.

As I was getting dressed, I thought about my objective. Unfortunately, my dissatisfaction with my lover did not translate into a desire to harm him. I wanted to end things with him as gently as possible for both of us.

Eventually, I gathered the strength to drag myself back outside, where I piled my clothing on the sofa and grabbed a beach towel from the hall closet.

He looked at me and blinked once. Then, his vision blurred as he surveyed my figure in a skimpy black string bikini. The question, "Is that fresh," was posed.

A dryness in my mouth developed. What was I thinking when I packed my swimsuit? I wasn't there at all. I'd just thrown anything I could get my hands on into my luggage and hoped for the best. It was a mistake to dress for the beach in a bikini.

To which she replied, "It was on sale at Target," which I crooned.

The passion in his eyes was palpable as he leaned over the edge. "That's what I call good!" He drew nearer to me and the shallow end of the pool by bringing his hands together and swirling them under the surface. Come on in.

David's motivations were blatantly transparent. He was in the mood to fuck. Do you think that was the only reason he invited me over? As I threw the towel onto the lounge chair, I coiled my dark brown hair into a bun. A wet one would take long to dry, and I may have to escape if things became too intense.

At the last minute, I had the courage to go to the pool's entrance steps and take the plunge. Before I knew it, his chilly, wet arms were around my torso, and he was taking me deep into the middle of the pool.

I resisted his grasp and muttered, "Wait," trying to seem nonchalant. Getting in on my own terms was important to me, and I didn't want him hovering around. I needed some space to accomplish what I had to do.

It felt like the chasm between us widened with each encounter, and David continued to disregard my protests, no matter how strong they were. His lips planted themselves passionately on the side of my neck. It used to be the one thing that would constantly get under my skin, but now that our relationship has evolved, I find that I no longer find that action particularly attractive.

David, I muttered, releasing myself from his grip.

He swiveled around to stare at the soaring arched windows at the house's rear, then straight at me. "What? I was wondering whether you were concerned about my dad. What we do is of no concern to him.

Oh, God. My body shivered, but I doubted my partner could tell since I was submerged for the most part.

My first weekend back at home after university, I foolishly sought to win David back to me using the only means available to me at the time: sex. We went skinny diving in the middle of the day since the backyard was hidden by trees and no one could see us from the street. No one was there to see him put me down on the lounger's plush cushion, kneel between my legs, and shove within me.

Unfortunately, I had let him fuck me while I thought no one was looking. When David's speed picked up, I turned my head and saw a person standing by the window.

As soon as our eyes met, DR.JONSON was no longer visible, and David, caught up in the moment, misunderstood my cry of surprise for one of delight. Not only did I not inform Dr. Johnson about my experience, but he also said nothing. No, and I doubt he'd tell his kid. He was quite good at acting like nothing had transpired.

How long, however, had he been staring out the window?

When I was writhing about on the deck chair, how much of my bare body did he see? Why didn't I feel uneasy? Disgust? Not me! I just felt weird and tense, like I'd been placed under a heat lamp for too long. Thinking about it made my skin feel heated and tight.

I said, "I just got in the water; give me a second." to buy myself some more time.

David gave me an expression of helplessness. "Sorry." Despite the fact that his tone indicated otherwise, he seemed to be serious. I saw a bikini on you. When will I learn to control myself?

I would have considered his remark endearing and humorous six months ago. To be honest, I couldn't stand it today.

To my right, he floated lazily in the water, leaning back so that the water reflected in his brown eyes, making them appear even darker and more intense. When we initially began dating, he was adorable, but he'd since matured and put on weight, making him seem more like a man. He inherited his good looks from his daddy. David's hair, which was shorter on the sides and longer on top, was also lighter in color than his father's.

As I watched him swim blissfully, my gut cramped with fear. He had no clue I was going to reveal something shocking.

Hello, I said, my voice beginning to crack. "Let's have a chat."