Interlude

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#003399" TEXT="#080000" background="03fc8c00erkjxk.jpg"> <div> <B>This is the third installment in the 'Flowers, Dinners & Keeping Secrets' series.</B></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#0066CC" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#99CCFF" FACE="Edwardian Script ITC" ><B>Smiles, Tears, & Happy Endings</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFF99" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>  |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Smiles, Tears, Happy Endings"><U>home</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Brandys Stories"><U>Brandy's Stories</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Other Side"><U>The Other Side</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Getaway"><U>Getaway</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Deserved Recognition"><U>Deserved Recognition</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The End of These Days"><U>The End of These Days</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id34.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Moving On"><U>Moving On</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Lessons Learned Shared"><U>Lessons- Learned & Shared</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="So, I Had This Dream..."><U>So, I Had This Dream...</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id214.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Perfect Plan"><U>The Perfect Plan</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id215.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Incredibly Campy Road Trip From Hell"><U>The Incredibly Campy Road Trip From Hell</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id216.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Whole New Story"><U>A Whole New Story</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id217.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="What Are Friends For? "><U>What Are Friends For? </U></A>   |   <A HREF="id218.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Walking The Wire"><U>Walking The Wire</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id219.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Foreshadowing, Omens Evidence of Other "><U>Foreshadowing, Omens & Evidence of Other Things in the Wind</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id222.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Up Against the Wall"><U>Up Against the Wall</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id223.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Sum Of My Fears"><U>The Sum Of My Fears</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id220.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Our Dance"><U>Our Dance</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id221.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Shes Got a Way"><U>She's Got a Way</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id52.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Take My Hand"><U>Take My Hand</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id53.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May Perspective"><U>May Perspective</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id56.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="How Bad Can It Get"><U>How Bad Can It Get</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id181.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Small Mistakes"><U>Small Mistakes</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id182.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Nightcaps"><U>Nightcaps</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id183.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Crazy Boys"><U>Crazy Boys</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id184.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Need For Comfort"><U>A Need For Comfort</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id81.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Looking Back"><U>Looking Back</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id109.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Nature of Family"><U>The Nature of Family</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id210.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Wistful Thoughts On A Snowy Night"><U>Wistful Thoughts On A Snowy Night</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id212.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Good Brother/Son/Friend"><U>A Good Brother/Son/Friend</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id111.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="When All Else Fails"><U>When All Else Fails</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id187.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Someone Like You"><U>Someone Like You</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id213.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Wish For My Friend"><U>A Wish For My Friend</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id188.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Unspoken"><U>Unspoken</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id189.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Brief Glimpse"><U>A Brief Glimpse</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id190.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sanctuary"><U>Sanctuary</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id191.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contemplation"><U>Contemplation</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id192.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dirty Work"><U>Dirty Work</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id193.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Precious Moments"><U>Precious Moments</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id194.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Almost Normal"><U>Almost Normal</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id195.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Never Enough"><U>Never Enough</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id112.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The World According To Mark..."><U>The World According To Mark...</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id135.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Heart Cards, Flowers Sweet Stuff"><U>Heart Cards, Flowers & Sweet Stuff</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id185.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Amazed"><U>Amazed</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id199.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Last Call of the Night"><U>Last Call of the Night</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id206.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Fortuitous Visitor"><U>The Fortuitous Visitor</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id136.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Loose Ends"><U>Loose Ends</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id225.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TeaSympathy Under the Mistletoe"><U>Tea&Sympathy Under the Mistletoe</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id229.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Not So Much Looking Good As Being Good"><U>Not So Much Looking Good As Being Good</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id230.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Moment of Truth"><U>The Moment of Truth</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id231.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Control Choices"><U>Control & Choices</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id36.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Anniversaries AdoAnnie"><U>Anniversaries & Ado-Annie</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The NonOccasion Occasion"><U>The Non-Occasion Occasion</U></A>   |   <B>Interlude</B>   |   <A HREF="id39.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Misdirection Understatement"><U>Misdirection & Understatement</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id51.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Meeting, Damn Depositions Rules"><U>Meeting, Damn Depositions & Rules</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id54.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Realizations Revelations"><U>Realizations &Revelations</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id207.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Liberating Quality"><U>A Liberating Quality</U></A></div> <div> Interlude</div> <div>   It had been two months since Josh and Donna’s non-anniversary evening </div> <div> and </div> <div> they were both wishing that they could afford to take that kind of time </div> <div> away </div> <div> from the office again. The prospect of such a thing happening in the </div> <div> near </div> <div> future was not promising. Between fielding calls from virtually every </div> <div> member </div> <div> of the DNC, trying to prepare for what would could be a long and </div> <div> dragged out </div> <div>   grand jury investigation and, just for fun, the everyday process of </div> <div> running a country, they were lucky if they got a chance to go home and </div> <div> change clothes. Meals were eaten on the run, when they could squeeze in </div> <div> the </div> <div> time; and a good, unrelieved night of sleep was a distant memory.</div> <div>   “ Donna!” Josh yelled from his desk, and Donna noticed that even that </div> <div> lacked his usual gusto.</div> <div>   “ You bellowed?” Donna asked from where she stood  in the doorway of </div> <div> his </div> <div> office.</div> <div>   “ I didn’t bellow.”</div> <div>   “Yes, you did… Was there something you needed or are you just amusing </div> <div> yourself?” Donna asked wearily.</div> <div>   “ Why would you think I’d call you in to amuse myself? That’s kind of </div> <div> mean </div> <div> of you Donna…”</div> <div>    “ Josh!” Donna almost screeched.</div> <div>    “ Yeah?”</div> <div>    “ The point of you calling me was…..what exactly?” Donna asked in an </div> <div> extremely agitated voice.</div> <div>      Josh just looked at her for the longest time. He honestly couldn’t </div> <div> remember what he had called her for, but he wasn’t about to say that. </div> <div> He did </div> <div> have some brains. Of course , at that moment Donna gave him this look </div> <div> like </div> <div> his thoughts were written in little thought bubbles over his head- and </div> <div> she </div> <div> could read them very clearly.</div> <div>   “ That’s what I thought”, and spun on her heels and walked out, </div> <div> slamming </div> <div> the door behind her.</div> <div>   “ Well, that was uncalled for”, Josh said to himself.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>   Thirty minutes later…</div> <bR> <bR> <div>   “ Donna!”</div> <div>   “ What!” she yelled back from her desk. Josh  sat at his desk, first </div> <div> surprised, then confused. Donna never yelled back. She either came to </div> <div> the </div> <div> office or told him to stop yelling, but she never yelled back. This was </div> <div> just </div> <div> weird. It was so weird he actually got up and walked out into the </div> <div> bullpen to </div> <div> make sure that it was really Donna yelling back and not someone who </div> <div> just </div> <div> sounded like her.</div> <div>   Sure enough, there she sat, a pile of papers to her left, the phone </div> <div> cradled against her shoulder and she was pounding away on the keyboard </div> <div> in </div> <div> front of her. She looked like the poster girl for “The Over-worked </div> <div> Assistant’s League”. She hung up the phone , scribbled something on a </div> <div> piece </div> <div> of paper and went back to doing two things at a time instead of three. </div> <div> Josh </div> <div> continued to watch her until finally she turned around and gave him an </div> <div> expectant look.</div> <div>   “ You need something?”</div> <div>   “ Yeah…uh, block off about ninety minutes for me around seven. Okay?”</div> <div>   “ Okay.”</div> <div>   “ I’ll need you here too”, Josh added.</div> <div>   “ I figured that out all by myself , Josh”, Donna replied in a very </div> <div> tired </div> <div> voice.</div> <div>   Josh stood there for a moment and then turned and went back into his </div> <div> office. He had to figure out something to get the bounce back in her </div> <div> step, </div> <div> the gleam in her eye. He needed to find a way to get back to that place </div> <div> they </div> <div> were headed to the night they went out. She had been happy that night </div> <div> and so </div> <div> had he. Then everything had hit the fan at once and they hadn’t stopped </div> <div> running around in circles yet. As bad as things were for him, it was </div> <div> somehow </div> <div> worse on Donna. She not only had all the stuff she normally did for </div> <div> him, but </div> <div> all the extra stuff that was coming from the tobacco case and the grand </div> <div> jury </div> <div> prep and to add to that - the president had started to ask her more and </div> <div> more </div> <div> to check into things for him. It wasn’t always a direct thing. Leo </div> <div> would </div> <div> tell her that the President wanted information on this matter or the </div> <div> other </div> <div> and she could have easily shared that load with one of the other </div> <div> assistants, </div> <div> but she never did. That’s the way Donna was. The constant pressure and </div> <div> the </div> <div> workload was starting to take it’s toll, and it was time for him to do </div> <div> something about it. Picking up the phone, he dialed Sam’s extension.</div> <div>   “ Hey Sam…listen - I need your help with something…”</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>   6:50 pm</div> <bR> <bR> <div>   Josh walked into Sam’s office and plopped down in the chair.</div> <div>    “ Did you do it?” He asked without preamble.</div> <div>    “ Hello to you too, Josh. Have you had a productive day?”</div> <div>    “ Sam…”</div> <div>    “ See, I was wondering, cause I got this strange call earlier from </div> <div> someone sounding suspiciously like you and he asked me to do the </div> <div> strangest </div> <div> things. But that couldn’t possibly have been you, and I know this </div> <div> because </div> <div> you don’t arrange things- or in this case have things arranged- that </div> <div> could </div> <div> be considered a date. Isn’t that right?” Sam said, leaning back in his </div> <div> chair </div> <div> and pinning Josh with a mocking glare.</div> <div>   “ You’re having your petty little fun at my expense, aren’t you?” </div> <div> Josh </div> <div> asked.</div> <div>   “ Pretty much.”</div> <div>    “ Fine, but did you do it?”</div> <div>    “ I’ll tell you the answer to your question - if you answer mine.” </div> <div> Josh </div> <div> noticed that there was a distinct maniacal gleam in Sam’s eyes when he </div> <div> said </div> <div> this.</div> <div>    “ What?”</div> <div>    “ Why are you going to so much trouble to have this assignation with </div> <div> your </div> <div> assistant?”</div> <div>    “ When you say it like that, it sounds kind of dirty…” Josh replied, </div> <div> trying for evasion.</div> <div>     “ I’m not responsible for what’s already in your mind, Josh. Now </div> <div> kindly </div> <div> answer the question”, Sam replied, undeterred.</div> <div>   “ What exactly is it that you’re asking?” Josh asked, again stalling </div> <div> for </div> <div> time.</div> <div>    “ Well, to put it simply- what have you got going on with Donna?” </div> <div> Sam </div> <div> asked , and this time Josh was sure he saw the wicked smile in Sam’s </div> <div> eyes.</div> <div>    “ We don’t have anything going on…I mean, there’s this thing- but </div> <div> all I </div> <div> want to do is something nice for her. She’s been working so hard and </div> <div> she </div> <div> looks unhappy and dragged out and she yelled today…”</div> <div>   “She yelled at you?” Sam asked, now looking confused.</div> <div>    “ Well, I mean she yelled back. I yelled out for her like I always </div> <div> do and </div> <div> she didn’t come into the office and say some smart-aleck thing or tell </div> <div> me to </div> <div> stop yelling. She just yelled ’What’ back at me. It was weird…”</div> <div>   “ Yes, I can see how that would freak you out”, Sam replied in a </div> <div> totally </div> <div> sarcastic way.</div> <div>   “ You just don’t understand”, Josh stated firmly</div> <div>   “ Oh, yes I do. I understand a whole lot, my friend. I understood </div> <div> when you </div> <div> had me working all day on the perfect ‘non-date’ evening. I think </div> <div> you’re the </div> <div> one who has a comprehension problem”, Sam said, getting up from behind </div> <div> his </div> <div> desk and coming around to stand in front of Josh. He was giving Josh </div> <div> this </div> <div> look that said he had it all figured out and it was about time Josh </div> <div> recognized that fact.</div> <div>   “ Sam, I’m really not in the mood for true confessions”, Josh stated, </div> <div> rubbing his hand over his face, and giving Sam a look that he hoped </div> <div> expressed just how little he was in the mood for it.</div> <div>   “ Josh, I’m just trying to be your friend here-” Sam started, getting </div> <div> serious with Josh.</div> <div>   “ Yeah, Sam and I know that. It’s just- Right now I need this to be </div> <div> separate from everything and everybody. Whatever happens - well, it </div> <div> needs to </div> <div> happen with the absence of  an audience”, Josh stated quietly.</div> <div>   “ You know it’s not going to stay that way”, Sam observed.</div> <div>   “ Yeah, I know- but for right now…”</div> <div>   “ Yeah, I get you. Everything’s set up just like you wanted it. I </div> <div> also had </div> <div> Cathy arrange for me to take that meeting you were supposed to have </div> <div> tonight. </div> <div> By the way- you’re very welcome”, Sam added the last part in a heavily </div> <div> sarcastic tone .</div> <div>   “ Did I forget to thank you?” Josh replied in mock innocence.</div> <div>   “ You owe me large, you know that right?”</div> <div>   “ I know…one of these days I’ll pay you back.”</div> <div>   “ Yeah- I know. Now get out of here. Some of us have work to do”, Sam </div> <div> said </div> <div> ,going back to sit behind his desk and shooing Josh out at the same </div> <div> time. </div> <div> Josh jumped up and sailed out of Sam’s office with more energy than </div> <div> he’d </div> <div> felt in weeks. Now all that was left to do was get Donna out of this </div> <div> place </div> <div> and put his plan in action.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> 7:00 pm</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>   Josh walked through the bullpen and was once again struck by how worn </div> <div> and </div> <div> weary Donna looked. He saw her look at her watch , and if possible her </div> <div> shoulders slumped even further. He smiled to himself as he thought how </div> <div> gratifying it was going to be change all that. He shifted into a more </div> <div> business-like demeanor before he approached Donna. No sense giving the </div> <div> surprise away…</div> <div>   “ Donna. Get your things together. We’re going to be gone for a </div> <div> while.” </div> <div> Josh directed impatiently.</div> <div>   “ What? Where are we going?” Donna asked as she began to tiredly </div> <div> shove a </div> <div> few items into her bag.</div> <div>   “ I’ll explain on the way. Come on, we’re going to be late. Hurry </div> <div> up!”</div> <div>   Donna gave him a glare that he quickly looked away from. ‘Geez…the </div> <div> girl </div> <div> could peel paint off walls with a look like that,’ Josh thought. Better </div> <div> not </div> <div> push the ‘all business’ line too far.</div> <div>   “ I’m coming… and when did you become the ‘Prince of Punctuality’- </div> <div> that’s </div> <div> what I’d like to know.” Donna grumbled as she followed him out the </div> <div> door. </div> <div> Josh  just smiled …’grumble all you want ‘, he thought  ‘wait and see </div> <div> what I </div> <div> have in store for you….’</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>    As soon as they were in Josh’s car and on their way to the </div> <div> “undisclosed </div> <div> location”, Josh started to get nervous. What if Donna didn’t like what </div> <div> he </div> <div> had planned? What if she thought it was totally presumptuous for him to </div> <div> do </div> <div> something like this? What if he stopped whining like a little girl and </div> <div> just </div> <div> get her there without having a nervous fit? Donna was </div> <div> uncharacteristically </div> <div> quiet and that bothered Josh much more than her asking questions that </div> <div> he </div> <div> didn’t want to answer.</div> <div>   “ You okay?” he asked, stealing a glance at Donna as he pulled out of </div> <div> the </div> <div> lot.</div> <div>   “ I’m tired. Don’t you ever just get tired of it all?”</div> <div>   “ Well, yeah…I mean I love my job, but the demands do get a little </div> <div> tiring </div> <div> sometime”, Josh replied, hoping that just him understanding how she </div> <div> felt </div> <div> would help a little.</div> <div>   “ You don’t act like it. You act like you live and breathe for it”, </div> <div> Donna </div> <div> replied wearily.</div> <div>   “ Well, it wouldn’t be like that if…” Josh started, and then his old </div> <div> friend Fear came sneaking up and kept him from finishing the sentence.</div> <div>   “ If what?” Donna asked when he didn’t continue. She had turned in </div> <div> her </div> <div> seat and was giving him her undivided attention. It seemed as though </div> <div> her </div> <div> attention was wasted , because Josh just sat there as if he had </div> <div> suddenly </div> <div> been struck mute. She waited for a moment more before sighing in </div> <div> disgust and </div> <div> turning her attention back to the passing road.</div> <div>   ‘What’s wrong with me?’ he thought as he made his way through the </div> <div> light </div> <div> evening traffic. ‘Why can’t I just say that much…why can’t I just say- </div> <div> it </div> <div> wouldn’t be any fun if you weren’t there? It would just be a job, and </div> <div> the </div> <div> job isn’t what I live and breathe for- you are.’</div> <div>   They rode in silence for another five minutes before Donna turned to </div> <div> him </div> <div> and asked,“ Why does it look like we’re going to your apartment?”</div> <div>   ‘You can do this Josh…just don’t look at her’ , “ Uh…I forgot - I </div> <div> left a </div> <div> file I needed at my place.”</div> <div>   As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he thought, ‘Well- that </div> <div> just </div> <div> sucked. She had to have seen right through that one.’ He stole a quick </div> <div> side-ways glance at her and was both relieved and bothered that she </div> <div> seemed </div> <div> to believe what he said.</div> <div>   “ So what is this thing that is so important, and why did I have to </div> <div> come?”</div> <div>   “ It’s a favor for…Sam and I need you because…I need you”, Josh  </div> <div> replied, </div> <div> and wondered for the hundredth time why it was that he could bullshit </div> <div> politicians without batting an eyelash, but he started squirming like a </div> <div> little kid in the principal’s office when he tried it with Donna.</div> <div>   His totally lame explanation went by without comment, which did </div> <div> little to </div> <div> alleviate his concern. It did, however, give him the resolve to see </div> <div> this </div> <div> through. At this point, Josh would do whatever was necessary to shake </div> <div> Donna </div> <div> out of this funk of hers.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>   Josh breathed a sigh of relief when they pulled up in front of his </div> <div> building. Of course , it didn’t last long, because when he got out of </div> <div> the </div> <div> car, Donna didn’t seem to want to follow.</div> <div>   “ We’re here. Come on”, Josh said.</div> <div>   “ I’m just going to sit here and wait for you to get what you need”, </div> <div> Donna </div> <div> replied, seeming to settle even more firmly into the passenger seat.</div> <div>   “ Donna, you can’t just wait out here”, Josh exclaimed, in a voice </div> <div> that </div> <div> was perilously close to whining.</div> <div>   “ Why not, Josh? You’re a big boy. I’m sure you can find one little </div> <div> file </div> <div> all by yourself”, Donna pointed out.</div> <div>   “ It may take a while. You can’t just sit out here. It’s….dangerous”, </div> <div> Josh </div> <div>   stated, feeling stupid even as the words were coming out of his </div> <div> mouth. </div> <div> Donna gave him a look that spoke volumes about just how helpless she </div> <div> considered him and gave the indication that she knew this was a ruse to </div> <div> get </div> <div> her to look for the file.</div> <div>   “ Honest to God, Josh! How on earth did you manage to do anything </div> <div> before I </div> <div> came into your life?” Donna exclaimed, getting out of the car and </div> <div> slamming </div> <div> the door. She stormed past him and up the steps to his door, where she </div> <div> waited impatiently for him to open it. As he walked up the steps to </div> <div> join </div> <div> her, Josh thought that that was one of the questions he intended to </div> <div> answer </div> <div> before this evening was over. It was time to tell his old friend Fear </div> <div> to </div> <div> ‘get lost’. He just hoped that Sam had been able to accomplish </div> <div> everything he </div> <div> wanted him to do.</div> <div>   Josh unlocked the door and walked in. It took a moment for his eyes </div> <div> to </div> <div> adjust to the dim lighting, but when they did, he breathed a huge sigh </div> <div> of </div> <div> relief. Sam, ‘the man’ had done it again. He moved away from the door </div> <div> to </div> <div> allow Donna to come in, then moved aside to watch as she took it all </div> <div> in.</div> <div>   The lights were dimmed to a level just high enough to allow them to </div> <div> navigate their way into the room. At one side of the living room, a </div> <div> table </div> <div> just big enough for two had been set with china, crystal and candles. </div> <div> There </div> <div> was a tray alongside the table, and on it was a bottle of wine, being </div> <div> chilled and several covered dishes.</div> <div>   Donna hadn’t moved an inch since she’d come into the room. Josh had </div> <div> to </div> <div> suppress the smile that was overtaking his face at the sight of the </div> <div> expression on Donna’s face. Her eyes were huge and her lips were parted </div> <div> in a </div> <div> way that showed she was trying to say something but the words wouldn’t </div> <div> come </div> <div> out. Finally she turned to him and somewhat breathlessly asked, “ What </div> <div> is </div> <div> all this, Josh?”</div> <bR> <bR> <div>   “ Something I hoped you would like…” Josh replied, touching her </div> <div> gently on </div> <div> the arm.</div> <div>   “ You did this for me?” she asked incredulously.</div> <div> “ Well…yeah. I thought you could use a break- something nice. Do you </div> <div> like </div> <div> it?” Josh asked ,and she could hear a trace of insecurity in his voice. </div> <div> ‘Poor Josh’ , she thought. The thing that people really didn’t </div> <div> understand </div> <div> about him was that when he did something like this, or gave a well </div> <div> thought </div> <div> out gift, he always  worried that the recipient wouldn’t love it as </div> <div> much as </div> <div> he hoped. The thing that made it all the more touching was that he </div> <div> wasn’t a </div> <div> casual gift giver, nor was he a man he did things like this </div> <div> off-handedly. </div> <div> Things like this were for a reason. This was the sweetness that he </div> <div> tried so </div> <div> hard not to show.</div> <div>   “ Donna?” Josh prodded, really starting to worry now. She was just </div> <div> standing there, and she was getting all misty-eyed. It was too much, or </div> <div> all </div> <div> wrong, or something else bad, Josh thought.</div> <div>   “Oh Josh!” Donna gasped, and now the tears were really visible.</div> <div>    “ Donna, you gotta’ give me a little more to go on than that”, Josh </div> <div> said </div> <div> , trying a little smile to lighten the mood.</div> <div>   Deciding that words just wouldn’t do it, Donna wrapped her arms </div> <div> around </div> <div> Josh and burying her face in his neck, mumbled, “ You are just so sweet </div> <div> sometimes.”</div> <div>   “ I’ll take that as an indication that you approve”, Josh replied, </div> <div> thinking that having her in his arms was really what coming home was </div> <div> all </div> <div> about. Before he could go any further with that thought, Donna pulled </div> <div> away </div> <div> slightly and decided it was time to have her curiosity appeased.</div> <div>   “ First , why did you do this- and second , how did you do it?” Donna </div> <div> asked.</div> <div>    “ Well, you’ve been looking really down and I realized how hard </div> <div> you’ve </div> <div> been working-”</div> <div>    “ You’ve been working just as hard”, Donna interrupted.</div> <div>    “ Yeah, but you take care of me too. I figured it was about time I </div> <div> returned the favor”, Josh replied, and smiled that little endearing </div> <div> half </div> <div> smile that never ceased to touch her. She looked at him for the longest </div> <div> moment and was on the verge of saying something else, but then decided </div> <div> to </div> <div> wait and get the answer to her second question first.</div> <div>   “ And the how?”</div> <div>   “ Well, Sam helped me out a little there…”</div> <div>   “ A little, Josh?” Donna asked, giving him that look that said she </div> <div> knew he </div> <div> wasn’t being completely truthful.</div> <div>   “ Okay…I told him I wanted to do something really special for you, </div> <div> and </div> <div> give you a way to be pampered and relax. I missed your smile.” At that </div> <div> last </div> <div> comment, Josh looked away from her eyes and began to lead her into the </div> <div> room </div> <div> and show her what was waiting for them.</div> <div>   “Anyway,” Josh continued, “ Sam has this friend who does catering for </div> <div> dinner parties and stuff and he called her and told her what I wanted </div> <div> and </div> <div> she came here and prepared everything.” It was then that Josh noticed a </div> <div> note </div> <div> laying on the tray beside the wine bucket with his name written across </div> <div> the </div> <div> front.</div> <div>   “ What’s that?” Donna asked, trying to peer over his shoulder.</div> <div>   “ A note - for me, Miss Nosey”, Josh replied, and turned so that she </div> <div> wouldn’t be able to read over his shoulder.</div> <div>   He was smiling as he read it, which only enhanced Donna’s curiosity.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>     Josh,</div> <div>       I hope you read this before Donna finds it. Emily has once again </div> <div> worked her miracles and I assure              you,  you will be </div> <div> impressed.  </div> <div> The wine is chilling and I have selected the music. Just turn on the cd </div> <div> player and enjoy. I also took the liberty of preparing something </div> <div> special for </div> <div> Donna. I persuaded Emily to make up your guest room and then go to </div> <div> Donna’s </div> <div> favorite “girlie” store and buy an assortment of bubble bath, and </div> <div> lotions. </div> <div> All that stuff that women go nuts over, and we pretend we don’t enjoy- </div> <div> unless they’re wearing it. Enjoy the food, enjoy the wine, enjoy the </div> <div> music. </div> <div> If you’re prudent, you’ll allow the evening to be nice and relaxed and </div> <div> Donna </div> <div> will go to sleep in your guest room and wake up nice and refreshed. If </div> <div> you’re smart, and say things that you need to say- well, I don’t think </div> <div> the </div> <div> guest room will get much use. If you know what I mean.</div> <div>                   Sam</div> <div> p.s  : You should be sitting down when you open your next credit card </div> <div> statement.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>   Josh smiled again. ‘Screw the cost- it was worth it.’</div> <div>   “ Well, what are you smiling about?” Donna asked, not bothering to </div> <div> hide </div> <div> the fact that she would love to know what was in the note. She’d </div> <div> already </div> <div> noticed that it was Sam’s handwriting on the front.</div> <div>   “ None of your business. Why don’t you use those investigative urges </div> <div> of </div> <div> yours and find out what’s under the covers of those dishes?” Josh </div> <div> countered, </div> <div> slipping the note into his pocket.</div> <div>   Donna started to pout, but decided she could wait and find out later. </div> <div> Well, that and the fact that she was suddenly ravenous. She went over </div> <div> to the </div> <div> tray and lifted the cover off the first dish. Avocados stuffed with </div> <div> crab </div> <div> meat on a bed of lettuce. Moving on to the next dish, Donna lifted the </div> <div> cover </div> <div> to reveal Thai-grilled shrimp with mango salsa, arranged over a bed of </div> <div> rice. </div> <div> The last dish was on the end, near where the wine was chilling. When </div> <div> Donna </div> <div> lifted the cover off that one, she almost gave into the childish desire </div> <div> to </div> <div> eat her dessert first. Sitting on that tray in absolute decadent </div> <div> splendor  </div> <div> was a Cocoa Genoise with Crème Fraiche and Raspberries.</div> <div>   “ Josh, this is- I don’t know what to say”, Donna said, smiling in a </div> <div> way </div> <div> that he hadn’t seen her do in a really long time.</div> <div>   “ Well, then don’t say anything for right now. Just sit down, relax </div> <div> and </div> <div> enjoy”, Josh replied, guiding her over to her chair. After lighting the </div> <div> candles and turning on the music, Josh joined her. Looking at Josh in </div> <div> the </div> <div> candlelight, Donna began to feel the pressure and frustration of the </div> <div> last </div> <div> few weeks fade away. The night that Josh had taken her out had begun to </div> <div> seem </div> <div> so long ago to Donna. She had begun to think that it was just a moment, </div> <div> like </div> <div> so many moments that they had shared, that would just never come to </div> <div> anything. She thought it would fade away, like all the others- just a </div> <div> sweet </div> <div> memory. Now she beginning to hope again. Maybe this wouldn’t be another </div> <div> isolated moment- another false start. Maybe this time it was the </div> <div> beginning </div> <div> of something wonderful.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Part 3</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Josh and Donna sat at the table, bathed in candlelight , enjoying the </div> <div> marvelous food and wine. The soft jazz that Sam had selected was </div> <div> relaxing  </div> <div> both of them and creating the perfect atmosphere. There had been a few </div> <div> awkward moments when they first sat down, then they both seemed to </div> <div> remember </div> <div> that they were the same people who had eaten hundreds of meals </div> <div> together. The </div> <div> patterns and peculiarities of their personal connection were interwoven </div> <div> with </div> <div> their professional lives, so basically this was all familiar territory. </div> <div> It </div> <div> was the layer beneath that they had yet to discover.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>   “ Josh, these shrimp are really good”, Donna sighed, making a sound </div> <div> when </div> <div> she popped the last one in her mouth that was caused Josh to have </div> <div> trouble </div> <div> swallowing…or breathing correctly.  ‘Calm down, Josh- the girl’s just </div> <div> enjoying a good meal. Stop acting like a hormone-crazed sixteen </div> <div> year-old… Of </div> <div> course it would help if she stopped making that sound.’</div> <div>   “ Yeah…Sam’s friend is something else. I’m glad you like everything”, </div> <div> Josh </div> <div> replied, caught up in the sight of watching Donna in the midst of </div> <div> candle-lit </div> <div> gastronomic delight and wondering where his conversational skills had </div> <div> gone.</div> <div>   “ I do , Josh. I particularly like the fact that how I felt meant </div> <div> enough </div> <div> to you for you to do all of this”, Donna replied with a tender smile </div> <div> and </div> <div> reached across the table to catch Josh’s hand in hers.</div> <div>   “ Well, I try to…I have my moments”, Josh returned her smile and </div> <div> continued </div> <div> to hold her hand when she might have pulled away. He liked the way it </div> <div> felt </div> <div> there and he wondered at that moment why it was that he could accept </div> <div> something like that as fact in his head, yet he seemed unable to make </div> <div> the </div> <div> words come out of his mouth. Then he realized that the only person who </div> <div> could </div> <div> change that was him.</div> <div>   “ Donna, when we were talking earlier, in the car, and you said it </div> <div> seemed </div> <div> like I live and breathe for the job- Do you remember that?” Josh asked </div> <div> .</div> <div>   “ I remember. I also remember that you never finished whatever it was </div> <div> you </div> <div> were going to say. Why was that?” Donna asked as she took a sip of her </div> <div> wine.</div> <div>   “ Because…”, he faltered . Whatever he had to say he couldn’t say it </div> <div> while </div> <div> he was looking into those expressive blue eyes of hers. If it was </div> <div> something </div> <div> that she didn’t want to hear , he would see it right away in her eyes- </div> <div> right </div> <div> before she tried to hide it, to spare his feelings. In some stupid </div> <div> ,insecure </div> <div> part of his brain, he would rather hear her gentle letdown, than see </div> <div> just </div> <div> how little she thought of the idea. He focused on their hands, joined </div> <div> together on the table and decided to just say it. “I didn’t answer you </div> <div> then, </div> <div> because I was afraid of what you would say…”</div> <div>   “ Josh?” Donna prompted when he didn’t continue.</div> <div>   “ It only seems like I live for the job because I know that when I </div> <div> come in </div> <div> every day you’ll be there. I love what I do, but you make it fun. You </div> <div> make </div> <div> the good times better and the crappy times bearable”, Josh said, never </div> <div> taking his eyes off their joined hands. When her hand slipped from his, </div> <div> Josh’s heart stopped- or at least it felt like it did to him. He </div> <div> couldn’t </div> <div> look up, he couldn’t speak, he couldn’t do anything, and then he felt </div> <div> Donna </div> <div> standing next to him and by some force of will he made himself look at </div> <div> her. </div> <div> Her eyes were shining with unshed tears and there was the sweetest </div> <div> smile on </div> <div> her face as she leaned down and wrapped her arms around him. At first, </div> <div> Josh </div> <div> didn’t know what to do, but then he gave in to instinct and wrapped his </div> <div> arms </div> <div> around her, kissing her. As soon as their lips met, Donna gave even </div> <div> more </div> <div> into his embrace, until she was sitting on his lap It should have been </div> <div> awkward, but it wasn’t. It was one of those moments, just like that </div> <div> night </div> <div> when they had listened to that Macy Gray song and Josh knew it was for </div> <div> them. </div> <div> The difference was, this time he wasn’t going to let go of the moment, </div> <div> or </div> <div> her.</div> <div>   “ Donna…”</div> <div>   “ Yes, Josh?”</div> <div>   “ Do you not like your chair?” Josh asked with a teasing smile. </div> <div> ‘Okay, why </div> <div> did I have to make my little joke? Why couldn’t I just be serious with </div> <div> her </div> <div> for a minute?’</div> <div>   “ Not really. I like yours better”, Donna replied, playing along with </div> <div> his </div> <div> desire to have a little banter. She knew he was just a tad insecure </div> <div> about </div> <div> the things he was trying to say.</div> <div>   “ But I’m in it…” Josh countered, all but gasping the words as he </div> <div> realized </div> <div> that Donna had no intention of moving from her position on his lap. In </div> <div> fact, </div> <div> she seemed to be getting quite comfortable. This realization was both </div> <div> pleasing and disconcerting at the same time. A minor admission on his </div> <div> part </div> <div> seemed to have brought forth unexpected results.</div> <div>   “ Yes Josh, that’s one of the reasons I like it better”, Donna </div> <div> pointed out </div> <div> reasonably.</div> <div>   “ Well…okay. I guess sharing can be good”, Josh replied, trying to </div> <div> figure </div> <div> out how to deal with this new, saucy version of Donna.</div> <div>   “ Yes, it can Josh. Is there anything else you’d care to share?” </div> <div> Donna </div> <div> asked, playing with the curls that ran along his collar. She had a look </div> <div> in </div> <div> her eyes that suggested she wouldn’t mind playing with a few other </div> <div> things as </div> <div> well. With that realization came the observation that it had suddenly </div> <div> gotten </div> <div> very warm in the room. ‘Wow, those candles sure do give off a lot of </div> <div> heat’ </div> <div> Josh thought, trying to remember how to handle situations like this in </div> <div> an </div> <div> adult fashion. Of course, he didn’t have a lot of experience to fall </div> <div> back </div> <div> on. After all, how often  does one’s blonde and suddenly sultry </div> <div> assistant  </div> <div> take possession of one’s lap? Well, outside of a story in Penthouse, </div> <div> that </div> <div> is.</div> <div> “ Donna, what exactly are you asking ?” Josh asked.</div> <div> “ Well, Josh if you can’t figure it out ,then I don’t suppose I should </div> <div> tell </div> <div> you”, Donna replied, leaving her place on Josh’s lap in one smooth </div> <div> movement </div> <div> and walking around behind his chair to the tray that held the chocolate </div> <div> confection that was their dessert. Donna had been looking forward to </div> <div> dessert </div> <div> ever since she had seen what it was. Now, she had one more reason to </div> <div> look </div> <div> forward to it. She knew Josh was watching her and she decided it was </div> <div> about </div> <div> time to take full advantage of that fact. She lifted the cover off the </div> <div> dessert, and leaning over slightly, she inhaled the intoxicating  aroma </div> <div> of </div> <div> chocolate and raspberries. As Josh watched, Donna got a wicked little </div> <div> grin </div> <div> on her face and with two fingers, scooped  through the two layers of </div> <div> crème </div> <div> fraiche and chocolate cake, even managing to get one of the raspberries </div> <div> on </div> <div> the tip of her fingers. With one sideways glance at Josh, she slipped </div> <div> her </div> <div> fingers into her mouth, making this extremely sensuous noise in the </div> <div> back of </div> <div> her throat as  she did. At that moment the whole apartment could have </div> <div> burst </div> <div> into flames and Josh wouldn’t have noticed. He was totally mesmerized </div> <div> by </div> <div> what he was seeing. There was this tiny bit of frosting at the corner </div> <div> of her </div> <div> mouth and it took every ounce of self discipline in his body not to </div> <div> leap up </div> <div> and lick it away. All of the sudden, Donna seemed to notice his </div> <div> presence </div> <div> again, and turned to him, after pinching off another piece and gave him </div> <div> a </div> <div> taste. Donna couldn’t help but feel a little mesmerized herself, as his </div> <div> lips </div> <div> parted and she felt his warm breath against her fingertips</div> <div>   “ Isn’t that the most sinfully delicious thing you’ve ever tasted”, </div> <div> Donna </div> <div> asked, her fingertips still resting lightly on his bottom lip. Her eyes </div> <div> never left his and before she knew it, Josh had pulled her into his lap </div> <div> and </div> <div> his lips were on hers. He felt Donna’s hands on his neck and in his </div> <div> hair and </div> <div> he tasted the chocolate and raspberries on her lips, but mostly it was </div> <div> the </div> <div> taste of her. That taste of Donna was far more seductive or addictive </div> <div> than </div> <div> any confection, Josh thought.</div> <div> “ No, that’s the most sinfully delicious thing I’ve ever tasted”, Josh </div> <div> replied finally, giving voice to his thoughts. The look on Donna’s face </div> <div> when </div> <div> he said that, prompted him to kiss her again. It was at the moment that </div> <div> the </div> <div> phone rang.</div> <div>   “ Damn”, Josh muttered.  “I’ve got to get that, you know”</div> <div>   “ Yeah, I do”, Donna replied in a resigned tone, removing herself </div> <div> from his </div> <div> lap.</div> <div>    Josh walked across  the room and snatched up the phone. “ Yeah, </div> <div> Lyman </div> <div> here.”</div> <bR> <bR> <div>   It was Sam. Apparently, there had been some sort of hitch with the </div> <div> meeting </div> <div> and Josh was needed back , right away. Sam was almost embarrassingly </div> <div> apologetic about the whole matter, but he made it clear Josh needed to </div> <div> get </div> <div> back  immediately. Josh hung up and stood there for a moment , cursing </div> <div> the </div> <div> horrific timing that seemed to plague his life. Finally he turned and </div> <div> noticed Donna watching him with concern.</div> <div>   “ Is there a problem?”</div> <div>   “ Yeah, Sam took a meeting for me, and something unexpected came up.”</div> <div>   “ Oh…well, I’ll get my things and we can go back”, Donna said , </div> <div> turning to </div> <div> pick up the things she had dropped in a chair.</div> <div>   “ No,” Josh said going over to her and taking her in his arms. “ Stay </div> <div> here, please. I’ll go back and see what I can do about this tonight and </div> <div> be </div> <div> back as soon as humanly possible. I’d like it…I really want you to stay </div> <div> here </div> <div> tonight. If you want to.”</div> <div>   Donna looked at him for the longest time before her smile returned </div> <div> and </div> <div> giving him a quick kiss, she said, “ Go. I’ll be here when you get </div> <div> back.” </div> <div> She was then rewarded with a wide smile, complete with those adorable </div> <div> dimples, as he scooped up his keys from the table.</div> <div>   “ Promise that you’ll be here?”</div> <div>   “ Yes. I promise. Now go- shoo. Go, do some good.”</div> <div>   Josh almost went back to get one last kiss, but figured he could only </div> <div> test </div> <div> his self-control so much. Donna watched him from the window as he drove </div> <div> away, a little self-satisfied smile of anticipation on her face.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>    Josh walked through the communications bullpen, straight to Sam’s </div> <div> office.</div> <div>   “ Your timing sucks- you know that ,right?” Josh said dropping into a </div> <div> chair.</div> <div>   “ Hey, I said I was sorry. The guy was impossible. He went totally </div> <div> off all </div> <div> the points he had agreed to before and -” Sam broke off, leaning across </div> <div> his </div> <div> desk, concentrating his attention on Josh’s ears.</div> <div>   “ What are you looking at?” Josh asked, impatiently.</div> <div> Sam got a really amused smile on his face, and chuckling slightly, </div> <div> replied, </div> <div> “Well, I was just trying to figure out why you have chocolate cake in </div> <div> your </div> <div> ear.”</div> <div>   Josh’s face flushed to an impossible shade of red at that moment, </div> <div> even </div> <div> while remembering with pleasure just how the cake got in his ear.</div> <div>   “ I told you your timing sucked”, Josh replied, trying not to smile </div> <div> too </div> <div> much.</div> <div>   “Oh, I really did interrupt something, didn’t I?” Sam teased, with a </div> <div> happy </div> <div> grin.</div> <div>   “ Shut up.”</div> <div>   “ Come on Josh! You owe me.”</div> <div>   “ Do not!”</div> <div>   “ Come on Josh, at least tell me how you got the cake in your ear.”</div> <div>   “ No! Now tell me what we need to do to fix this, so I can get back </div> <div> there”, Josh said , ignoring Sam and picking up the notes from the </div> <div> meeting.</div> <div>   “ Are you going to do something freaky with the cake?” Sam asked, </div> <div> still </div> <div> relishing in the teasing.</div> <div>   “ Shut up!”</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>   Josh spent close to three hours of mind-numbing conversations with </div> <div> Sam, </div> <div> Leo and Adamson- the source of the problem. Finally they had managed to </div> <div> reach a workable compromise. At the end of this exercise in </div> <div> aggravation, </div> <div> Josh informed Leo and Sam that this was one Saturday that he wouldn’t </div> <div> be in </div> <div> early, and barring any national emergency , they shouldn’t expect him </div> <div> before </div> <div> noon, if then.  Leo waved them out of his office, saying that he didn’t </div> <div> care </div> <div> as long as everything was covered.</div> <div>   Sam, following behind Josh as he walked back to his office was </div> <div> grinning </div> <div> like an idiot, eager to resume the teasing.   “ So, you’re going to </div> <div> spend </div> <div> the weekend ‘relaxing’, huh?”</div> <div>   “ You need a life, my friend”, Josh replied in exasperation, knowing </div> <div> that </div> <div> Sam was still trying to pump him for details.</div> <div>   “ I have a life, thank you very much. I just happen to find yours </div> <div> more </div> <div> entertaining at the moment. So, I take it Donna liked our little </div> <div> surprise?”</div> <div>   “ Yes. Now, go away.”</div> <div>   “ You’re a spoil-sport”, Sam grumbled.</div> <div>   “  Spoil-sport? You do write for a living, right? Cause you don’t </div> <div> sound </div> <div> like someone that writes for a living”, Josh countered, figuring that </div> <div> teasing was a two way street.</div> <div>   “ Hey, that’s not nice. Besides, I helped you make all the </div> <div> arrangements . </div> <div> That should at least entitle me to a few tidbits of information”, Sam </div> <div> replied, unwilling to give up so easily.</div> <div>   “ That, my friend, entitles you to my gratitude and appreciation. </div> <div> But, </div> <div> since this isn’t a high school locker-room, you get no juicy tidbits”, </div> <div> Josh </div> <div> stated, picking up his jacket and walking out of his office as Sam </div> <div> trailed </div> <div> behind him.</div> <div>   “ So, you’re not going to tell me about the cake, are you?” Sam </div> <div> observed </div> <div> with resignation.</div> <div>   “ Nope”, Josh replied as he made his way to the sign-out desk.</div> <div>   “ Okay. Have a nice weekend…spoil-sport”,  Sam replied, chuckling as </div> <div> he </div> <div> walked back to his office.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>   When Josh returned, he found the remnants of their dinner cleared </div> <div> away and </div> <div> a note from Donna on the table.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>    Josh,</div> <div>    The funniest thing happened while you were gone. I went looking for </div> <div> something a little more comfortable to change into (you really need to </div> <div> do </div> <div> your laundry). In the process of my search, I happened upon a </div> <div> collection of </div> <div> goodies in your spare bedroom. They were in this big gift basket, next </div> <div> to </div> <div> this beautiful blue silk robe. Imagine my surprise, when I discovered  </div> <div> that </div> <div> all the goodies in the basket were from my favorite store. Bath oils, </div> <div> bubble </div> <div> baths, lotions… It was like they were there just for me. I got this </div> <div> positively Goldilocks feeling as I smelled each one- looking for the </div> <div> one </div> <div> that was ‘just right’. If you want to know which one I decided on- </div> <div> well, </div> <div> let’s just say you know where to find me.</div> <div>                         Donna</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Josh walked down the hallway to the bathroom, and when he reached the </div> <div> closed </div> <div> door his hand hesitated . Deciding not to just walk in, he knocked and </div> <div> called out, “Hey, Goldilocks, you in there?”</div> <div>   “ Only if my bear’s out there”, Donna called out. After a fair amount </div> <div> of </div> <div> splashing Josh heard her call out for him to come in.</div> <div>   Josh opened the door and stood just inside, his arms crossed in front </div> <div> of </div> <div> him, leaning against the frame. He couldn’t help the grin on his face </div> <div> as he </div> <div> took in the scene before him. Donna was immersed, up to her chin, in </div> <div> bubbles. Her hair was piled on top of her head in one of those </div> <div> elaborate </div> <div> twists that women did, that to the male eye, looked like some sort of </div> <div> defiance of the laws of gravity. The only other part that was peeking </div> <div> out </div> <div> above the bubbles were her knees. If something could be both adorably </div> <div> cute </div> <div> and sexy at the same time, this was it. On the edge of the tub sat a </div> <div> plate </div> <div> with the remnants of the slice of cake she’d been eating. Josh walked </div> <div> in and </div> <div> sat on the edge of the tub. He ran a finger through the leftover icing </div> <div> on </div> <div> the plate and licked it.</div> <div>   “ So, I leave for a hard night’s work and come home to find someone </div> <div> has </div> <div> been eating my porridge and is now luxuriating in my tub”, Josh said, </div> <div> teasing. He was trying very hard to wrap his mind around the reality of </div> <div> a </div> <div> very naked Donna in his bathtub with him in the same room.</div> <div>   “ Well, when a girl gets hungry, a girl gets hungry - and you </div> <div> shouldn’t </div> <div> leave goodies like that lying around - they’re just begging to be </div> <div> used.” </div> <div> Donna stated with an impudent tilt to her chin and a wicked little </div> <div> gleam in </div> <div> her eyes.</div> <div>   “ I’m not even going to try to argue with logic like that”, Josh </div> <div> replied </div> <div> with a smile, then added “ What’s that smell?”</div> <div>   “ Oh…it’s called warm vanilla sugar. Isn’t it yummy?” Donna replied, </div> <div> breathing in the scent coming from the bubbly water with a look of pure </div> <div> bliss on her face.</div> <div>   “ Yeah, it almost makes me want to come over there and take a bite </div> <div> out of </div> <div> you”, Josh replied, a wicked smile curving his mouth as he watched </div> <div> Donna’s </div> <div> eyes go wide as the full import of his words sunk in. Then like </div> <div> quicksilver, </div> <div> her expression changed to one of daring challenge.</div> <div>   “ Ah, but you forget. In the story, Goldilocks flees to safety before </div> <div> the </div> <div> bears can attack. No satisfaction for the bear in that story, no </div> <div> siree”, </div> <div> Donna replied, stretching one leg out so that it was perched on the </div> <div> edge of </div> <div> the tub , no longer obscured by the bubbles. It was strange, the effect </div> <div> that </div> <div> one bare glistening leg had on Josh. He had seen that particular </div> <div> expanse of </div> <div> leg before many times- but never in so provocative a setting. </div> <div> Concentrating </div> <div> on the words she had just said , instead of the delectable display in </div> <div> front </div> <div> of him, Josh took a deep breath and said, “ See, that’s the whole </div> <div> problem </div> <div> with Goldilocks…jumping to conclusions. How did she know the bear was </div> <div> going </div> <div> to hurt her? Maybe he just wanted a friendly nibble.”</div> <div>   “She was only being a careful girl. I would do the same thing.”</div> <div>   “ I don’t see you running anywhere.” Josh replied, all teasing gone </div> <div> from </div> <div> his voice.</div> <div>   “ Maybe , I found one I can trust”, Donna stated, her eyes full of </div> <div> tenderness.</div> <div>     Josh reached out and took hold of her hand from it’s place on the </div> <div> edge </div> <div> of the tub and turning it palm up, he brushed a kiss across it.</div> <div>   “ Maybe because you know you’ve got this bear eating out of your </div> <div> hand…literally and figuratively”, Josh stated with a teasing smile.</div> <div>   “ If that’s true, then you would do whatever I wanted. Correct?”</div> <div>   “That, I would”, Josh replied.</div> <div>    “ Well, in that case…would you hand me that towel? I’d like to get </div> <div> out of </div> <div> this tub and see what else I can find that’s ‘just right’.”</div> <div>   Stunned at first, Josh recovered quickly and handing her the towel </div> <div> that </div> <div> sat on the rack next to him, replied, “ My pleasure, Goldilocks.”</div> <bR> <bR> <div>    In one lithe movement, Donna stood and swept the large towel around </div> <div> her. </div> <div> The motion was so graceful and swift that Josh got only the barest </div> <div> glimpse </div> <div> of what had been hidden beneath the bubbles and was now bundled under </div> <div> the </div> <div> confines of what seemed like yards of terry cloth. Donna stepped out of </div> <div> the </div> <div> tub, and with one saucy backwards glance at Josh walked out of the </div> <div> bathroom </div> <div> and down the hall to the bedroom. His bedroom.</div> <div>   ‘Oh yeah, definitely  eating out of her hand…’</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> The moment that Josh walked into the bedroom and saw Donna standing </div> <div> there, </div> <div> wrapped in a towel, reality washed over him in huge waves. ‘What the </div> <div> hell am </div> <div> I doing’ , he thought. It occurred to him suddenly that if they took </div> <div> this </div> <div> step, this irreversible step that they seemed to be swiftly moving </div> <div> towards, </div> <div> that nothing would, or could, ever be the same. This would change the </div> <div> complexion of their relationship forever, and once it was done, they </div> <div> could </div> <div> never forget it had happened. If this was going to happen, they had to </div> <div> know </div> <div> exactly where they stood with each other. Josh stood with his back </div> <div> against </div> <div> the closed bedroom door, trying to decide what his next step should be.</div> <div>   “Josh?” Donna spoke, and Josh could see the question in her eyes. She </div> <div> was </div> <div> afraid he was having second thoughts, and he was, but not in the way </div> <div> she </div> <div> thought. He wanted her more than he had ever wanted anything in his </div> <div> life, </div> <div> but he had more to think about than just what his wants. He was </div> <div> thinking of </div> <div> Donna, and the trust he saw in her eyes. He never wanted that trust to </div> <div> diminish. He wanted…so many things. The thing he wanted  most would </div> <div> require </div> <div> him to do what he feared most; put actual words to his complicated, </div> <div> overwhelming feelings for her.</div> <div>   “ Josh?” Again Donna spoke, and this time he could her the growing </div> <div> concern, mingled with the question.</div> <div>   Pushing away from the door, Josh took her hand, and looking into her </div> <div> eyes </div> <div> for a brief moment, said,  “Wait here…”</div> <div>   He opened the door and walked out, returning a moment later, the blue </div> <div> silk </div> <div> robe in his hand.</div> <div>   “ Please put this on”, Josh said, handing Donna the robe.</div> <div>   Confusion mixed with disappointment was reflected on her features as </div> <div> she </div> <div> took the robe from him, and turning her back , she shrugged her arms </div> <div> into </div> <div> the sleeves of the robe, letting the towel fall to her feet just before </div> <div> she </div> <div> cinched the tie at her waist. She reached up and pulled her hair out of </div> <div> the </div> <div> knot she had fashioned it into , letting it fall to her shoulders </div> <div> before she </div> <div> turned to face him again. Josh felt awful about the look in her eyes, </div> <div> but </div> <div> hoped that after he said what he needed to say, that that look would </div> <div> change. </div> <div> He took her hand and lead her over to the bed.</div> <div>   “ Can we sit for a minute? I need to…we need to talk for a minute.”</div> <div>   Donna nodded and sat next to him, waiting with guarded anticipation </div> <div> for </div> <div> what he was about to say.</div> <div>     “Donna”, Josh started after what seemed like an eternity of </div> <div> silence, “ </div> <div> We’re in new territory here, and I…I don’t want to take a step that’s </div> <div> going </div> <div> to change so much, without… Damn! Why is this so hard? We talk to each </div> <div> other </div> <div> all the time. The whole foundation of our relationship is based on the </div> <div> things we’re able to say to each other.” Josh sprang up from his place </div> <div> on </div> <div> the edge of the bed, pacing back and forth in agitation.</div> <div>   “ And the things we don’t say”, Donna interjected, causing Josh to </div> <div> stop </div> <div> dead in his tracks in front of her.</div> <div>   “ What do you mean?” he asked, sitting next to her again.</div> <div>   “ Josh, come on- we’ve been doing this elaborate little word dance </div> <div> with </div> <div> each other for…well, a while. We say things without saying them. We </div> <div> dance </div> <div> around each other, both of us too scared to say the thing that would </div> <div> make </div> <div> everything so much simpler and so much more complicated at the same </div> <div> time. </div> <div> You’d think I’d have learned my lesson…I promised myself that I would </div> <div> say </div> <div> it, then I never did. So, I guess I’m no better.” At those last words, </div> <div> Donna </div> <div> looked away, focusing  her attention on her hands lying folded in her </div> <div> lap. </div> <div> After a moment she saw Josh’s hand cover hers, and felt his fingertip </div> <div> on her </div> <div> cheek as he gently turned her attention back to him.</div> <div>   “ What did you promise yourself?”</div> <div>   “ I promised myself that if I ever got the chance, I wouldn’t be </div> <div> afraid, </div> <div> and I’d tell you  what you mean to me. I’d stop being afraid that you </div> <div> might </div> <div> not feel the same way. I’d just say it- damn the consequences.”</div> <div>   “ Donna…”</div> <div>   “ What?”</div> <div>   “ I love you too”, Josh said ,and Donna saw the tenderness in his </div> <div> eyes and </div> <div> heard the sincerity in his voice. Josh saw the tears slip down her </div> <div> cheeks as </div> <div> she looked into his eyes. He reached up, brushing the tears from her </div> <div> face, </div> <div> and placed a light kiss on each one where they had fallen.</div> <div>   “ Donna…are you going to say something, or are you just going to </div> <div> leave me </div> <div> hanging-” Josh never had the chance to finish that sentence because </div> <div> Donna’s </div> <div> lips were on his before he could get  another word out.</div> <div> The longer her lips were on his , the less he wanted to speak, and </div> <div> shortly </div> <div> after that he couldn’t have formulated a coherent thought to save his </div> <div> life. </div> <div> He was aware of his hands traveling over her body, as well as he was </div> <div> aware </div> <div> of the hers traveling over him. The silk of her robe parted and slipped </div> <div> from </div> <div> her shoulders just as she was reaching to pull his shirt out of his </div> <div> pants </div> <div> and slip her hands beneath to caress the warm flesh of his back.</div> <div>   Words became insignificant as their hands and mouths explored each </div> <div> other </div> <div> with a hunger that had been building for months…years. This was the </div> <div> consummation of a long delayed, simmering passion between two people </div> <div> who had </div> <div> tried in every way possible to deny the inevitable. What had begun on </div> <div> the </div> <div> basis of loyalty, friendship and respect had grown into something so </div> <div> precious, so rare, that it bordered on perfection. There was one </div> <div> moment, as </div> <div> they lay together, looking into each other’s eyes, that they were both </div> <div> thinking of everything they had gone through to reach this one moment, </div> <div> and </div> <div> they realized how lucky they were to be there at all.</div> <div>    For two people who had never been physically intimate, surprisingly </div> <div> ,there was not one awkward moment between them. All those years of </div> <div> banter </div> <div> and doublespeak, the whole intricate courtship dance that they had been </div> <div> doing, was nothing more than preparation for this one moment. That </div> <div> flawless </div> <div> verbal timing they had perfected over the years was now replaced by </div> <div> touch. </div> <div> Josh traced the curve of her breast as he marveled over how wonderfully </div> <div> right she felt beneath him. They moved together in perfect unspoken </div> <div> rhythm, </div> <div> until they reached the pinnacle of all of the love and passion they </div> <div> shared .</div> <bR> <bR> <div>   In the aftermath of their fiery consummation, they lay side by side, </div> <div> holding each other, and letting their eyes speak so many things that </div> <div> would </div> <div> have been beyond  the capacity of mere words. At one point, Josh traced </div> <div> the </div> <div> line of her mouth, and then placed a kiss where his fingertips had been </div> <div> moments before. Donna smiled, and snuggled closer to him. She listened </div> <div> to </div> <div> his heart beat, and traced the line of the scar on his chest, silently </div> <div> thanking God that they had been given this chance at all. She felt </div> <div> Josh’s </div> <div> warm breath in her hair as he spoke.</div> <div>   “ Can I ask you something?”</div> <div>   “ Okay.”</div> <div>   “ When you said that you made that promise to yourself- when was </div> <div> that?”</div> <div>    The hand that had been absently stroking the spot on his chest, near </div> <div> his </div> <div> scar, stilled as she thought about what he asked. Finally, she leaned </div> <div> up on </div> <div> one elbow, so that she could look directly into his eyes.</div> <div>   “ That night. Sometime during those fourteen hours, around the same </div> <div> time I </div> <div> was busy making deals with God”, Donna had hesitated to mar the moment </div> <div> by </div> <div> mentioning that night, but then as she thought of it , she realized </div> <div> there </div> <div> would be no better time for that particular confession.</div> <div>   Josh pulled her back into his arms, kissing her as he thought of how </div> <div> strong she’d been for him, for so long, and how truly lucky he was.</div> <div>   “ I love you ,Josh”, Donna murmured against his chest.</div> <div>   “ If you really love me, how about getting me some of that cake”, </div> <div> Josh </div> <div> said grinning down at her. Donna lifted her head and gave him a look, “ </div> <div> Goldilocks doesn’t bring cake, she eats the cake. Remember that.”</div> <div>   Returning her head to it’s place on Josh’s chest, a spot that she was </div> <div> beginning to like more and more, she heard Josh chuckle.</div> <div>   “ Oh well, it was worth a try.”</div> <bR> <bR> <div>   They fell asleep that night, wrapped in each others arms, secure in </div> <div> the </div> <div> knowledge that although they had taken the long way to get there, they </div> <div> were </div> <div> home at last.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> The End</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>