Free Seven Days to Forever by Ingrid Weaver Page A

natural reaction of a healthy thirty-year-old woman. It was the same as wanting a double-chocolate-fudge sundae. Neither one was good for her, and she would regret both in the long run, but they tasted so good….
    And he had. Oh, Lord, he’d tasted even better than she could have imagined. His lips had been warm and firm and had molded to hers as easily as if they’d been lovers for years. He hadn’t touched her with anything more than his fingertip and his mouth, but he’d made her feel as if his entire being was focused on that kiss, as if he saw only her needs, wanted only her pleasure, and then…
    And then he’d left.
    Right. She knew all about the way men like that left. She’d been through this before, eight years ago. Stuart had been there for the good times—their lovemaking had burned up the sheets. She’d believed it was love, she’d thought it was the real thing, but it had all been a lie. She’d been so dazzled by his looks and his passion, she’d given him her heart along with her body. She’d listened to her instincts instead of her brain and hadn’t seen beyond her own desire.
    But she’d learned from the past. Sexual attraction was no basis for a lasting relationship, and she wouldn’t make the same mistake again. No matter how sweetly Flynn kissed.
    Everything that had redeemed Flynn in her eyes—his fondness for children, his closeness with his family, his interest in history—all of it had been as phony as that story about the power failure. He’d had an Army intelligence specialist feeding him lines, so he’d been able to say exactly what she’d wanted to hear. The only fact that remained true was his dedication to his job.
    And what a job. A Delta Force commando was about as far from the ideal of her nice, stable ordinary man as one could get. He would do anything in the line of duty, even if it meant kissing a woman into silence.
    Well, it had worked. She’d been too shaken to say a word when he’d walked out the door. And she’d been too wrapped up in reliving that kiss for the rest of the night to have time to have nightmares about foreign kidnappers and mysterious ransoms and a child held captive.
    But it was over, she assured herself, pushing out of the chair. She was wearing her watch and was back in her everyday life once more. She needed her schedules and the order of her days. She hated surprises, and yesterday served as a good reminder of why.
    The phone rang. Abbie paused, debating whether or not to let the machine pick it up as Flynn had advised her. No, she was going to get her life back to normal, she decided. Major Redinger had thought it was safe enough for her to come home, so she was going to put this…episode behind her. She returned to the phone and snatched up the receiver.
    “Miss Locke? It’s Peter Hedgeworth. Bradley’s father.”
    She paused. “Oh, hello, Mr. Hedgeworth.”
    “I’m sorry to disturb you at home, Miss Locke. I tried to catch you after school but you’d already left. I hope I’m not intruding.”
    She grimaced to herself. Normally she remained in her classroom to prepare for the next day, but she’d cut out earlier than usual today. She’d just wanted to come home. Run home, to be more accurate. “No, not at all, Mr. Hedgeworth. What can I do for you? Bradley’s all right, isn’t he?”
    “Yes, he’s fine. Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. He had a great time on the trip to the museum yesterday. He hasn’t stopped chattering about it.”
    “I’m glad. I’d hoped to get the children interested in our history.”
    “And you succeeded. You’ve done wonders for Bradley. We’re planning to join a walking tour of historic sites this weekend. I wanted to express my thanks.”
    “No thanks are necessary, Mr. Hedgeworth. I enjoy my job.”
    “You’re an exceptional teacher.”
    “Thank you.”
    “Would you be free for dinner tomorrow?”
    That threw her. She must have misunderstood. “Excuse