Kira was exhausted. It’d been another week at Red Rocks, and she loved teaching four classes a day. It was still four classes a day, on top of other responsibilities to help with other activities throughout the week.

When she did the sunrise class it meant getting up at four, driving out here by five. Then putting everything she had into the class. It was invigorating and at the same time exhausting.

The other thing that was pressing on her…was him.

B.C.

He was always there. Every class she taught. She wanted to say, don’t you have more therapy or something?

Well, candidly, she didn’t want to say that. She should say that, but that didn’t mean she wanted to say it.

Her classes were during the hours between therapy sessions and he was never intrusive. Truthfully, he was amazing. Not only was he muscular and fit, but he'd clearly been trained in many disciplines. After all, she’d seen his movies, he had skills. And she’d done more research on him. He was currently being considered for some war drama that some were touting as the next ‘Pearl Harbor.’ It was just stupid crazy she even knew so much detail about him.

The media didn’t know where he was at the moment, and there was some talk that he might be in a rehab facility somewhere. Apparently, someone had leaked he had a pain pill addiction with the DUI. She hated the media.

Pushing away all crazy thoughts, she focused on the best part of getting up and out here this early, the stillness of the morning. The beauty of the red rocks. She had her shoes off and was on a patch of grass the facility kept up for classes. Dr. Schneider liked the fact she was having them go barefoot on the grass. He said that it was good for them to be grounded. Kira couldn’t get enough of it. She was finding herself feeling like she too was healing with all these therapeutic classes.

Peace filled her.

Nana's spirit.

Immediately, she thought she might be sad, but the peace only deepened.

At least there was that. “Nana,” she whispered. It’d been interesting to spend some time with Dr. Schneider going over the concoctions Nana had supplied him. It was even more interesting to open up Nana’s old cookbooks and find those recipes. Kevin had continued to put a different potion on her every day. Ugh! It was annoying. He’d ask her how often B.C. had spoken to her each day. Today he’d hugged her and she’d known he was going to lather her with something. She took a long breath and grinned. Heart to heart. That’s what he’d put on her.

Her peace of mind only lasted for a second because her mind flitted to stupid Spence’s incessant phone calls. She’d been ignoring them and he was leaving more and more messages. She thought of how he’d been to St. George last Christmas and he’d hated the ranch and everything about it. Which was funny, because he was helping people in Africa learn how to raise cat fish farms.

There was also something else that had been niggling her about living in St. George lately. She realized she liked being back a lot more than she would have thought. She didn’t have high school friends she hung out with or anything. She liked her job and she liked seeing the difference it was making in her students’ lives and … she hated how much she liked seeing B.C. every day.

Dang it.

Her phone buzzed and she saw that it was actually Spence again. She didn’t have long until class, but she was tired of his incessant calling.

“Hey.” She kept her voice tight. “You need to stop calling.”

“How is the morning yoga class?” he asked quietly.

“Spence, I told you we’re through. You have to quit leaving all those messages.”

“Oh, so you don’t have time to talk to me anymore?”

Confusion filled her because he sounded like he had a right to be angry with her.

Which made her mad. Her heart rate kicked up a notch and she thought of all the things she’d wanted to say to him. “How are the catfish ponds going?” she asked in a very annoyed voice.

His breath hitched. “Fine.”

“Good.” She wanted off this call. Her hand had started to twitch.

“Kira, I have to know, will you be back for the fall semester?”

She let out a breath. “I can’t talk about this right now.” How did she explain to him, a guy who never worried about money, that she wasn’t sure if she’d have the money?

“Is it the money?” he asked, seeming to read her thoughts. “Because I’ll pay for it.”

This stunned her. He was from money, but he didn’t have money. Not assessable money that could pay her tuition. He had to go beg from mommy and daddy for his money. Not to mention he had never offered to even pay for dinner most of the time.

“I will. Kira, I love you. I know I’ve been awful, I should have come sooner.” His tone had turned softer.

This whole conversation had totally blind-sided her and she instantly felt like crying.

“Kira,” he said urgently. “Are you still there?”

“Yeah.” She wiped beneath her eyes. Dang, why had she answered?

He was quiet for a minute. “Think about it because I would like to help you.”

Of course she would never let him, but … he’d offered? It actually meant a lot to her that he’d offered because she had been starting to feel like their whole relationship had been a sham.

“Are you going to sell the ranch?” He asked out of the blue.

The question gave her whiplash. Wait. What? “No.” No, it was all Kevin had. It was all she had left of Nana.

“Okay.” His voice was ticked. “Why in the world would you even think about keeping it?”

Now she was ticked. “Don’t you dare try to tell me what to do with Nana’s ranch!”

“Kira, listen—”

She hung up, her hand shaking.

For a beat she sucked in a breath, trying to calm herself. For a moment she’d thought he did feel bad he hadn’t been there for her. She’d thought … maybe he cared.

“That bad, huh?”

Startled, she jumped, her hand going to her chest. “Oh my gosh.”

Of course, it was him. Mr. Movie star. Which really wasn’t an appropriate name for him anymore, because there were plenty of stars here, but she still called him that.

“Hey,” she said quietly, feeling vulnerable and unsure of herself. She didn’t like when people knew things about her, without her wanting them to. Kevin often teased her about how she liked to keep things private.

He spread out a blue mat on the ground and stepped onto it, putting back his arm and stretching his tricep. The move looked funny since they would be doing yoga not MMA fighting, but she didn’t want to say anything.

Gary and the girl, who B.C. called Kardashian when he wanted to shut her up, walked toward them down the path.

Ignoring his question, she took herself inside her brain and went to the front of the grassy area and eased into Warrior One pose.

A couple of more people trailed in and they all fell into synchronicity, copying the moves she did. This was the part she loved about yoga and meditation. She could just direct them a tiny bit and take them into the moves. They focused more on breathing then talking. She had to be more in tune. This morning, they just went through the poses and she felt herself relax, inch by inch. Except for those inches when she would think about stupid Spence or look at B.C.

It actually wasn’t that relaxing. Dang, the man was attractive. It was like she could feel his eyes on her. Could feel the pressure, the zing between them. If truth be told, it was more then that. It was the way he seemed to see her, the real her, and still like her.

Not just the blatant flirting, but the casual way he asked how the potions were coming along. How he encouraged her. How he kept offering to help endorse her products. The truth was that he was kind of a cheerleader for her. She hadn’t had a cheerleader since Nana was gone.

Kevin was such an amazing cousin and friend, and she’d thought Spence was a good boyfriend. Up until all the crap hit the fan this summer.

As usual, Gary tried to chat her up after.

B.C. didn’t put up with it today, walking over and nudging him with his shoulder. “Dude, not today.”

Gary grimaced and pushed his hand down his very seventy-ish mustache. “I get it.” He walked away.

B.C. smirked when they looked at each other and she hated how, even though she wasn’t trying to have inside jokes with him, they did.

She smiled.

“Hey,” he said.

"Hey,” she said back.

She didn’t move and neither did he.

He crossed his arms and looked oh so military movie. Body builder. Pure—sigh, she couldn’t think about that.

“Are you okay?" he asked.

Not feeling okay, she turned away from him, feeling nervous. “You’re the one in the drug rehab. I think I’m okay.” It came out harsher than she’d meant it.

He laughed. “Ouch. The truth hurts.”

Guilt assaulted her. It wasn’t fair to take out her angst on him. She turned back. “Sorry, it’s just…” she wasn’t supposed to feel this way about B.C.

His eyes were serious. “You’re feeling vulnerable.” He winked at her. “It’s okay, because I have it on good authority…we all go through it.”

At his slight throwing her words back at her, she relaxed.

“C’mon, Yoga Master, what’s going on? I’m bored here. No drugs. No phone. Give me some drama. I love drama.”

She scoffed. “I’m sure.”

“No social media. C’mon, give me some of you and your ex-boyfriend’s drama." He cocked an eyebrow. “He is still the ex, right?”

She couldn’t believe she was talking to him. That wasn't all true, part of her wanted to talk to him. “You need my ex-boyfriend drama?"

“I’m asking, aren’t I? Yes, I’m pathetic, don’t rub it in.” He gave her a pointed look.

She let out a light laugh, thinking of how funny it was that B.C. Yes, B.C. Knight wanted to hear about her life drama.

He started walking down the path, waving for her to come. “Tell me about your conversation with Spence."

Hesitating briefly, she did follow. “I shouldn’t be talking to you, I’m going to get fired.”

He hesitated. “Listen, I’ve been thinking about that tacky little detail for you. Tell Dr. Schneider, the loophole in your contract is that we were friends before we came into the facility.”

She laughed. “That’s the loophole.”

He nodded. “Everything’s about the contract, believe me.”

She sighed, hating that she wanted to talk to him. “I don’t know if friend would be the right word.” She thought of that crazy night.

A wicked look flashed into his eyes and he closed the gap between them. “I’d be open to other definitions. What would you like to call us then?”

Butterflies exploded into her gut. Dang, all this chemistry between them. She took a step back. “Don’t do that.”

He didn’t move. “What?”

She ignored him and re-focused on their conversation, opting for talking about the ex instead of talking about them. “Spence has left a million messages and when I answered this morning to tell him to quit calling, he offered to pay for Julliard.” It felt even more ridiculous when she actually said it aloud.

B.C. visibly tensed. “Really?”

“I’m not letting him.” She said quickly, thinking of all the conversations she’d had with B.C. about paying for things for people.

B.C. narrowed his eyes. “Why would he offer that?”

Tossing her hands into the air, she shrugged. “Exactly, he has been such a jerk.” She found herself rambling. “Like sure he comes from money, his parents have money, but the last year while I’ve dated him he’s always been like ‘I wouldn’t want to make you uncomfortable by paying for everything.’”

“Making me like him more and more.” B.C. narrowed his eyes.

“He wouldn’t come to St. George when I really needed him but now he’s offering to pay for Julliard?” Truly, she was flabbergasted by all of it. She was trying to sort it all out in her brain too. “Then he dares to even ask if we’re selling the ranch or not?” She was mystified. “Why would he do that?”

B.C. let out a breath. “Because he still wants you.”

She knew this, but … she hadn’t thought about it so plainly. She scowled. “He … doesn’t even understand me.” She protested. “If he thinks I would sell the ranch, he’s just … he’s never even known me.”

B.C. didn’t comment.

Which made her more uncomfortable. “What?” She demanded.

B.C. shrugged. “Nothing.”

She continued. “Kevin wants to keep the ranch. He needs it and Nana gave it to both of us so we’re keeping it.”

B.C. frowned.

“What?” She didn’t like the CIA way he looked at her, like he could extract government secrets by only giving her one look.

“What do you want?” B.C. asked it so plainly, like it was so obvious.

She laughed. “Of course a man would say that with such straight forward zeal.”

“Well?” he said, waiting. “I’ve been hearing you say the idiot doesn’t even know you, then you say Kevin wants the ranch … but what do you want.”

For a moment she wasn’t sure, then she thought of the old swing behind the house and how she loved to go out there at night and just … feel peaceful. It was one of the only places she’d ever felt so at home. She blinked. “I … I want to keep it,” she said, feeling more sure about it. “It’s just, the numbers aren’t really working out.” She left off the whole could she pay for Julliard problem. “I don’t know how Nana made it all work.”

He frowned, then lifted his eyebrows. “How much do you need?”

Annoyed that he would even offer that, she pushed him in the shoulder. “Seriously? We’re back to—let me buy you off?”

Rolling his eyes, he pumped his eyebrows. “I have money, you need money. What’s the big deal?”

It baffled her that he was so … giving. It wasn’t just that. It was the fact he almost just assumed she would take it. She gave him an incredulous look. “You deserve more than that. You don’t need to buy people flights to Paris. You don’t need to pay for your mother’s house. You don’t need to offer to help me with my money problems. I was really just venting to you.”

His features clouded and his lips pinched. “I’m glad you feel you can vent to me.” He sighed. “You’re right, I shouldn’t feel like I have to trade money for people to like me.” He pointed at her. “ I do think it’s interesting your ex boyfriend thought he could buy you off, didn’t he?”

His words hit her like a ton of bricks. “I…” she faltered. “I don’t know why he would think that?”

For a few moments she and B.C. didn’t say anything.

All she could do was feel so confused. She wasn’t that woman, demanding men pay for things. Wanting a man for that. Yet, B.C. was right. That was the tactic Spence was using. She put her hand to her head, feeling a sudden headache. She made a command decision. “I have to go home.”

* * *

The next day, Kira didn’t know how to act around B.C. It wasn’t just that he’d drawn her attention to the fact that her ex boyfriend thought he could buy her off so easily. It was also the fact she wondered why Spence really thought he could. In between classes, she purposefully went and hung out with Clark at the desk, which was painful, especially because Tricia was sick.

After the sunset meditation class, B.C. stayed and even though she tried to say goodnight and walk away, he had blocked her path. “Talk, Moonwater, and don’t go hide behind Clark.”

It made her smile that he’d obviously been a bit annoyed by the fact she’d been hanging out with Clark. She exhaled and half-way wished she could hide from this man. Unfortunately, the other half of her didn’t want to hide from him at all.

“Talk.” He said, his arms still crossed and she thought of how he did look the military commander type.

She shook her head. “What?”

“Why did you scamper off yesterday?”

“Scamper?” She rolled her eyes at the word.

He reached out and took her hand. “Kira, what is going on with you?”

It unsettled her that he could read her so easily. No words would come.

He pulled back his hand. “I wanted to tell you, that even though Spence offered to pay for Julliard, I know that you’re not the kind of girl who would want that.”

It actually did make her feel better that he believed this, but it kind of ticked her off he thought she needed his validation. “I guess I don’t have to explain anything.” She wanted to leave. She didn’t know why any of this mattered anyway.

“Kira.” His voice was low. “Why are you wanting to run from me?”

Bam. Exactly. Why did she? How did he know that?

The side of his lip turned up. “Moonwater, don’t you know that I kinda dig you.”

Nerves assaulted her. It amazed her he was talking so frankly.

“Do you know that I don’t care if you’re not perfect or your life’s not perfect or the…” he threw his hand into the air. “The freaking boyfriend you had was an idiot.” He let out a derisive laugh. “It might actually kinda make a guy like me,” He pointed to himself. “Who’s totally screwed up, by the way, feel better.”

She was confused. “So basically what you’re saying is my messed up life makes you feel better.”

He nodded, completely owning it. “Pretty much.” A full smile spread across his face. “What I’m really saying is, I don’t want to live in a superficial world anymore.”

“Explain.” She demanded.

He sighed. “I’ve been doing a lot of soul searching and I think part of the reason drugs became such an easy thing for me is because I haven’t dealt with my problems; my mom, the pain I’ve carried around from serving in the military, the pain from losing my dad so young. I just kept pushing forward, doing the next thing, the next thing. And, especially in my profession, I could just be a different character. I don’t want that anymore. I want to be me. I want…you to be you.”

She felt herself relax a bit and she thought about how cool it was he had realized all of this. Maybe it did make her feel better to know he didn’t expect her to be perfect.

He took another step closer to her. “Listen, I’ve been psychoanalyzed my whole life, I actually am pretty good at it. I thought a lot about you last night and I came to a conclusion.”

She frowned. “What, oh therapist, please tell me.”

He shrugged. “You have mom issues. You said your mom left, went to Hollywood, and never came back.”

It took her off guard how he was kind of hitting on an issue.

“You don’t want people to leave. So you do things to make them happy, hoping they’ll stay and the relationship won’t end.”

She didn’t know if what he was saying was true or not, but … it kinda sounded true. She thought about pictures of her mom at the ranch. When she’d been young. She thought of the fact it’d hurt Nana so much that she never heard from her own daughter. Sudden pain hit the center of her, making her almost feel like she couldn’t breathe. She coughed.

B.C. took her by the shoulders. “Kira?”

She coughed again. “Oh my gosh.” She sucked in a breath, but felt this immense pressure on her chest.

“Breathe.” B.C. ordered.

She took in a breath.

He breathed with her in slow, deep breaths. “It’s okay.” He held her, steadying her. “You’re okay.”

Immediately, she thought of the fact she shouldn’t even be with him.

Seeming to read her thoughts, he picked up her bag and took her hand, pulling her down the deserted path to the hot spring. “Let’s go somewhere we can talk.”

They got to the part of the path right before the cave and he turned to her. “Are you okay?”

She sucked in another breath, starting to feel a bit better. “Yeah.”

He looked at the entrance. “Do you want to go in there?”

Oh my, she would be so fired. “Oh no,” she said, shaking her head back and forth. “Dr. Schneider would not approve.”

B.C. was too fast, grabbing her hand and pulling her with him. “Pish posh, we gotta live a little.”

It felt so…exhilarating. It all happened in a flash and before she knew it they had ducked through the entrance and B.C. was pulling his shirt off and kicking off his shoes.

Unable to stop herself, she laughed. It felt so good to just be here with him. She wore a unitard and a long shirt over it, which she promptly pulled off after slipping off her flip flops. He took her hand and even in the dim light she could tell he was smiling that movie star smile at her.

“On three.”

She laughed again and couldn’t believe she was doing this.

“One, two, three!”

Suddenly they were jumping into the darkness, hot water engulfing them.

She felt his arms pull her up and he was there, holding her.

She jerked and thrashed and got away, sputtering. “Oh my gosh.” Coming here with him was one thing, but cuddling in the pool was another.

"You’re crazy."

He was laughing and reaching for her hand. “Come here.”

She allowed him to take her hand, even though she shouldn’t. Everything felt so … out of control. He mind was spinning with the realization that B.C. was right, she was afraid of losing people. She had held on to Spence for too long without realizing why.

His eyes grew serious. “I like you, Moonwater.”

She let out a light sigh and really couldn’t figure out why, but knew she liked being with him, too.

He frowned. "The first night I met you was the most real night of my life.”

She laughed. “You were drunk and high.”

Shaking his head back and forth, he scrunched his face up. “Oh, but I was functional.” He sighed. “That’s the sad part is that the stuff I’d had that night wasn’t even bad compared to what I could have had and handled.” His face suddenly went sad.

Her heart quickened. “You really weren’t that bad that night?”

He snorted, then let out a long breath. “Nope.” He turned and their eyes met and there was this whole time slowed down kind of thing.

It all felt so complicated between them. “B.C. I can't. We can't and…”

“Do you still love Spence?” His look was speculative.

“No. I mean, no…that ship sailed a long time ago. Even before I knew it. I realized yesterday that the fact Spence would think he could buy me back makes it even more obvious that he never really knew me.”

“True.” B.C. said, squeezing her hand gently. He clicked his mouth. “You do not like people offering to buy you stuff.”

Now she did laugh.

The tension from earlier felt like it cleared between them.

B.C. frowned. “I hope I didn’t hurt you, talking about the mom thing.”

She swallowed and thought of how it had hurt. “I’m fine. You’re right.” She let out a breath.

“Hey, I only recognize the garbage because I have the garbage.” He grinned.

There would be no way not to laugh at that statement.

“Dark humor.” He offered.

“What?”

“It’s how we dealt with tragedy in the military.”

She understood.

He searched her eyes. “I think I like using it to deal with parent issues more and more.”

Butterflies were back in her stomach and she felt this intense attraction to B.C. again. It was even more then before, now she felt like she was actually falling for him a little bit. “B.C., I still shouldn’t be here.”

Gently, he reached up and brushed a hair out of her face. “You keep saying that, Moonwater, but you’re still here.” He closed the gap between them and it was as if his lips were there, just waiting to be touched.

The breath caught in her chest and she could hardly think anything besides how she wanted to kiss him.

He held his ground, not pushing her. “Your call, Moonwater.” His voice was breathy.

She shivered but she didn’t move. Didn’t pull away, didn’t lean in. She should pull away.

Lifting his hand, he softly caressed her neck and lightly trailed it down her arm.

Shivers fell through her. She still didn’t move, torn and unable to believe she was really staring into these beautiful blue eyes. The blue eyes she’d thought had been fake when she’d seen him in movies. Staring at his beautiful face and feeling all kinds of things she never thought she’d feel for this man.

He inhaled deeply. “Man, I don’t know what potion you have on at the moment, but…you are irresistible.” He trailed his hand down her shoulder and arm again. He sniffed her again. “What’s the name of this one?”

Melting, that’s what she was doing. She closed her eyes for a moment, then flashed them back open. She thought of Kevin and him dousing her this morning at breakfast. “I’m not telling you the name.”

He laughed, but still didn’t move, only found her hand and laced his fingers with hers. “How can I extract this information from you?” He’d taken on a Russian accent and she thought of the Russian spy he’d played in one of his first movies.

She smiled reluctantly, not wanting to admit he was funny.

“Ah, she likes my Russian accent better than Brooklyn.” He pushed out the last word with that accent.

She giggled.

His grin widened. “What’s the potion?”

She sighed. “Safe with You.”

He smiled and gently kissed her cheek. “You are, you know.”

Chills washed through her and she did feel safe with him. More safe and more on edge then she’d ever felt with Spence.

Sudden insecurity pulsed through her. “Are you just doing this…because you’re bored?”

He quit playing with her hand. “What?”

“Because you’re here? At a rehab place? With no other distractions?” It sounded so lame and insecure.

Letting out a long breath, he grasped her hand tighter, then he let it go and stepped back a step. “No.”

The loss of his closeness was like losing her breath underwater.

“If you think that, Kira, then, I’ve…” he trailed and he pushed a hand through his hair. “I’ve totally messed it up.”

Her heart raced. “I don’t want to be your replacement for pills and alcohol.”

He choked a little.

“I mean it.” She’d thought about this for the past couple of days. “I like you, too. And, that scares the crap out of me.” She hesitated. “More then anything, it scares me that what’s between us, might just be a substitute for your addictive tendencies.”

He blinked. “It’s not.” He said quickly.

“How do you know?” She demanded.

Taking her hand softly, he looked into her eyes. “I can’t tell you that I’m not still an addict. This, I can tell you…that I’ve never felt like this for another woman before.”

Again, her heart sped up a notch.

He frowned. “I’m working on my stuff. I … have been. Doctor Schneider has pressed me to dig deep and find the reasons why I want to change. I’m not gonna lie, it’s been tough. I’ve had to really look at myself. Before, I knew I didn’t want to and I knew I hated the fact I was weak. Now, I’m finding it almost easier to find all the reason I don’t want to be like I was.”

She was quiet for a minute, then asked. “Why don’t you?”

“I don’t want to be like my mother,” he said quietly. “She uses people, me. She isn’t grateful for anything. She…” he blinked and swallowed.

Kira wanted to reach out to him, to take some of his pain, but she waited.

“I don’t want to believe that I am not enough anymore. Just for being me. B.C. Just for being alive.” He teared up. “I’ve actually been reading the bible, about the creation of the world.”

This took her by surprise.

He smiled. “And I love how Genesis talks about the creation of the world so plainly. After it goes through what was created it says, “And God saw it, and it was good.” He blinked even more. “And it just got me wondering if God sees me. Just B.C. Not the movie star. Not the messed up druggie. Just the kid that lost his dad and tried hard. Not always succeeding, but tried to do right. And, I just wonder…if he thinks … if maybe he could think…I was good.” He broke off and tears fell down his face.

Taking a tentative step to him, she couldn’t help but gently press her hand to his face. She’d wanted to touch his face. “I think He thinks you’re good.” She said, tears in her own eyes.

B.C. wiped his eyes and let out a light laugh. “Ya think?”

There was so much vulnerability in his question.

She nodded and it was amazing how much his quest to find himself touched her. How much she had kind of wondered the very same thing he was talking about, but had never vocalized like that before. She thought about how good this man was. How good he wanted to be. It touched her.

He took her hand and gently kissed her palm. “I would be lying if I didn’t say if one of my reasons to stay drug free was that … I want to have a life with a good woman, too.” He stared into her eyes. “But, I want you to know that you’re not a distraction or a new drug. You…are a life. You symbolize what I hope to have one day. And I’m sorry if that scares you and I don’t know if that’s right or not, but—”

All these feelings were about to burst inside of her. “Are we going to kiss or not, Movie Star?”

He broke off into a laugh. “It’s your call, Moonwater.”

It felt like she could barely breathe, she leaned in.

He stopped her.

“Wait.” He laughed.

She scowled, feeling teased.

He laughed harder and took both of her hands into his. “I just, first, before we kiss I wanted to ask you something.”

Her heart raced. “Okay,” she said uncertainly.

“I get out next Friday. I have a premiere the next day, Saturday. Will you come to one of my horrible Raced and Wrecked movie premieres? It’s number nine, but I’m sure you’ve been keeping count.”

She grinned. “I don’t know.”

She wanted to. It was crazy that she was actually thinking about it. Then she got muddled. “I don’t even have anything to wear.” Funny, this would be on her mind.

He flashed a smile.

“And don’t say you’ll buy me a dress.” She pushed him.

He took her hands back into his. “Hey, it’s not really buying you off when it’s advantageous to me, is it?” He stuck his lower lip out. “You’re getting under my skin, Moonwater.” His voice was husky.

“You need Oregano.”

“Why?”

“Because you need to get over thinking you have to buy me things. And Oregano would help.” She found herself falling into him.

He snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her flush against him. He let out a breath. “You won’t let me do that. It’s because when I’m with you, even just near you…I feel this goodness in you.” He let out a slight laugh and then his eyes misted. “Dang it woman, if I haven’t wanted to feel this way my whole life.”

Whatever acting job he was doing at the moment was hitting her—straight in the heart.

“I’ve watched you the past couple of weeks and wondered how some asinine jerk in Africa got you.”

His words were plain, barbaric, possessive and caveman-ish, but she knew they were sincere.

“I wonder about all the things you’re telling me. That I shouldn’t want people to want me just because I can buy them things, about how I can and should reach to…God.” He broke off and shook his head as he smiled. “Who tells that to people anymore?”

She let out a soft laugh.

He blinked. “The truth is that I won’t kiss you if you don’t want to because of this job.” He shrugged. “I can wait.”

She laughed and felt tears bubbling up, humbled by how much B.C. had thought all of this out.

Taking the plunge, she pushed her lips to his.

It was gentle and sweet as he switched back and forth from trailing kisses on her jaw then back to her lips. He tasted like mint mouthwash and the salt on her skin.

All the attraction she had felt every time she’d seen him reacted and she put her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, soaring higher than she had ever been. She’d watched the first one of his super hero movies the other night and she’d found herself practically drooling over him. Now here he was.

He pulled back and kept her close, searching her eyes.

She felt like her heart would burst at the way he looked at her.

“What are you thinking?" he whispered.

This took her by surprise. "What?”

He pushed her away a little more. “I have to know, what were you thinking just now?”

She pulled her arms back so she wasn’t touching him. “So many things. I’m not this girl.”

“What?” Now he was confused.

“The girl who breaks up with her boyfriend and then finds herself kissing a guy…she shouldn’t be kissing.”

“Oh,” he said, blowing it off. “I know you’re not.”

She had to tell him. “No, like…I don’t take intimacy lightly. I…I’ve been waiting until marriage.” It was stupid to tell him this, but he needed to know she wasn’t a Hollywood hussy. Had she just thought hussy?

“I know,” he said quickly.

She could see him thinking about this.

“So I haven’t slept around.” She let out a breath. “Not even with Spence.” She nodded. “I told him right off I was waiting until marriage.”

He looked doubtful. “I’m sorry, I’m just trying to process this.”

She felt exposed. She tried to push past him. “Never mind.”

Taking her hand, he stopped her. “Wait. Wait a sec. I think it’s cool.” He shrugged. “I have been reading the Bible.”

She met his eyes and saw…truth.

“Whatever.” How would someone like him even understand? “Do you really think it’s cool?”

“I do.” He cracked a grin. “Was Nana Amish too? Did you leave that out?”

She laughed but shook her head. “Stop.”

He laughed harder. “Kidding. Sheesh.” He squeezed her hand. “I really respect you. And I will respect what you value.”

The fierce way he said it, made her nervous. “And …”

“You could get fired.” He filled in for her.

“Yes.” She nodded and smiled. “So, tomorrow I’m going to tell Doctor Schneider after the morning yoga meditation class that he needs to find someone else to teach here.”

B.C. jolted back. “What?”

She smiled. “Because I kinda want to kiss you again and I can’t live with myself if I think I’ll have to break Doctor Schneider’s trust all the time.”

B.C. exhaled. “So we’re telling him.”

She was surprised by this. “I’ll tell him.”

He pulled her back in and kissed her again, going slower this time, making it last this time. When he pulled back his eyes were targeted in on hers. “We’re in this together, Moonwater.”

This made her smile and melt and…again feel horrible. “Will you get in trouble?” She hadn’t thought about that before.

B.C. shrugged. “Doc didn’t seem too upset when I told him I kissed you.”

“What?” She pulled back. “You told him?”

A Cheshire cat look filled his face. “Sorry.”

Her mind raced and she couldn’t believe it. Dr. Schneider already knew that they’d kissed? Taking a chance, she pulled him back to her lips.

Fireworks exploded and she held on, taking the plunge and not caring about the consequences. She grabbed him tighter, pulling him closer, loving the need she felt inside of him that matched her own.

He deepened the kiss and she was lost. Completely lost.

It’d never been this way with Spence. It had been good, but she never believed this kind of passion existed.

Of course Nana and Papa had been together forever. Very happy before he passed a few years ago. Had they had this?

She couldn’t believe she was thinking these things.

She pulled back abruptly.

He kept her close, laughing. “No,” he whimpered.

She pushed back farther. “I can’t. I have to get home and work on potions. For real.” She went to the edge and pulled herself out of the hot spring, shivering immediately.

He was there, getting out, dripping. “You can’t leave like that.” Lamely, he held his shirt out for her. “They’re having that stupid Three’s Company marathon in the lobby. Tina, Gary, Zoe—they’re all there. Probably the staff, too.” He wagged a finger at her. “And can I just say the way Clark looks at you freaks me out a bit. Like a serial killer type.”

She let out a sigh, agreeing. “Yeah, he’s a bit different.”

He grunted as she started back to the exit.

Dang, she had to go through the front door of the clinic before she left. It was the rules. She took his shirt, using it to dry off, thinking about the bag she had in her car with another unitard. She thought fast. "Do you think you could go get the unitard out of my Bug and bring it back here? The car’s unlocked.”

It would be much less obvious for him to change into different shorts in his room real quick then get it. No one would think about what he was doing. He was a rogue anyway.

“On it.” He took off, and she watched him zoom away.

She held his shirt to her and felt like a complete idiot. What was she doing? Then she touched her lips, where his had been.

That had been the most wonderful make-out session of her life.