Steve sat slightly slumped down in a cushioned leather chair outside a dressing room. If asked, he couldn't have told you what store he was in, but he did know that it was the seventh one they had entered and the fourth that Jenny had actually used the dressing room. The bags of purchased clothes at his feet and on the side of the chair were proof of the so-called 'adventure' that Anna had promised, or had she warned him?

The only thing that was an adventure was finding a place to crash by the dressing room while he waited for Jenny to show off her new outfit and get his opinion, which she held in high regard. He on the other hand felt more out of place here than he did the time his unit was ordered to babysit an orphanage in a village until the Red Cross could arrive. They put him in charge of diaper duty.

So far he had to say that this store was his favorite though. He would bet his life that a man who had to partake in the same harrowing ordeal he was going through now put the soft leather chair there as a token of his sorrow for others like him.

He stretched his legs out, talking to Eric on his cell. "I can't believe you ditched me like that to go to the beach," he grinned, hearing a laugh on the other end.

"Are you having fun?" Eric teased him. "I'm drinking a pop and eating chips. The water is soooo warm today," he tormented him. "Is the mall nice and cool? Have you seen anything pretty?" he laughed.

"You'll pay," Steve laughed. He looked up as Jenny and Anna appeared from around the corner of the women's dressing rooms. "I have to go," he said quietly, but in a grumbling voice. "I have to judge another outfit. Later brat." As he hung up he could hear Eric laughing even harder, telling him to have fun.

"Do you like these?" Jenny asked as she stood before him wearing another pair of blue shorts.

"They look like the other ones you just tried on," he replied.

"No their not," she quickly corrected him. "Those were a different color blue."

"Oh," he glanced up at Anna as she rolled her eyes at the child. "Well, I guess I like those," he caved. "Which ones do you like?"

"I like these." She moved closer to him. "They have a tiny pocket right here." She showed him.

"Pockets are good. I think you should get those just for the secret pocket."

She did one of her signature leaps and looked up at Anna. "I want these!"

"Ok," she smiled. "Go put your clothes back on and bring out the others." They watched her go back inside the room. Anna looked down at Steve and grinned over his expression as he shrugged.

"I have no idea what I'm talking about."

She had to laugh over that. "Are you bored out of your mind?" she asked sheepishly.

"No," he lied, but didn't want she or Jenny to know it.

He was bored, but after the ordeal they had gone through earlier in the week, he wasn't about to let them trot off to the mall alone. He still felt that lingering fear of something happening to them, even though he was pretty sure they were safe. That nagging voice in his head said to tag along, especially since they wanted him there. If something did happen, he'd never forgive himself.

"Well even if you're lying to me, we're glad you're here." She leaned over and kissed him.

That was enough to sustain him for the rest of the day.

"I talked to Eric. He's fine. He's having fun."

"Good," she smiled over that news. "I'm glad he got a chance to see one of his old friends from Maui, even if it is just for the day. I remember this boy's mom as being very nice when I first got here. She brought over a few meals and tried the best she could to help Eric. He was just so angry all the time."

"Did you make that appointment with his teacher yet?" Steve asked, commenting on the day they went skydiving and Eric jumped out of the car.

"No, but," she smiled wider, holding her arms out, "I'm scheduled for my very first ever parent, teacher conference, so I'll know then."

"Wow, parent teacher conferences," he said impressed. "It's official now."

"I've arrived," she chuckled.

They both turned as Jenny came out holding the shorts in one hand and dropped the discarded clothes in a wire basket by the door for the store people to put back on the shelf.

Steve sat up on the end of the chair as she held them up for him to see again.

"I like these. It's my favorite thing so far today," she declared.

"I like them too. Good choice." He reached over gathering up his supply of the other four bags of shirts, shorts, shoes and dresses that she had already purchased. "Where to next," he asked, hoping they said home.

Jenny looked up at Anna as they made their way over to the cashier. "Can we give him his treat now?"

Anna stroked the child's hair, smiling at her. "Yes. I think he's earned it."

"What treat?" he asked intrigued.

"Ice cream!" Jenny replied excitedly, jumping up and down as she reached up taking his wrist that held two of the four bags. "We're going to buy you an ice cream treat for coming with us!" She looked up at him with the same excited expression as if the offer was more like a delicacy.

"Nooo," he said teasingly, "I don't deserve such an awesome reward as that."

"Yes you do," Jenny said adamantly. "Because I want some too," she confessed.

He looked over at Anna and smiled. "I do as I'm told. I guess it's on to ice cream next."

He reached over and picked up the new bag that was sitting on the counter as Anna handed the sales girl her credit card and Jenny admired some lip-gloss that she had already been told no on at another store.

"I'm going to run these out to the truck," Steve said, leaning over to Anna, "and I'll meet you in front of Victoria's Secrets, waiting for my treat."

Anna looked over her shoulder at his sexy grin and wink before he turned and walked toward the exit. She looked up at the twenty something salesgirl, who overheard everything. She too had a grin.

"I better hurry," Anna replied to the salesgirl.

She looked over in Steve's direction as he walked away, admiring the view and then back at Anna, "I'd run if I were you."

She chuckled over that as she signed the receipt. She didn't mind other women admiring him, it meant nothing to her because it meant nothing to him. For the first time in her life, she really did feel safe and secure in a relationship.

Steve stood out in front of the Victoria's Secret store glancing around the swarm of people walking toward him looking for the two familiar faces.

He noticed a young girl with blond hair but as the man in front of her moved out of the way he saw that it wasn't Jenny like he had thought. But the woman behind them he did recognize as they made eye contact at the same time.

'Damn,' he thought, there was no escaping it.

A smile appeared on Becky's face the instant she saw him. She stood before him for the first time since their break up. "I don't know what I'm more surprised by," she said, "running in to you, or running in to you at the mall."

He grinned over that, "Hi Becky, how are you?"

She leaned in and gave him an innocent kiss on the cheek. "I'm doing ok." She stepped back looking him over. "You look good."

He knew it was the thing to say so he repeated it. "So do you." He was surprised he didn't harbor any resentment towards her. It was as if it had just vanished one day, not having even thought about her for a long time.

"No gun and no badge. You can't be on duty. I just always assumed you bought your clothes online considering I've never seen or heard of you entering a mall."

"I was bored so I thought I'd see what all the hype was about."

She laughed over that, seeing that impeccable smile emerge on his face. She was wrong, he didn't look good; he looked great. There was something changed but she couldn't quite put a finger on it. "You look different," she said eyeing him curiously.

He returned the same expression to her, "Different?" He tilted his head just slightly, wondering where she was going with that, still not trusting her words that had cut him so many times before. "What do you mean?"
She shrugged, "I don't know, just different. How's Danny?"

"He's good, same ole', same ole,'"

He felt a tug on his shirt and looked down seeing Jenny. She held up a Styrofoam bowl filled with ice cream and candy.

"Here, this is yours," she smiled. "I got you chocolate chip…ummm, M&M's…" she paused and tried to hold back the giggles. "And worms!" she laughed.

"Worms!" he said taking the bowl. "I love worms. Excellent choice."

She wrapped her arms around his leg as she laughed harder. "They're not real. They're gummy worms."

He put his hand on her head, "Do they taste as good as the real ones?"

She made a face, "Steve, that's gross."

He looked back up at Becky as she stared at him, completely caught off guard by the display before her. She'd never seen him around children before except for Gracie, yet this little girl obviously had him wrapped around her little finger, it was plain as day as she had herself wrapped around his leg like it was an everyday occurrence.

"Jenny" Steve gripped her head that his hand was on and turned it towards Becky. "This is my friend Becky. Becky, this is Jenny."

"Hi," Becky said, leaning over. "You sure are beautiful."

Jenny moved behind him until just her face was visible around his leg. "Hi," she said less than enthused.

Anna came up behind Becky not noticing the interaction in the crowded mall. "Oh my God Steve," she laughed, putting a hand on his stomach. "I tried to talk her out of the gummy worms but she wouldn't have it. She insisted. Eat around them."

He motioned with his head and the bowl of ice cream to Becky behind her. "Anna, this is Becky."

She turned around facing her. "Hi," she responded surprised, but happy to meet one his friends, not catching on to the name. Her first guess was that she was the wife of a fellow police officer. "It's nice to meet you."

"Becky," Steve continued, "This is Anna."

Becky stared at her for a second before she spoke, feeling like she knew her from someplace but couldn't place her. "Hi…its nice to meet you too." She looked back down at the little girl who clung to him. She knew all the people he did and these two were not a part of his life as of six months ago. The way the child clung to him and the close stance between he and the woman it suddenly dawned on her. 'This is his girlfriend,' she thought. She looked back up at him seeing now the change that she had noticed.

"I should get going. I'm meeting some people," Becky lied. She was just finding it difficult to stand there and watch the display. This was exactly the life that she had wanted from him. She glanced back at the woman standing next to him, wondering what gift she possessed to make him so happy; something that she herself must have lacked. She was beautiful, but knowing Steve as she did, that was just superficial.

They said their quick goodbyes but as she walked by him she couldn't help but comment on it. "I know what looks different about you," she said quietly, touching his arm. "You look happy." She gently squeezed it and walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

He stood there a little shocked over her revelation that caught him completely off guard. He glanced down at Jenny as she still clung to him, humming a tune with one arm still around his leg as she ate from her bowl of ice cream. He looked up at Anna and knew the happiness that Becky saw in him was credited to the two of them. He hated the mall but at that moment he couldn't think of anyplace in the world he'd rather be.

"She seemed nice," Anna smiled. "How do you know her?"

"That's Becky," he said, lifting an eyebrow, physically elaborating on that response.

Her eyes lit up and she glanced over in the direction she had gone. "Becky, Becky?"

"Yep."

She looked back at him. "Is that the first time you've seen her since you broke up?"

He nodded.

She wasn't sure what to make of it. He seemed unaffected by it but he could also be hiding it well. "She's beautiful."

He put his free arm around her waist. He knew now why he had no feelings for Becky, good or bad. It was because of Anna. "She's pretty, yes," he squeezed her, "but you're beautiful."

"Good come back."

"Its not a line. Have I ever lied to you before?"

She saw the sincerity in eyes as he looked at her. "No," she replied, smiling over the compliment now. "Well maybe once," she teased him.

"When?" he asked stunned, knowing it wasn't true.

"Today, when you said you weren't bored."

He laughed uneasily, knowing he'd been caught. "Ok, but it was just a little white lie so it doesn't count. But for the record, it wasn't boring the whole time, and I'm glad I came."

"We wouldn't want it to be anyone else," Anna whispered to him.

"How lucky am I."

They stood in the middle of the mall with people passing them in both directions and a five year old strapped to his thigh, but it was as if they were in their own little perfect world, and he wouldn't change it for anything.

For the first time as long as he could remember, he really was happy.

Anna held a shirt up for Jenny, "Do you think Eric would like this?"

She pulled her arm out of the long sleeve of the XX-large shirt that she was occupying herself with and looked up at her. "I don't know."

Anna turned to Steve who was looking over some baseball hats. "What do you think?"

He shrugged, "I like it. I'd wear it."

"Sold," she declared. "I'll just tell him that you picked it out. He'll wear it everyday."

Steve looked over her shoulder, eyeing two twenty something men that were watching her. One leaned over to his buddy and whispered something to him; they both seemed amused over it as they smiled.

Steve's guard went up immediately, moving around behind Anna and Jenny, watching the two men in the mirror across the way. He wasn't going to take another chance with she or Jenny's safety, even if he was being borderline paranoid. It wasn't a risk he was willing to take.

They whispered something else and then began making their way toward them when Steve turned around and faced them. He never said a word. He didn't have to. Both of the young men stopped when they saw in his expression that they weren't invited any closer to the two women. They held their ground for about another three seconds as if deciding whether the autograph and possible picture with the starlit was worth confronting the fierce looking man standing between them. The one on the right decided against it, casually hitting his buddy's arm and motioning to the exit.

Steve breathed a sigh of relief as they both left the store, not wanting to make a scene.

He turned back to the girls as Anna stared at him, catching just the last couple of seconds of what had happened. She thanked him with a tender smile, but her thoughts were focused mainly on his comfort, knowing his guard was up now, assured that it probably was the second they left the house, wondering if he would ever be able to relax while out with her. She was grateful for his motives, but the thought that frightened her most though was whether he would grow tired of it. Tired of being her bodyguard. He hadn't signed up for that.

The happy day she had been having suddenly turned dreary. She had been so ecstatic about being in this relationship and for the first time in her life Alyssa was not a part of it, but as she looked across the way at her reflection in the mirror, she knew she was mistaken, Alyssa was staring back at her. She could almost picture her sister laughing at her, telling her she should be pleased over the identity that she had developed for her. She should be grateful.

Anna turned away feeling the overwhelming urge to throw something at the mirror and shatter the image that she was born into. She looked back over at Steve as he put different hats on Jenny and they laughed together. She didn't want to lose him because of this, she couldn't lose him now, she was in too deep.

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Anna stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, tears stinging her eyes as she turned around leaning against the counter with her hands over her face. "Oh my God, what did you do?!" She shook her head, knowing it was too late to take it back, she'd just have to live with it…for at least a year, maybe longer.

She came down the steps to a quiet house avoiding the glass pictures on the wall, not wanting to catch a glimpse of her reflection, it was just too hideous right now to confront. She sat down on the last step, putting her face in her hands once again. "Oh God," she moaned.

She wondered who would be more shocked by the mess, the kids or Steve. No sooner did she get the thought out did she hear his truck pull up outside. Her body tensed up and her heart dropped to her stomach.

"Great," she mumbled, "of all the days for him to get off early. It has to be today."

She contemplated locking the door and running back up to her room to hide, but she'd been doing that for the last four hours and no matter how much she regretted the decision she'd made, she was going to have to face it head on. She only hoped that Steve would forgive her and the kids wouldn't laugh.

She reached up taking a hold of the handrail and pulled herself up as if she had no energy left. She might as well just get it over with.

Steve got out of his truck and glanced over at Anna's house as he walked the path up to his. Her SUV was parked outside which told him she was home, that pleased him. He went inside and performed his daily routine before going over to see her. He removed his badge from his belt and set it on the table and then undid the belt and slipped his gun off, wrapping them up and setting them in the closet by the front door.

He glanced out the front window noticing a woman approaching up the walkway and then froze, his jaw dropping open, realizing just then it was Anna.

"Holy smokes," he whispered out loud and then blew out a breath.

She swallowed down the dryness in her throat as her stride changed to a slow pace, wanting to prolong the inevitable. She looked back over her shoulder to home, contemplating turning around and running back, but when she focused back on his house, she knew now that it was too late. He stood at his open front door staring at her.

He watched as she stopped in her tracks after seeing him. Her head fell forward as if she couldn't face him. He on the other hand was overwhelmed by the change as he came out walking toward her.

"Hey! Look at me," he said wanting to get a full view of the new person standing before him.

She shook her head at first and then slowly looked up at him needing to see his expression more than anything else, dreading this moment over the past four hours.

"Wow," he said, admiring her.

Gone were the long blond locks and replaced with a much shorter cut that included bangs, but the most dramatic part was the color that was now a very light auburn red.

She looked down at the ground, unable to face him again. "I can't believe I did this," she said regretfully.

He stood before her and reached up, lifting her chin so he could see her. "Why?" he asked surprised. "It looks great!"

She looked back up at him and he smiled even brighter.

"It looks really good on you," he declared wholeheartedly as his eyes roamed over her face. "You look beautiful."

She felt the stress of her actions slowly slide off her shoulders. "Do you really like it, or are you just saying that to be nice?" she bit her bottom lip in anticipation of his reply.

He replied by putting arm around her waist and pulling her up against him. "I really like it." he nodded unable to tear his eyes away from her. "I really, really like it. I didn't think you could ever look any sexier than you did before, but you just topped it."

She reached up and shyly ran a hand over it. "It's so short."

"It's a great style. It's a great style on you."

She smiled for the first time since looking in the mirror four hours earlier. "I wasn't sure about the color at first, but wanted something different."

He ran both hands through it, "It's so soft and that color…" he playfully growled. "I've never been with a red head. It's getting me hot."

She blushed over the attention but couldn't have been happier over his reaction. She thanked him with a kiss, which he continued down her neck as she tilted her head back.

"I've got free access to this perfect neck," he declared, moving around to the other side.

Anna giggled as he bit her earlobe. "That's exactly why I did it," she lied, "so I could get more of that."

He kissed her once more before getting down to the subject of why she really did it. "That's nice of you," he smiled, looking at her in question. "But why the big change?" He was pretty sure he knew the answer but wanted to hear it from her before making an assumption.

She knew it was dramatic but she just felt the need at the time. "I was sitting in the chair and the stylist asked me what I wanted. At first I was just going to do some highlights and a trim, but then she turned the chair around and I saw Alyssa sitting there looking back at me," she sighed. "The words came out as if someone else was speaking them. I told her I wanted it short and red. We talked for a few minutes and this is what we came up with." She ran her hand over it again and looked up at him with sad eyes. "After what happened with that man, I don't want to look like her anymore and I knew if I did something like this, she'd never imitate it. She'll hate it."

He knew that's what it was about. He couldn't deny though that he was glad for it too. That incident still haunted him as well. It worried him that maybe she was having an identity crisis and hoped that the dramatic change with her hair ended here too. "Does it make you feel different?"

"No, I'm still Anna, but I do have to admit," she bent her head shyly, "I have been experiencing some extra curricular thoughts that I believed to be out of my character, but as it turns out. It's exactly who I am and who I want to be. I think it's getting to know you that's helped them along."

"Really?" he said intrigued. "Care to elaborate on any of those thoughts?"

"Oh, you know, just things. Like wanting to go skydiving. Adventurous stuff." She bit her bottom lip, feeling her face flush. "Or what happened in the shower a couple weeks ago that made you late." She kept her head slightly bent, glancing up at him timidly. "Do you remember that?'

"Remember that?!" he practically laughed. "Are you kidding me? I can't take a shower without thinking of that. Hell! I can't look at water without thinking of that," he teased, seeing her cheeks turn red and a smile on her lips before she bent her head again. It was about the sexiest thing he'd ever witnessed; even though he proclaimed that thought to himself on a regular basis lately. A simple glance from across the room could get his heart rate going as if it had been jumped started. One of those moments was presenting it self now. He leaned in whispering to her. "I like those thoughts you have. I like that I'm a part of them."

She looked up meeting his gaze that always seemed to make her feel weak in the knees. "Are you happy with everything else too? I mean, the way things are going…between you and me?" She didn't have to question anymore whether or not she was in love with him, it was as strong as he was standing before her. She knew the answer to her question as well. The words were just trivia compared to the way he looked at her sometimes, like now. He didn't have to say it verbally, she knew it.

He felt intoxicated by her beauty as she waited for his answer. It didn't matter that she changed her hairstyle. She could be bald and wearing a garbage sack and she'd still be the most beautiful woman he'd ever known. He managed a small nod, "I like the way things are going. I like being with you, Anna."

Those words were true, but he felt compelled to profess his true feelings. He heard the words in his head as they moved through him, knowing he had a chance right here, right now to solidify this relationship and take it to the next level. He'd never said it before, always too caught up in the imaginary chaos that he was sure it would cause. But just like the first time he kissed her, he didn't think about the aftermath, he only felt in the moment. He opened his mouth to speak when he heard their names being called from the other girl in his life that could melt his heart.

"Anna! Steve!" Jenny yelled as she ran toward them from down the street after being let off the bus. Her little backpack on her shoulders swinging from side to side as she waved a blue cardboard picture in her hand.

They glanced at each other and smiled as she came running through his gate and up to them.

"Look what I made?!" she said excitedly and then stopped, staring up at Anna's new look with her mouth open. "Your hair looks so different."

She squatted down in front of her, "Do you like it?" she asked sheepishly, glad she hadn't laughed.

Jenny reached up and touched it. "Is that color real?"

"Yes," Anna grinned, "It doesn't wash away."

Jenny looked up at Steve. "Do you like it?"

He came down next to Anna, still reeling over his feelings for her. "I love it. I think she looks beautiful."

Jenny looked at her again, touching the ends. "I like it too. Can I do that to my hair too?"

Anna laughed, "Not until you're older. But thank you for saying you like it." She diverted the attention back to her as she pointed at the picture. "What's the picture?"

Jenny's excitement returned as she held it up. "I made this today in class and my teacher held it up for everyone to see because she liked it so much." She leaned against Steve putting a hand on his shoulder as they admired it.

"Is that me?" he asked of the figure that had a badge on his shirt, holding the hand of another figure that he presumed to be her.

"Yes," Jenny said, "and that's me. Remember when you took the bad man away when I was hiding in the bathroom?"

"Yes. Is that what this is?"

"Uh huh," she replied smiling. "I told my teacher and she liked it. Do you like it?"

He smiled at her as if shocked she would even ask, "Of course I do! I love it. It's a great picture." He looked over at Anna. "Don't you think it looks just like me?"

She nodded, amazed not over the picture but of him and the genuine way in which he was flattered over it. She didn't think she'd ever seen him look so handsome before. "Yes it does."

"You can have it, "Jenny said, "if you want." She waited for his reaction, hoping he'd put it somewhere in his house that she could see it like her card she had made for him that was still sitting on his table by the door.

"Thank you," he squeezed her. "I'll hang it on my fridge." He was just as tickled as she was. He was finally going to get to show off one to Danny.

"Ok!" she said happily, looking over at Anna, "Can I have a bagel?"

"Sure, just half," she said standing back up with Steve. "I'll be over in a minute."

They both watched as she tore across the yard to the house.

Steve held his picture up, admiring it again.

"A work of art," Anna said, admiring his grin over it.

He put an arm around her neck, pulling her up close, "So is this," he declared, kissing her.

She held on to him, "At least you can relax now when we go out together. I won't look like her anymore."

He let go and leaned back, looking at her confused. "Like who, your sister? And what do you mean I can relax?"

"Yes, my sister, and you know what I mean. I didn't want you to feel like you always had to be on guard when we were out together." She shrugged uncomfortably. "Because I look like her."

He shook his head, even more confused, but becoming even more concerned. "You didn't do this change for me I hope?"

She shook her head, "No, of course not," but then caught herself, "well, I don't know, maybe, a little for you too." She looked down, knowing he wasn't pleased about that.

"Anna," he sighed, putting his arm back around her waist. "Listen to me." He gently shook her, wanting her full attention. "Look at me." He waited as she slowly raised her head until they were face to face. "I don't want you to change anything about yourself for me. Do you hear me?!" he squeezed her. "I like you exactly the way you are. And as far as having my guard up when we go out, that's who I am. That will never change no matter who your sister is."

She bit her bottom lip, fighting off the tears, wondering when or if she would ever break from this bond she hated so much with Alyssa. She just seemed to make one mistake after another. "I don't want to lose you," she blurted out. "I guess I just wanted to make things easier for you too."

"You have to stop trying to please everyone and start thinking about what Anna wants." He put his hand on his chest. "Seeing you happy, that's what makes me happy. If you need something from me, tell me, don't change yourself to fit the profile. That's not who I fell in love with."

He made it sound so simple, or maybe he was just the first person in her life that accepted her for exactly who she was. That alone was a blessing, but it was his last sentence that pleased her the most.

She put a hand on his chest. "I feel like we have a good thing going. I am happy. I'm the happiest I've been my whole my life. I love you too and I want you to know that. You should also know that I'm happy because of you."

No one had ever told him that before. It was a constant thought in his head to keep her emotionally satisfied, fearing he might let her down in that capacity. He finally felt he was doing right by her. "Is there anything you need from me, Anna, that you're not getting?" He wanted to be sure he kept that smile on her.

"Yes," she said, moving her hand down his chest and raising her mouth up to him. "A kiss, right now."

He smiled over that. "You are easy to please, Miss Jordan." He gave her what she wanted wishing they had the convenience of disappearing for a couple of hours so he could kiss her all over, but it was an inconvenience he had got used too and accepted, actually the two little inconveniences of this relationship is what he found the most rewarding. He loved all of them.

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Anna heard the front door open as Steve called out to her. She glanced at the clock on the stove that read one fifteen, wondering what he was doing there at this time of day. She didn't care, feeling the happiness over his presence as she came down the hallway from the kitchen that led to the family room, meeting him halfway. "Hi," she smiled happily when she saw the equally pleased grin on him. She squealed gleefully as he surprisingly grabbed her around the waist and moved her up against the wall with his body, holding her there.

"Hi to you too gorgeous." He kissed her once and then moved to her cheek and then down to her neck.

"I'm glad you're here," she giggled, "but why? Or should I say, how?"

He leaned back so he could see here. "Love those parent teacher conferences. Danny has his right now." He glanced at the watch on his wrist that was resting on the wall above her head. "I have about an hour." He pushed himself closer into her, his lips just inches from hers. "Can you spare an hour for a lonely, desperate cop?" Before she could answer, he kissed her.

Her heart rate was off the charts, getting a whiff of his scent that was a mixture of his cologne but more enjoyably his natural scent that drove her wild; her mind too preoccupied by the kiss and the feel of him to recall her conversation in the kitchen. Until she heard the loud, intentional clearing of one's throat.

They both broke apart at the same time but held their position as they looked in the direction of the sound.

Steve stared in amazement at the woman standing only a few feet away. It was Anna a week ago before she had changed her hair. It was unbelievable to him the identical likeness. It took him a second to get his head wrapped around the scene, still reeling over the kiss that had him aching for the Anna in his arms.

"Oh yea," Anna said as he looked back at her puzzled. "I forgot.," she smiled uneasily. "My sister's here...Surprise."