Disclaimer: As always I don't own anything, I did create Lorelei though, nor am I making any money from this.

Never Say Never

Chapter Five

Lorelei woke up the next morning and watched Paul for a moment before retrieving the tee-shirt that had been discarded the night before. She then proceeded to go downstairs to make breakfast.

She didn't know why she was making a big breakfast for just the two of them, but she just did as she had done the previous morning only making chocolate chip pancakes, scrambled eggs, and ham.

Paul came downstairs just as she was finishing. "I have a meeting this afternoon. I probably won't be back until tomorrow," Paul told her as Lorelei put a plate in front of him.

"Somehow I think I can manage twelve hours on my own," Lorelei said. "I'm not completely helpless."

"So I've been told," he said.

The rest of the meal was mostly silent. Lorelei was trying to figure out approximately how much time it would he to do the bit of house work she needed.

Paul was again looking at her thinking his tee-shirt never looked that good. This would have to become an every day occurrence at least when they were at home.

Paul got in the shower first seeing as he had to leave shortly for his meeting in Stamford. He wasn't looking forward to the long car ride.

Lorelei went to the office that housed the only computer in the place. She connected to the internet and logged into Yahoo to check her Email. She found several new e-mails.

They were all from her friends as her father didn't know that she had an e- mail address. She looked through them and first read the most interesting one from her friend Shawn (her father had attempted to sell her to him, but instead she ended up with one of her best friends). She read:

Hey girl, What's up? Not anything out of the ordinary here. Cam's birthday sis next month. I'll send you pics.

Did your dad finally succeed in selling you off. J/k. I hope he's not giving you to many problems. All you have to do is say the word darling and I'll kick his ass. TTYL.

Hugs, Shawn

Lorelei couldn't help but to smile. She knew she had to reply to him. She quickly began typing.

Shawn, I can't wait to see the pics of Cam. Be sure to e-mail them not snail mail them. I can't believe you might get a title shot at Mania. (See I watch.)

Don't worry about having to kick my dad's ass. I won't be having to worry about him for a while. I got married; trust me it's better than staying with him. I'll tell you who next time I see you in a couple weeks. I don't want to worry to much, so I'll only tell you, you know him.

See ya soon, Lori

She quickly read and responded to her other e-mails assuring her friends that she was still alive and well. She briefly surfed the Web before disconnecting.

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Paul showered and dressed then went to find Lorelei. His first stop was the library, but amazingly she wasn't there. He continued on noticing the light on in his office.

He looked in and she was just disconnecting form the internet. He made a mental note to get her a lap top and a cell phone for that matter.

"Oh hi," Lorelei said almost running into him.

Paul let out a smirk that she could almost mistake as a smile. "I've got something for you," he told her.

She took what was in his had and looked at it. There was a Key, presumably to the house and a credit card.

"Buy yourself something nice. There's keys to the cars in the kitchen by the door out to the garage. You can take whichever one you like," Paul told her. He needed the upcoming hours away to talk himself out of the warm feelings he was feeling for the woman in front of him.

Lorelei had to resist the strong urge to hug him but only could for a few moments. After that she was hugging him more happy than she could have imagined.

The next thing Paul knew she was wrapping her arms around him. He wasn't sure what to do. It seemed like the only time Steph had hugged him was when she wanted something.

He could tell that Lorelei didn't want anything but he still couldn't hug her back. He stood there uncomfortably for a moment before she released him from her grasp.

"I've got a few things to do in the office before I leave," Paul said excusing himself from the rather uncomfortable situation.

"Just tell me before you leave," Lorelei said heading to the bedroom. She needed to get a shower and do some housework. Then she was going to have to go shopping.

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Paul went into his office and proceeded to do the things Lorelei had done only moments before. He then called to reconfirm the time of his meeting.

He hated leaving. He was supposed to have time of and he and his ex-father- in-law had never exactly seen eye to eye on anything.

After hanging out in his office for a little bit longer he told Lorelei he had to leave.

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Lorelei spend much of the afternoon shopping. She bought some things for the house, and some of the things that she had noted missing the night before She thought that for once it was nice that she didn't have to pay any attention to the price of things she bought.

She literally spent several hours shopping. She while she was out she decided that she would also get herself a cell phone then she wouldn't have to give out the home number to her friends when she wouldn't be there more than half the time anyway.

When she got back to the house for the first time she actually felt alone in the big house. She wasn't exactly sure what to do with herself so after quickly preparing herself a quick meal of the left over stew she went and took a long, luxurious bubble bath.

That night was the first time she realized how emotionally draining the last week had been for her. That night she slept better than she had in a long time.

The next morning she ate breakfast, wrote Paul a note, and then went to find all the stuff that she hadn't had the time or the energy to find the night before and order some new draperies for the living room.

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Paul smiled for the first time in a long time when he saw Lorelei's elegant hand writing on the note that she had left him. Then he thought it might just be that she had the curtsey to let him know where she was going. That soothed his ego that she'd honestly bruised a little.

He had to admit even if it was only to himself that he couldn't wait for her to get back.

________________________________________________________________________ There you go. Please review.