This chapter contains adult topics, but nothing explicit.

"And he's texted me every morning," Nancy finished, reaching for her nearly-empty water bottle. "Well, except a few days ago when he was in Paris, and then he sent me an email because he was awake way before I was."

Nancy, Bess, and George were in Florida visiting their old friend Kim Larsen, but it seemed that half the United States was in Florida with them, soaking up the July rays on all the most popular beaches. After searching in vain for a spot to park their rental car at Daytona, and finding that many other visitors had just given up the search and parked illegally wherever they could find space, George had whipped out her cell phone and searched for a good runner's beach. While the spot they had found was out of the way, and a good twenty minute drive from the rest of civilization, at least they weren't surrounded by mobs of screaming sand-crusted toddlers, anorexic orange women in barely-there bikinis, and sunburned middle-aged men with pronounced beer bellies.

Bess, who had already built a perfect base tan, was staring at Nancy with her mouth agape, and had been for the past several minutes. While Bess had pouted that she didn't have a good audience for her metallic green and pink bikini and her new satiny lip gloss, reassurance that the three of them would hit a nightclub later with Kim, once their friend was off work, had served to calm her down. Then Nancy had finally started to tell both her best friends the full story about what had happened in New York, starting at the beginning for George's benefit, and soon they had both been totally enrapt.

George was the first to speak. "And you're sure this guy wasn't involved in the murder you were investigating?"

Bess lightly smacked her cousin on the arm. George wore a sleek emerald-green tank suit that emphasized her well-toned arms and legs, and her normally dark hair had even lightened a little, despite her refusal to passively sunbathe the way her cousin always did. She was always up for organizing a volleyball match with Nancy, Kim, and whoever was passing by—and Bess always insisted that they try for the hottest guy in sight.

"Of course he wasn't!" Bess declared. "A man does not buy a woman Oscar de la Renta couture like that. Just to buy her off."

"Sounds like a perfect reason to me," George said cheerfully, pulling her sunglasses down over her eyes. "I'm sure it would have totally bought you completely off, Bess."

"Mmm," Bess murmured, instead of objecting the way Nancy had thought she would, and Nancy had to laugh. "Well, if a guy were willing to spend that kind of money on me... I'd probably be a lot more forgiving. Not of murder, though. You cynic."

George reached for her own bottle of sports drink, wrinkling her nose at Bess.

"He wasn't involved," Nancy said, stretching. "The police broke down Cantoni's story. He did have a partner, but it was a guy who wasn't a member of the Bennett Group, so Ned was out of it."

Bess crossed her arms and glared at her cousin. "See? Why can't you be happy that Nancy has found, like, the most perfect man in existence? Because I am. I'm so happy that I could just strangle you, Nan." Bess sighed. "Are you totally sure he doesn't have, like, some illegitimate brother you could introduce me to?"

Nancy laughed, adjusting the strapless top of her black and white polka-dot bikini. "Sorry, Bess. No such luck."

"But what are you going to do now?" George asked pragmatically. "So you've said that you want to have a relationship, but he lives in a different time zone."

Bess shook the now-empty can of diet soda she had been sipping for the entirety of Nancy's story, then sighed and reached into the cooler for a new one. Drops of freezing-cold water clung to the silver sides of the can, and Bess made sure to shake them in her cousin's direction before she pulled the tab. George just glared at her.

"Don't think I won't dunk you in the ocean, Marvin."

"You wouldn't. I'll get caught in a riptide and die and haunt you mercilessly by giving you makeovers in your sleep," Bess said placidly. "You know I can't swim that well."

"The riptides aren't that close to the shore—"

"Shh," Bess said to George. "Anyway, what are you going to do? I mean, I guess you could transfer schools..."

But the expression on Bess's face was sad, and Nancy had felt the same way when she had thought about it. "I love going to UC with you guys and being near Hannah and Dad, and in New York... I mean, I would know Ned, but he won't be there all the time, and Aunt Eloise and Seth... but I just can't imagine transferring. I only have two years left, after all, and we did just meet."

George nodded vigorously. "You did just meet. And for all you know he has a string of alimony-hungry ex-wives—"

"He doesn't," Bess put in absently, and when George stared at her, Bess raised her hand in defense. "What? Nancy's great at solving crimes, you're great at, like, kayaking through oceans and riding bikes to the top of mountains—"

"Bess," George groaned, exasperated. "Nothing you just said made any sense—"

"But," Bess said loudly, over George's interruption. "This is my area of expertise. Celebrities and their lives."

"But he's not a celebrity. Is he?"

Bess shook her head. "He's an incredibly eligible bachelor. In fact, they've approached him to be on The Bachelor. A few times. He turned them down," she added, unnecessarily.

Nancy couldn't stop herself. "So what else have you learned about him, Bess?"

Bess raised a hand and began to tick off her fingers as George groaned and pulled her spare towel over her face. "Now you've done it," came George's muffled voice. "Wake me up when she's done."

"Shut up," Bess said without rancor. "Number one, his net worth is—well, I think you already know that, Nan. But for those of you who aren't listening," she said loudly, and recited it for George, down to two decimal points. "Second, he's involved in all these really neat projects. Like the clean energy one you were telling us about, Nan."

Nancy nodded. During the few phone conversations they had managed to coordinate, Nancy had told him about the case she had become involved with during her Florida vacation, involving a series of thefts at a senior living center, and Ned had told her about his meetings with inventors on the clean energy project.

"Third, in addition to his family home in Vermont and that sweet penthouse in New York, he has an apartment in L.A. and this to die for chateau in France." Bess paused. "Shit, I was going to map it and see how close it was to Johnny Depp's place..."

George groaned. "I changed my mind. Please murder me."

Bess stuck her tongue out in George's direction, which did no good, since her cousin's face was still covered. "Fourth, he tends to date intelligent, mature women, not the usual shallow idiot types. I mean, a few times his name was linked to that—that one pop singer, the one who... God, how would you guys know her."

"If she wasn't involved in a murder investigation, Nancy won't," George pointed out, her voice still muffled. "And I couldn't give less of a fuck."

Bess shook her head. "Anyway. It was just a rumor that he was with her anyway, and never substantiated. He's pretty much a serial monogamist," she told Nancy primly. "Which is great. He's friends with a few of the Nets players; that's his favorite team."

George actually peeked from beneath her towel. "Is he a Yankees fan?" she asked, her voice flat with disdain.

"I can find out," Bess said cheerfully.

Nancy shook her head. It didn't matter what a few disturbingly detailed web searches could tell her; they didn't say anything about who he truly was. She hadn't seen him since their goodbye at the airport, and while the phone calls, texts, and emails were nice, they weren't the same thing as feeling his arms around her.

She knew she was being foolish, but ever since he had told her that he felt the same way about her, she hadn't been able to stop herself. She daydreamed about seeing him again all the time, and her heart beat insanely hard when she saw his name pop up on her phone or in her emails.

Bess was laughing when Nancy tuned back into the conversation. "Thinking about him?"

"Maybe," Nancy said, adjusting her sunglasses to cover for the flush in her cheeks. "Or maybe about taking a swim. George, you game?"

George sat up immediately. "Thank God. If I hear another useless statistic..."

Bess wrinkled her nose at them both. "You might mock it now, but one day you'll need me," she told her cousin. "And then you won't be laughing."

George shook her head, tossing her short, dark hair. "Come out for a swim, Bess. Work off some of those chips."

"They're baked," Bess pointed out, "specifically so I don't have to work them off."

Nancy chuckled. "Well, if you change your mind, come on out," she told her friend. "We'll make sure to keep you away from the riptide."

"And the sharks, and the jellyfish, and the speedboats..."

Bess gave a dramatic shudder. "I'll be safe right here, thank you."

After a long, exhausting swim, the girls packed up and headed back to town to shower and get ready for their night out. Even so, Nancy was still feeling a little lonely. Ned had had a lot of girlfriends; she knew that. But, she was equally sure, they had all been willing to drop anything that would interfere with seeing him. They would have been fools not to. He was an amazing catch.

But Nancy didn't want to leave her friends and family behind, not yet, even though he had already told her he didn't want to wait the two years until she was graduated.

Nancy sighed, rinsing her hair, and then looked down at her naked body. That was another thing. She was equally sure that the women he had dated had all been ready and willing to go to bed with him... and she hadn't been, not yet.

The next morning, all four of them were recovering from their late night by sleeping in a bit. It was Bess and George's turn to split Kim's double-sized guest bed, and so Nancy was on the couch, her arm slung over her eyes to keep the weak sunlight out. She heard Kim drag herself to the kitchen and smelled coffee brewing, and was just considering possibly getting up when her cell phone started to ring.

"Shit," Nancy hissed, rolling off the couch and onto the floor, scrabbling for the small dressy purse she had carried the night before. She answered the call on the third ring, and her heart just had enough time to leap up into her throat when she saw the name on the screen.

"Good morning, handsome."

"Good morning, gorgeous," Ned answered her, his voice low and so warm that it sent a tingle down her spine. "I hope I didn't wake you up."

"Not really. I was just thinking about getting out of bed. Or couch, as it were," she said with a chuckle.

"In your sweet little nightie? Where you collapsed last night after a particularly sexy pillow fight?"

"No such luck," she teased him back. "I'm actually, um, wearing your shirt and not much else."

She had grown accustomed to wearing his shirt to sleep in, and Bess and George had teased her about it a few times, but wearing it made her feel a little closer to him.

Ned let out an appreciative groan. "Even better. I really need to find some reason to take a business trip to Florida in the next few days..."

Nancy giggled, but she couldn't help feeling a rush of happiness at the prospect. "If you must," she said lightly. "I do have all these tiny little bikinis with me, and no one to appreciate them..."

"Oh, I am more than sure that any straight man who saw you in them would be more than appreciative," he told her. "And, speaking of maybe getting you to model a few for me... when did you say you were going to be back in Illinois?"

Nancy couldn't stop grinning. "Are you thinking about maybe coming for a visit?" she asked, and she couldn't dampen the happiness in her voice.

"I'm working things out, but I'm pretty sure I can."

"Well, I have to get back by Thursday," she told him. "Dad's the keynote speaker at this fundraising thing in Chicago that night, and he asked me to come along."

"As his date?"

"His guest," Nancy said. "He's been seeing Adriana pretty regularly, and I think she's going as his date, but I wanted to be there to support him. I haven't been able to spend nearly as much time as I wanted with him this summer. But that means maybe we could have a long weekend together, maybe see each other Friday?" she said hopefully.

"That sounds great. And I bet you'll look breathtaking Thursday night, too."

Before leaving for her trip, Nancy had already shopped for and decided on the gown she would wear to the fundraiser. For a moment or two she had considered wearing the fantastic gold gown Ned had given her, but she felt strange wearing it when she wouldn't be seeing him. Besides, she still hadn't told her father about Ned, and while she doubted her father would recognize the gown and realize how expensive it was, someone else at the fundraiser might do so and comment on it, and she just didn't want to have that conversation yet. "Maybe moderately," she teased him.

"Take pictures," he told her. "And I am going to do everything in my power to see you this weekend. I miss you, beautiful."

"I miss you too," Nancy murmured, keeping her voice low as she heard one of the interior doors open. George was running her fingers through her dark hair as she shuffled out of the guest bedroom. "I'll be thinking about you."

Ned chuckled. "You know I'm always thinking about you."

On Wednesday, Nancy, Bess, and George bid Kim a warm goodbye and headed back to Illinois. Ned had told her that he would be able to make it and he wanted to see her, and her promise of a possible long weekend together was tantalizing to them both. Nancy knew she had two choices: to be honest with her father about where she would be, or to lie to him and say she would be with her friends, away somewhere.

She hated lying to her father, though. She had never made a habit of it, and he was always very understanding. Even so, she had never spent the weekend, much less the night, really, with any of the guys she had dated, and she didn't know how he would react to that prospect.

I'm twenty, she reminded herself. I'm an adult, and I want to spend the weekend with my boyfriend.

That thought sent a thrill up Nancy's spine, and while it was mostly pleased, it was also a little nervous. She had told Bess and George about the night they had spent together in his bed, and that things had gotten more intense than she had been expecting, but she still didn't feel ready to take that step with him. And she didn't know if telling Ned that she wanted to spend three days with him would mean he would expect it. They still hadn't talked about her lack of experience, and any time he made some comment about how sexy she was or how much he wanted to see a lot more of her, she had just gone along with it, teasing him right back.

When Nancy came down to dinner that night, her golden hair tumbling loose down her tanned shoulders, she greeted her father with a grin and a hug. "Hi Dad."

"You look significantly more tan than the last time I saw you," he replied with a smile. "How was Florida?"

"Exciting," she told them, and over dinner with him and Hannah, she filled them in on her case. Bess had gone undercover at the retirement home as an assistant in the salon, and when the culprit had discovered she was investigating, he had managed to grab her. George and Nancy had rescued her when she had barely been gone an hour, and the kidnapper had quickly flipped on his accomplice. The residents had all been delighted that the thieves had been caught.

"What time are we leaving for Chicago tomorrow?" Nancy asked, once she had helped Hannah clear the dessert dishes.

Carson, who was just checking his cell phone, looked up at her with a smile. "Well, Ri mentioned maybe going out for dinner first, but you're welcome to come..."

Nancy shook her head. "No, that's okay," she told him. "I know you two don't get to spend much time together, and I can just drive separately and meet you there."

Carson shook his head. "I don't get to spend much time with you, either," he pointed out. "And I'd love to have dinner with both of you, unless you really don't want to."

Nancy considered. Adriana was a really nice person, and she was happy that Adriana made her father happy. She just didn't want to feel like a third wheel around them, and she was a little worried that the tiny spark of resentment she felt toward Adriana might just grow if she were in that situation. Nancy was happy for her father, she truly was, and soon she wouldn't just be mostly moved out of her father's house.

But a small, mean part of her she was trying hard to ignore didn't want her father to marry again, and she could already see signs that he was considering it.

She gave him a smile, though. "I suppose I could," she said, keeping her voice light. "For you. Especially if you promise that we'll go somewhere French."

Carson laughed. "Sounds great."

Nancy paused. "Dad... can I talk to you about something?"

"Sure, sweetheart."

She went with him into his study, and closed the door behind her before taking a seat in the large, overstuffed chair in front of his desk. When her father had been away, when she was little, she had curled up there so many times with a book, inhaling the musty scent of old law books and his papers and well-worn leather, and felt just a little closer to him.

She clasped her hands in her lap and took a deep breath. "While I was in New York, a few weeks ago, working on the case for you..."

"Yes, I remember," Carson said, his tone light, but his gaze was intent on her.

"I... met someone," she said. "And he told me he'll be coming to Chicago on Friday for the weekend, and he wants to see me. And we might, um... decide to spend a lot of time together..."

"In his hotel room?" Carson said, and his voice sounded serious.

Nancy felt the blush she had been fighting rise fully in her cheeks. "Maybe," she said, and cleared her throat. "I... not... I just miss him a lot and I want to see him, and we're not—sleeping together, it's not like that."

Carson relaxed fractionally, letting out a soft sigh. "But you met him on a case," he repeated. "Nancy, you've met a lot of men while you were working on your cases, and—I know many of them have been decent, and you've cared a lot about them, but those relationships have never lasted very long. I don't want to see you get hurt."

And, Nancy remembered, many of those flirtations had been so brief they could hardly be called relationships at all. "He's different," she said softly. "And I know how incredibly stupid that must sound, but I knew from the moment I met him that he was different, that this was different." She clasped her fingers tighter. "I have never felt about any of those other men the way I feel about this one."

Carson's cell phone was on the desk in front of him, and Nancy saw the screen light up, but he didn't even glance at it. "So you've been in contact with him since you came back."

Nancy nodded. "He and I talk to each other practically every day, or contact each other, at least."

"But he lives in New York."

She nodded again. "He does," she murmured.

Carson frowned. "I suppose that since you're fully in your majority, that you aren't exactly asking my permission," he commented.

"I wanted to be honest with you," she said. "Dad... I care about him a lot, and I'm not..." She sighed. "I'm not just walking into this with my eyes closed, is I guess what I'm trying to say."

"Long-distance relationships are hard, Nancy," he said quietly. "And I wouldn't wish them on anyone. So will I meet this young man soon?"

Nancy swallowed hard. "Um... we didn't talk about that," she admitted.

"Well, if you decide that things are becoming serious between the two of you, I'd like to meet him. After all, any man who can slow you down long enough to catch your attention for a significant period of time... I'd definitely like to meet."

"I'll tell him," she said, and stood. "Thanks, Dad."

"And if you decide to become intimate with this person, take precautions," he told her. "Any man who tells you that he won't isn't worth your time."

Nancy blushed even more deeply. "I—we will," she said, then opened the door as quickly as she possibly could.

The dress Nancy had selected for the fundraising dinner was a shimmering aquamarine that Bess swore was the perfect shade to bring out Nancy's eyes. The neckline was just a little daring, and the skirt fitted to her hips, then draped all the way to her ankles. Bess sighed and shook her head when she saw her friend in it; Nancy had asked Bess to come over and help her with her makeup before they left for the fundraiser.

"Ned's coming for a visit this weekend," Nancy confided, grinning, as Bess unpacked her enormous makeup cases.

Bess squealed. "Does that mean I'll get to meet him? Or will you two be shacked up in his hotel room doing all sorts of unspeakably dirty things to each other."

Nancy chuckled. "I don't know," she said. "I haven't really talked to him about what he has planned. But if you don't meet him this time, definitely next time."

"And if your father calls my house and asks for you...?" Bess raised her eyebrows as she considered two different shades of eyeshadow, then peered into Nancy's eyes, debating. "Did you lie to your dad and tell him you'll be with George and me this weekend?"

"Um... I actually told him the truth."

Bess's mouth dropped open. "Oh my God. I wish I could have been a fly on that wall. So how'd he take it?"

"Well, he wasn't thrilled or anything, but then I wasn't exactly asking his permission either," Nancy said.

"Go, girl!" Bess chuckled. "I'm glad he didn't lock you in your room and wait outside with a shotgun or something. Because I, for one, am super impatient for you to totally do it with that unfairly gorgeous man, and then tell me every last detail." She sighed in jealousy.

Nancy chuckled, too. "Dad did basically give me the 'no glove, no love' speech," she admitted.

Bess immediately doubled over with laughter. "Remind me to give him five on the way out," she said once she recovered. "Man, your dad is so super intimidating. That just made my day."

Having dinner with her father and Adriana wasn't very bad at all, and the food was outstanding. Nancy found herself thinking of Louis's cooking, though, and almost mentioned the amazing dinner she had eaten on Ned's yacht, but she thought better of it. Hannah, Carson, and Adriana all complimented Nancy on her dress, and Nancy remembered that Ned had told her to take a picture of it. She wished he was there to see it in person, though. Dressing up when he wouldn't be able to see her wasn't nearly as exciting.

Then they went to one of the largest, most exclusive hotels in Chicago, one with an enormous ballroom. The event coordinator snagged Carson immediately to take him backstage and go over the evening's itinerary, and Nancy and Adriana sat down at the table where they were directed.

"Well, this certainly looks very lavish," Adriana pointed out with a smile. The older woman wore a black strapless gown with a lace overlay, and had finished the outfit with sparkling diamond earrings, a gorgeous dinner ring, and a silver clutch. She looked very sophisticated, and fit in very well with the crowd around them.

Nancy nodded and smiled. "Definitely. Dad's been practicing his speech for a while, but I know he'll be glad to get that part of the evening over with."

As soon as they had walked in, Nancy had scanned the crowd, but more people were arriving all the time, all of them dressed incredibly well. Of all the events she could be attending, this was the most likely to result in an encounter with Humphrey. He had left a few messages on her Facebook wall, and she had a feeling that his memory of the events in New York featured his own contributions to the investigation in a far more prominent way than she herself remembered it, but she didn't begrudge him the bragging rights. He really had been a tremendous help to her, even if he could be pretty annoying otherwise.

She felt keyed up, though, and shivered happily when she realized why. Soon, in less than a day, she would be seeing Ned again. She couldn't wait.

Just before the director announced that Carson was about to speak, Nancy was at the long table of hors d'oeuvres, picking up a cream puff, when Humphrey approached her. "Hi Nan," he said, and she caught herself narrowing her eyes at him without even meaning to do it. "You're looking fine."

"Thanks, Humphrey," Nancy said with a polite smile. "You look nice."

"Are you going to stay for the dancing after?"

"I... I don't know," she hedged. "Maybe for a little while."

"Great!" Humphrey beamed. "I'll definitely have to grab you for one."

Nancy shook her head as she headed back to the table. She supposed she could put up with one dance. Then she could duck out—and call Ned. If she already felt this excited, she couldn't even imagine how she would feel once she actually saw him on Friday.

When her father took the podium, Nancy looked on with her chin propped on her hand, a soft smile on her face. While her father only accepted the occasional request to deliver a speech, she had seen him deliver closing statements in the courtroom, and he knew exactly how to command a room, to deftly handle the emotions of those listening to him. He struck a perfect balance between humor and appeal, and when he nodded and stepped away from the microphone, the room burst into loud, appreciative applause.

The dancing portion of the night began after a few closing appeals, and when Carson asked for the first dance with his daughter, she told him that it was okay; he could dance with Adriana, she didn't mind. But he shook his head, offering her his hand, and she accepted it.

"I've been thinking about what you told me," he said, as they moved onto the parquet floor together. "And, any irrational protectiveness aside—I am happy for you, sweetheart. I've seen you with dates I hoped could make you happy, but you are a very special young woman, and I'm sure it will take a rare man to keep up with you."

"He is that," Nancy told her father with a small smile. "And I hope that when you do meet him, because I'm sure you will, that you find him just as amazing as I do."

Carson smiled at her. "Well, I think I've told you before that I will stand behind any choice you make," he told her. "I'd like to think that I raised you well, and you have a good head on your shoulders."

Nancy smiled again. "Thanks, Dad."

When the first song ended, Carson glanced over and chuckled a little to himself. "Am I to understand this is the lucky man?" he asked, but he had a definite sparkle in his eyes.

Nancy glanced over to where he was looking, suddenly irrationally sure that Ned would be standing there—but she saw Humphrey instead, and sighed to herself. "Hello, Humphrey," she said, her voice polite. "And no, Dad. Sorry."

Humphrey was entirely too delighted to be dancing with Nancy, and Nancy hated that her heels made him taller than he. His dancing was competent, but not fluid or natural, not like the last man who had held her in his arms, and danced with her in New York. "How have you been, Nancy?"

"I've been fine. You?"

"Great," Humphrey said heartily. "I've been great. I keep thinking about... that last day in New York. Man, it was intense, wasn't it?"

"Mmm-hmm," Nancy agreed, trying her best to seem interested.

"Do you... ever have dreams about it?"

"Hmm?" Nancy brought her gaze to his face, her heart sinking a little as she read the barely veiled anxiety there. "Well, not about that case, but sometimes I do dream about other cases," she said, keeping her tone even and light. "It can help to talk to people about them. Sometimes it just means that you still feel a little... attached, I guess, to them."

"Oh." Humphrey glanced down. "I mean, it's not, all the time or anything..."

She patted his shoulder. "It can be a really scary thing, to not understand what's going on," she said. "To be kidnapped. And sometimes the fear can kind of linger. At least, that's the way it's been for me, a few times."

She was trying to make him feel like he could confide in her about it, and it worked, although she could tell he was still trying to act like it hadn't affected him as much as it clearly had. "That's terrible," he said. "Were you upset for a long time?"

She shook her head. "Not really, but I always had my friends and family to tell about it," she pointed out. "And that helps a lot. Just going to a counselor or doing something like that could do wonders."

Humphrey nodded. "Well, that's good... to keep in mind, you know."

She smiled at him. "Have you been keeping busy?"

It took him a moment to shift gears, but once he started talking to her about his responsibilities at work and began to relax, she let herself tune out a little. God, what she wouldn't give to see Ned, to hear his voice, to feel his arms around her...

Her heart was beating a little quicker as she imagined it, and then Humphrey glanced up. "May I cut in?" a masculine voice asked.

Nancy glanced up too, and she blushed as she saw the owner of the voice. Her entire body felt like it was almost quivering in response. "Ned," she whispered.

"Hey beautiful," he told her, a smile lighting his handsome face, and she moved away from Humphrey, launching herself into his arms.

"You—you didn't tell me! I thought..."

Humphrey made a soft noise somewhere between a squawk and a cough. "You—he?"

Ned looked at Humphrey. "Mr. Corbett," he said pleasantly. "I'm sorry. Good evening."

"Good..." Humphrey shook his head. "You told me you were just interviewing him!" he said to Nancy.

"I... was," she said with an apologetic smile, and then Ned was slipping his arms around her, whisking her into the next dance.

"I can't believe you're here," she whispered, gazing up at him. "Are you real?"

Ned nodded, grinning again. "Very real. Live and in the flesh. And you are every bit as gorgeous as I imagined you would be tonight—more, even."

"And you look... so handsome," she said, glancing down at his immaculate black dinner jacket and crisp, snowy white shirt. "I've missed you so much."

"And I've missed you too, beautiful."

"How long have you been here? How...?"

"To answer your second question first, just waving around a checkbook does wonders," he told her, executing a smooth turn. "And I arrived just before your father took the podium."

Nancy shook her head. "I wish you'd told me," she murmured.

"I would have, if I had been sure," he said. "But I didn't want to disappoint you, telling you I'd be here, if I wasn't able to make it."

She tightened her grip on him. "Well, regardless of anything... I am so incredibly glad to see you."

They danced together for the next two songs, and Nancy felt like she was floating on air. Every time their gazes met, she felt another rush of happiness. During the third song, Nancy saw her father and Adriana move near them, and she could see that he was checking out her partner.

Ned slowed down a bit. "Mr. Drew?"

Nancy blushed slightly as her father slowed, too. "Yes?"

"Edmund Nickerson," Ned introduced himself, extending his hand.

Nancy saw the slight shift in her father's gaze as he placed the name, but he extended his hand. "Carson Drew. And I see that you've met my daughter."

Nancy smiled, ducking her head. "She's a remarkable woman," Ned told her father. "And it's a pleasure to meet you. Your speech was refreshingly honest, and thoughtful."

Carson smiled, tipping his head in acknowledgment. "I'm glad to hear it. So are you visiting for a while?"

And then Nancy was sure that he recognized Ned's name. He had been privy to the suspect list before she had, after all. "I had some business in the city and couldn't pass up the opportunity to see Nancy," Ned said with a smile.

After a few more pleasantries, the two bid each other a good night. Nancy had known her father for a long time, and she could tell that he was sizing Ned up, using the same keen perception that had made him a terror on cross-examination and a master of jury selection to evaluate him. From everything Nancy could see, though, Ned was completely poised and self-assured, and betrayed absolutely no anxiety or doubt when speaking to her father.

But, as they moved away, Ned squeezed her hand again, and Nancy could feel the faintest trace of perspiration there. She smiled up at him, charmed by the betrayal of his nervousness. "You did amazing," she told him.

He smiled back. "Thanks," he said. "Now, I was thinking maybe one more dance...?"

"Why, is Louis waiting with some incredibly decadent dessert?" she teased him.

Ned dramatically clutched at his chest. "You wound me to the core," he told her. "Now I see, it wasn't my money you were after, it was just Louis's exceptional cooking."

"Definitely," she winked. "I mean, unless you had some other... skills, to show me."

"Hmm." Ned leaned down, and his lips brushed her temple. "Maybe, if you ask nicely."

They danced as close as they dared for the last one, and with every note of the song, Nancy felt her heart beat just a little faster at the thought of leaving with him. Maybe he wasn't ready for that, though, she told herself, trying to calm down. But the knowledge that he was in the city made the thought of any time spent apart absolute torture.

Once the dance was over, Ned took her hand. "I have a surprise for you," he told her. "Do you mind if I take you away from all this?"

"Please," she said with a grin.

A hired car was waiting for Ned, and she slid into the backseat after he opened the door for her, smiling as he followed. She was listening to hear what address he gave the driver, but he didn't say anything, and she wondered which hotel they would be visiting.

The car pulled away from the curb and Ned turned to her, reaching up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his thumb brushing the outer curve. "Hello, gorgeous," he murmured, his voice low and husky.

"Hi handsome," she returned, and when he leaned down to brush his lips against hers, her heart began beating wildly. She ran her fingers through his hair, and as his tongue slipped past her lips, as their kiss deepened and grew more intense, he slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer.

"God, it's been torture to be away from you." He nuzzled against her neck, his breath hot against her skin, and she shivered.

"I know," she breathed, tipping her head to the side, a warm tingling of arousal spreading over her chest. "Mmm..."

His palm brushed the side of her breast, and she shivered again. "Ned," she whispered.

"Mmm-hmm." His lips brushed hers again, and when she gently ran her nails down the back of his head, against his scalp and the back of his neck, he groaned, nipping at her.

When the car pulled to a stop she immediately sprang away from him, flushing at the thought of the driver seeing them that way, but Ned smiled at her, much more relaxed than she. "Guess we're here," he said.

The building she saw when they slid out of the car was tall and stately, newly renovated. Ned reached over and took her hand, and she followed him willingly as he led her inside.

"Good evening, Mr. Nickerson," the doorman said with a smile. "Nice to see you again."

"Good evening," Ned replied pleasantly.

She watched, her brow a little furrowed, as Ned went to the elevator. He slipped his arm around her as they boarded the next car, and as the car began to rise, he dropped a kiss on the crown of her head.

"Ned...?" she murmured, wondering when he was going to tell her about his surprise.

"In a minute," he told her, and she could hear a smile in his voice.

He unlocked the only door in the hallway, reached in to turn on the light, then gestured for her to walk in first. Nancy wrapped her arms around her waist, gazing around wide-eyed.

The walls were a neutral but sophisticated grey-brown, and the plush ultra-modern furniture was upholstered with a material that felt gloriously soft to the touch. The living room was organized around a beautiful fireplace; the kitchen was full of industrial steel fixtures, and it looked pristine. Absently Nancy toed out of her shoes, then realized what she was doing and glanced over at Ned, wondering if they were meeting someone else here.

"It's all right," he assured her with a smile.

"It's gorgeous," Nancy said wistfully. And large; she, Bess and George had looked at apartments the summer before, but anything large enough to accommodate the three of them was expensive, and anything in their price range was cramped. This apartment was beautifully, richly appointed, with nothing secondhand, nothing mismatched. It was the opposite of the dorm rooms and off-campus college housing to which they had become accustomed.

"Did—does this belong to a friend of yours?" she asked hopefully.

Ned shook his head. He had toed out of his shoes, too. "It's mine," he told her. "As of Monday. The coffee table is intermediate, though; I'm waiting on a special order for that, and Louis—"

Nancy's eyes widened. "What do you mean, it's yours?"

"I signed the lease on it," he told her, taking her hand, and his eyes were sparkling. "So it's mine, for the next year, probably two."

Nancy swallowed and just gazed into his eyes, speechless.

"I know it will be harder for you to travel than it is for me, and a lot of what I do can be done over the phone and through email and the internet," he said. "I do still have to take trips, but that's always a given. So, when I can, I was thinking that I could stay here, and we could see each other. It's big, it has plenty of room... Nan, say something...?" He raised his eyebrows, her hand still clasped in his.

Nancy let out her breath in a long sigh. "I... I can't believe it," she whispered. "You didn't want to just, get a hotel room or something...?"

Ned chuckled. "I plan on seeing a lot of you," he murmured, smiling. "And I like having a lot of space to myself, and Louis likes having his own kitchen, and it just seemed to make sense. If that's okay with you."

"Oh, God—of course it's okay!" She wrapped her arms around him with a soft, happy squeal, and Ned laughed as he picked her up. "I can't believe you would do this for me."

"For us," he said, moving so he could look into her eyes, and brushed the tip of his nose against hers. "It is incredibly selfish, I know, but I want somewhere we can relax and be together and not have to worry about, say, waking the neighbors..."

Nancy blushed, then planted a soft kiss on his cheek. "You're too much," she murmured.

He shook his head. "I've learned the hard way to trust my instincts," he said quietly. "I get burned when I ignore them. And I know that maybe it feels like I'm jumping the gun a little, but knowing that you aren't in New York anymore, God, it just feels like a hole has opened up in my chest."

Nancy cupped his face in her hands. "I know what you mean," she said softly. "Ever since the last time I saw you..." Her gaze dropped from his eyes to his mouth. "When I hear your voice, when I see a message from you... it makes me so happy, but I can feel every mile between us, and I wanted so badly to feel your arms around me again..."

He smiled. "Your wish is my command," he whispered, and her heart skipped a beat when he kissed her again. "Now, gorgeous, there is one room you haven't had a chance to see yet..."

Her nervousness rushed back as he carried her to the bedroom, even though she shivered with delight when she saw it. The bed was enormous and made up with a decadently plush comforter in a silk duvet cover. The headboard was flanked by two nightstands, and she saw two low dressers, three doors. A master bath and two walk-in closets.

The apartment, the room, wasn't meant for a bachelor. It was meant for a couple.

Nancy just looked at him, rendered speechless again. Although she had to admit, she wanted very much to sleep in the same bed with him again, she had never really let herself imagine that happening on a regular basis.

"I like a lot of room," he murmured, and he let his hand drift down her back. "I haven't had a chance to try it out yet, though..."

Nancy reached for his hand and squeezed it, as he stepped close to her. The kiss he gave her was deep, almost possessive, and it left her unsteady on her feet.

Now or never, she told herself, and forced her eyes open.

"Can we talk for a minute?" she murmured.

Ned nodded, and before she thought it through she led him over to the bed, both of them sitting down at the foot. The conversation would be better suited to the living room, she thought wryly, but pressed on anyway.

"Ned, seriously, all this... I'm a little overwhelmed. In a good way," she rushed to add when his brow furrowed a little. "This is such an amazing gesture, and I can't wait to spend time with you. It means so much to me that you would do this."

His brow cleared, and he smiled at her, his thumb stroking the side of her hand. "Like I told you... I don't do this," he admitted. "The other women I've dated, I've always been the one who wanted to slow things down and think things through. With you... well, it was either this or go on a crime spree so you'd have to chase me, and that way we could spend some time together."

Nancy chuckled. "Even though it would be much more expedient to just cuff me to the bed?"

His dark-eyed gaze immediately went even darker in response. "Just say the word, gorgeous," he said, his voice low and almost rough.

Nancy flushed a little, looking down. "I'm sorry," she whispered immediately. "Last time, when we were at your apartment and I wanted to slow down... Well, you're a lot more experienced than I am."

"How do you know? Did you find my sex tape online?" The teasing tone in his voice quieted the split-second of panic she felt when she thought he was being serious.

Nancy shook her head. "I just know," she murmured. "Because I haven't had a lot of experience. Uh, any, in fact, not really."

Ned was left speechless for a moment. "When you say you haven't really had any experience..."

Nancy found a loose thread in the side seam of her dress and toyed with it. She knew her face was glowing with self-consciousness. "I mean that the reason I kind of freaked out when I was with you was because I had never been like that with anyone else," she admitted. "I, uh... I've made out with guys before, and... fooled around a little, but nothing like that."

Ned let out a soft groan. "Oh, God. Nan, I'm sorry—I didn't know... I wouldn't have been like that..."

She took a deep breath, then raised her head. "It's okay," she told him. "It was... it was nice, I just got scared..."

He gently cupped her cheek. "Shit," he whispered. "So you're totally a virgin?"

She nodded. "How can you be partially a virgin?" she asked, tilting her head.

"If you've... done some things, but not others," he explained. "Like if you—"

"I get the idea," she said hastily. "I guess that would make me extra-virgin, then. I mean, I've... I don't know what it is, but when I'm on cases, I meet a lot of guys who seem to be interested in me..."

"Maybe because you're brilliant and gorgeous and so totally unique that they can't pass up the chance to get to know you," Ned suggested with a smile.

She returned the smile. "And it's exciting, and while we're working together, it makes everything a little brighter and sharper, you know? And then, after... it just fades. They—they get jealous of the time I spend on my cases, or incredibly protective, or it just..." She shrugged. "It always falls apart. And that little spark of attraction just fades."

He searched her eyes. "Always?"

"Always," she nodded. "Always, until you. And I was glad with them that I never took that step. I don't want to have that kind of relationship with someone I can't respect, or who doesn't respect me. I always thought..."

She let herself trail off, and Ned made a soft sound. "You always thought what?"

"That it would be romantic," she said softly, toying with the loose thread again. Then Ned reached for her, hooking his finger under her chin to tip it up, and she met his eyes as she continued. "That it would be sweet and special, and with someone who loved me, someone I loved. Before... I was afraid I would never find that person. Now..."

He stroked the ball of his thumb over her cheek.

Nancy let out her breath in a soft sigh. "I guess all this is to say that... I'm not ready yet, and I'm really sorry if part of the reason you did this is because you thought we would be..."

"Going at it like rabbits?" Ned supplied with a half-smile.

"Yeah." Nancy frowned. "I'm really sorry, Ned."

"For what? For wanting to wait until you found someone you really cared about, to share that experience with? That doesn't sound so bad to me," he told her, squeezing her hand.

She gave him a small smile. "It's just, I'm sure that the other women you've dated haven't wanted to wait..."

He tilted his head. "Although a few of them probably should have," he commented. "First off, Nan, you aren't like them, and that's what I love about you. Second, you make it sound like I'm some horny seventeen-year-old with no self-control. Which—hell, that's probably the kind of guy you've had the most experience with, huh."

Nancy shrugged a little. "Kind of. And the more desperate they sounded, the less into it I was."

"Noted," Ned said wryly. "Look, I'll be okay. The prospect of having crazy sex with you was only part of the reason I rented this place, and it's all right. Although..."

Nancy brought her head up, gazing at him warily.

"The last thing I want is for you to be uncomfortable, and I'm sorry if—being in bed last time upset you."

She shook her head. "No. It just scared me a little. And I just didn't want to go so far that you'd be upset with me if I told you that I needed to stop."

He shook his head, too. "Again, I'm not a seventeen-year-old asshole," he reminded her softly. "I don't like taking no for an answer when it comes to business, but between us, especially in bed? Perfectly okay."

Nancy relaxed a little, nodding her head. "Okay."

"But my question is—I know you're not ready to take that last step, but... what about going from extra-virgin to... virgin?"

She tilted her head, raising an eyebrow. "Like how?"

"Like... being intimate without necessarily crossing any lines that are going to make you uncomfortable. Like being together the way we were in my apartment, as long as we know going in what's off the table. Because if you liked what we were doing, and we could still maybe do things like that...?" He gave her a small, hopeful smile. "And, like I said, nothing that's going to make you uncomfortable."

She considered, and although she was trying to reason it through, the memory of his hand against her bare skin, the overwhelming arousal that feeling him against her through their clothing had caused... the idea of experiencing that again was incredibly seductive. "I guess," she murmured. "I... we could do that."

He smiled at her. "Good," he murmured.

Her gaze dropped to his lips as he moved closer to her. "Bess has told me so many times that I'm only this reluctant because I don't know what I'm missing," she said softly.

"Well, beautiful," he murmured against her lips, just before he kissed her, "that may be so, but I'll tell you this, I don't know what it's like to go to bed with someone I feel this strongly about. So you'll be showing me something, too. If you let me..." He kissed her again, longer, deeper, and when they finally broke the kiss, he nuzzled against her neck. "If you let me I swear I'll do everything I can to make it incredible for you, Nan. That I will find every way to touch you and kiss you to make you happy. And if you decide you want us to take that step..." He brushed his lips against the hollow at the base of her throat, then planted a lingering kiss there. "Then I'll do my best to make it everything you want it to be."

She shivered as his large hands spanned her waist, his breath warm against her skin. "Bess always told me that my first time was going to kinda suck," she admitted, her eyes fluttering closed.

"Not if I can help it," Ned growled, and sucked hard, briefly, at the join of her neck and shoulder.

She moaned quietly. "Mmmmm... I can't imagine that it ever would, with you."

"Not unless you ask for it."

Nancy's eyes popped open as she realized what he meant, in that quietly amused tone. "Not yet," she chastised him.

"'Not yet.' Definitely not the same word as 'never.'"

Nancy felt a soft throb of awareness as she considered what he was implying. "True," she murmured. "Will you teach me how to make you happy too?"

"If you insist," he murmured against her neck. "Even though you already seem to be doing a great job, all by yourself."

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it! I'm working on a follow-up to this story which is adult-rated, so it won't be posted here. If you're interested in reading it and are of legal age, send me a private message and I can let you know when and where it's posted. (It will be at AO3.)