I am so glad that everyone likes this story. I have been very busy and haven't had a chance to write, I hope that this chapter will make up for the wait.

You guys really are the best.

The ceiling fan slowly moved the air in the room. The night was more than he imagined it would be. As he lay there in the darkness he smiled.

I love you, that's what she said.

She was lying next to him, one leg casually draped over his legs, drawing herself closer to him, not wanting to let him go. She was sleeping, but there was a slight smile as she slept next to him, as if she was having a sweet dream that she didn't want to awake from just yet.

He got the guitar from Mateo. He was planning on serenading her in the morning, but he wanted to practice because it had been awhile since he played. He didn't mean to wake her, it wasn't his intention to do that, she was so exhausted from the park he knew she needed her rest. That was probably why he was so surprise at her straddling his lap and her declaration of love. All he knew was there was a very hot and bothered redhead in his lap and instinct directed him to grab on.

He couldn't get enough of her mouth, the way that she kissed him. It was addictive. As they held each other on the couch, the want of her, the need to be with her, increased to an almost deafening level. His hands slid under the camisole to touch her back, and stopped. As he looked at her, he saw how tired she really was. She almost looked drunk, though he knew it wasn't the case. Even though he wanted her, he knew she still wasn't herself. The heat exhaustion etched deep in her face. He arose to a sitting position, trying to get her to look him in the eyes. She was so focused on biting his neck that she didn't notice him looking at her. This wasn't what he wanted.

"I can't do this," he was gasping for air as he said this. "I don't want this to happen, yet."

Catherine stopped biting his neck when he said this, "I don't understand, isn't this what you want?" She gently bit his ear and her legs wrapped around his torso as she started to unbutton his shirt. Her eyes were wild; he almost didn't recognize her in this state, which helped him do something that he knew that he would probably regret later. He grasped her hands and made her look at him.

"Cath, listen to me. There is nothing more that I want to do than make love to you, but not this way, not now." Her eyes showed the confusion on her face plainly as he continued, "I'm not the sharpest or the quickest guy around, but I know when you rush into things like this, nothing good is going to come out of it. I just got my mind around the idea that I could love someone again." He gently stroked her face as he said the words. "I love you Cath, and that's not an easy thing to say for me. I want to take this one step at a time with you, and I'm not ready for this one yet."

She smiled as she looked down in his lap, "You sure about that?"

He blushed, "My flesh is weak, what can I say. Will you wait, Cath? I promise not to have you wait long."

Catherine got up from his lap and looked down at him lovingly. "I think I can handle it, though I do admit this must be a first for me. Usually I'm the one that's putting on the brakes, not the guy." She smiled, "I think I kind of like that." She grabbed his hands and pulled.

"You are a class act my dear," Jim got up from the couch and pulled her to him, his hands circling her waist as she slid her arms around his neck. He kissed her gently. "Now, let's get you to bed before you pass out on me."

They went to his room, and by the time that he went to use the bathroom and come back to bed, she was fast asleep. He carefully got in, trying not to startle her. She curled up next to him as he lie there thinking about what just happened.

It was true what he told her. He wasn't ready, at least emotionally to connect to her that way. He also knew how other men had treated her in the past, and he didn't want to end up like them. His feelings for her were too deep, and he didn't want the relationship to end. To him, this wasn't going to be a "wham bam thank you ma'am". The wild eyed Catherine was not the one he fell in love with. It felt as if she was performing for him, and he didn't like it one bit. She still was reeling from heat exhaustion and looked like if she wasn't kissing him she was going to fall over passed out. He didn't want their first time to be like that. He wanted them both in their right mind, in total control of their emotions, and in agreement where this relationship was going.

A little old fashioned aren't we?

He didn't want to hurt her, and if this trip was just to blow off some steam and then go back to Vegas like nothing ever happened, he didn't think he could handle that. He was too old for that kind of stuff. Maybe it was old-fashioned, but it was safe, and he wanted it that way.

He stroked her hair gently as she slept. It had been awhile since he shared a bed with someone else, and he was starting to like it.

One step at a time…..

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