“You really love me, don’t you?” Alice whispered, staring into Dana’s eyes.

“I do,” Dana replied tenderly.  “More than anything else in this world.”

“But why?” Alice wanted to know.

Dana smiled.  “Just because you’re you.  I’m not going anywhere, Alice, unless you’re with me.  I’m in this for the long haul.  I wanna grow old with you.”

Alice replied with a sudden kiss on the lips that grew into a deeper lip lock, leaving the pair breathless and panting, entangled in each other’s arms.  Dana’s hands came up around to caress Alice’s back softly.  “I hope you and Debbie didn’t have big plans.”

“Why?  Did you have something in mind for you and me to do?” Alice asked, a smile playing on her lips.

“Hmm, I’m not sure,” Dana responded, biting her lip and playing along.

“I know a few things we could do together,” Alice said, grinning mischievously and tugging at the waistband of Dana’s jeans.

“Get a room!” Debbie’s voice called from the other room, causing the pair to crack up.

************************************************************ 

Kit walked into the house behind Carmen, chattering aimlessly about something, and then stopped short when she saw the house decorated and everyone waiting for her.  “What?  This looks like a party.”

“It is,” Carmen replied with a grin. 

In unison, everyone yelled, “Welcome home, Kit!”

Dropping her bag to the floor, Kit’s hands flew up to her face.  “You didn’t!”

Shane burst out laughing.  “We did!”  She picked Kit’s bag up for her and then hugged her.  “Welcome home.  We were worried about you,” she whispered.

“You know nothing can’t keep me down,” Kit replied, smiling.  She looked overwhelmed as everyone came in to hug her and welcome her home.  As everyone moved out of the way, she could see one person standing behind them all.  “Joseph!”

He stepped forward, grinning.  “Hi, Kit.  Your friends invited me.  I hope that was okay with you.”

Kit could see Tina and Bette nudging each other out of the corner of her eye.  I should’ve known when I saw the *****-eating grins on their faces that something was up.  “I’m, um, glad you could come,” she said, feeling slightly tongue-tied at the sight of him.  Damn, I thought he looked good in that white coat, but in that shirt…whoa.

Fifteen minutes into the party, Kit decided to take Joseph aside.  She knew she’d like to get to know him better, but she wanted to make sure he felt the same way first.  She was getting too old to keep laying it all on the line for men and then having them ***** her life up.  “Joseph, I’m just gonna come out and say this here.  I like you.”  Kit took a deep breath.  “A lot.”

Joseph smiled and took her hand.  “I like you, too, Kit.  I’d like to spend more time with you.  Outside of my office, that is.”  He chuckled.

Kit laughed.  “That sounds good.  But there’s something I have to know first.”

“Fire away,” he replied.

“Are you married?” Kit asked.

Joseph shook his head.  “No, I’m a widower.  My wife died seven years ago of cancer.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Kit replied.  “But one other thing.  You are a man, aren’t you?”

“What?” Joseph asked, startled.

“Never mind,” Kit said, shaking her head.  “I just had to check first.”

He looked at her a moment with his eyebrows raised.

“Long story,” Kit told him.  “And trust me, you don’t wanna know.”