Kelly jumped out of bed at six thirty, threw on shorts, a tee shirt and sneakers, and was out the door in five minutes flat. Looking for a way to clear her mind and relax, she'd started running two years ago. It had become part of her life, something she still did every morning before work. When she started, she could only make it a mile before she had to stop, panting and breathless. Now her morning runs were five miles or more, and she loved every minute of it. It not only reduced the tension she'd been feeling, but also gave her a sense of power and control that nothing could match. She followed the same route every day, starting out on the street, and about three miles down the road, following a path through the woods that led back to her house.

Since she ran so early in the morning, she rarely saw a single person during the run. She enjoyed the peace and quiet of utter aloneness. Most of her life, she had been dependent upon others, even afraid to be by herself. The car crash that had claimed her parents when she was just a month old had robbed her of their loving touch forever, and since she had been old enough to understand that terrible injustice, she had clung to her loved ones for dear life, afraid that at any minute, they, too, would be taken from her.

But after high school graduation, her grandmother thought she should broaden her horizons. She urged Kelly to go to college out of state, and was thrilled when the young girl chose a small private college in Pennsylvania. At first, Kelly enjoyed the sense of power her newfound freedom brought. Then, one night just before her graduation, her life was altered in a most painful way. She would never forget that night as long as she lived, and had fought hard to free herself from the depression she'd fallen into shortly after.

She moved back to Marlow, and began seeing a psychiatrist, who helped her to realize that relying on others was not the answer. The only way to truly protect herself was to become an independent woman. Now, two years after the terrible incident, she had finally been able to accomplish just that. She had become her own person, someone she knew she was meant to be. It had only taken her a little longer than most to find her true self.

She had just reached the entrance to her woodland path when she had the strange feeling she wasn't alone. Turning quickly, she scanned the area. There wasn't a soul in sight. Still, the tingling in her stomach wouldn't go away.

"Is anyone there?" She called nervously. "Please show yourself."

No answer came. Hands on her hips, she took another look around, but nothing caught her attention. Still, her newly-found survival instincts kicked in, and she found herself running away from the path, opting to run home back along the street instead. She knew what taking chances did, and she wasn't about to risk her life again.

When she arrived home, she shut and locked the front door, then breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe she was just paranoid. Jen was probably right when she said that Kelly was way too uptight for her own good, and it wasn't healthy. But she had to be careful. If she admitted the truth to herself, she knew she'd been a little skittish since the first flower she found on her windshield. Now, fears she thought she'd been able to pack away deep down in her brain were coming to the surface, causing her to imagine people who weren't really there. She needed to calm down. It was just her overactive imagination getting the best of her. Still, before taking a quick shower, she checked all the windows and doors in her small house, making sure they were shut and locked. She wasn't taking any chances, no matter how remote they were.

The meteorologist had predicted a heat wave heading for the northeastern part of the country, and Kelly could feel the first effects when she left the house for work an hour later. The early morning had been mild and breezy, but now Kelly could feel the heat and humidity that hung in the air. The buzz of the heat bugs promised a scorcher of a day.

Kelly turned the air conditioner in her car on full blast for the ride to work. She wasn't looking forward to spending the day in the tiny, stuffy bookshop. On days like this, they had to open the few windows, turn on several fans, and hope for the best. Jen had contemplated getting a window air conditioner, but the building was old, and the landlord wasn't sure if the electric wiring would offer enough power to run the system, so they suffered through the erratic New England summers, knowing that the terribly humid days were few and far between.

They hadn't noticed the heat as much when they were kids. Marlow being a coastal town, they had their pick of beaches when the weather got to be impossible to bear. They spent the long days of summer in the cool of the ocean, soaking up the rays of the hot sun. As adults, they had responsibilities they couldn't ignore, so the beckoning ocean water would have to wait.

Marlow was a tourist town, a favorite place for vacationers from around the globe looking for good seafood in a quaint New England town. Businesses thrived in the summers with the influx of sightseers wanting souvenirs of their travels. Most of the residents of Marlow benefited greatly in one way or another from the surge in summer business, but complaints about the tourist traffic abounded. Kelly was cursing them herself this morning as she drove all through Main Street, trying in vain to find a parking place close to the bookstore.

She finally had to settle for a space in the public lot, which was about half a mile from the bookstore. She grabbed her purse off the seat next to her, and set off into the growing heat of the July morning. She was sweating by the time she approached the bakery, and the hum of the air conditioner promised a brief respite from the oppressing humidity. Taking only a second to think about it, she quickly entered the shop under the guise of bringing breakfast to Jen and Craig, Jen's part-time stock boy.

She perused the many display cases while waiting in line, knowing she should choose something healthy for breakfast. When she finally had her turn at the counter, she surprised herself by ordering a dozen donuts instead of the usual bran muffin or bagel she knew she should get. Well, Jen and Craig would be happy, even if the donuts were loaded with artery-clogging fat. Kelly would have to make sure she didn't eat more than one, or else all her running would be for naught.

She spun around to leave with her purchases, and ran straight into the customer in line behind her, knocking the bag out of his hands. It landed on the floor with a crinkle of paper, and Kelly bent down to pick it up. The person she'd bumped also bent, grabbing the package and sliding it back into his hands before Kelly could reach it. Momentarily stunned by her clumsiness, it took Kelly a few moments to regain her voice.

"I am so sorry!" She apologized, standing up from the ground. It was then that she noticed whom she had run into. Standing in front of her, a lopsided grin on his face was her former high school English teacher.

"Where's the fire, Kelly?" Collin Riley joked. Mr. Riley had been a favorite teacher of a lot of the students at Marlow High School. The boys liked his easygoing nature, while the girls admired his curly brown hair, deep, dark eyes, and strong chin.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Riley. I was in such a hurry to get to work that I guess I wasn't watching where I was going." Kelly said.

"Don't think about it for another second. I was probably standing a little too close, and didn't give you much room to turn around." He eased, immediately making her feel better about her error. "Please, you've been out of high school for seven years now. Don't you think you should drop the formality? Call me Colin."

As often as he'd said that in the years since graduation, Kelly still wasn't able to do it. Calling him by his first name seemed a bit too familiar.

"So, how have you been? I haven't seen you for a couple of weeks." He asked. During the school year he was a regular patron of Jen's store, and Kelly saw him several times each week. When summer came and school let out, he stopped in much more infrequently.

"Great. How is Mimi?" Kelly asked, referring to his wife. He had broken a lot of hearts in Marlow when he announced his engagement to Mimi Fredrickson a year ago. They made a stunning couple, and seemed to have the perfect relationship.

"We're separated." He blurted, shocking Kelly into silence. "She's living with her sister in Florida for a while."

Kelly didn't know what to say. She had thought that they were meant for each other, that their love would last forever. Now, less than a year after their fairytale wedding, it seemed that there was no hope even for them.

"I know it's probably not what you expected to hear." He explained after seeing Kelly's expression. "But we hadn't been getting along for some time now. Its for the best."

"Oh." Was all Kelly could manage. She was still stunned from the news he'd sprung on her.

"I was wondering, would you maybe want to go out for dinner some time, maybe catch up on old times?" He asked hesitantly, looking expectantly at Kelly for a reply.

"I really can't." She answered, disbelieving what she had heard. "I'm not dating right now. I'm just too busy with work this summer to go out at all."

"Oh, okay. Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me." He spoke softly, sounding dejected. She instantly felt bad for him, but she couldn't help it. There were so many reasons for her rejection, and she didn't have time to explain them all to him right now.

"I have to get to work. You know how Jen is when she's kept waiting too long." Kelly said quickly, needing to get out of the uncomfortable situation. She couldn't think of him as anything more than a teacher, and accepting a date would feel wrong.

"Sure. I'll see you later." He said cheerily, seeming to recover from her rejection quickly. As she walked by, though, he grasped her elbow with his hand, and held her a little too long. She pulled away from his touch, trying her best to keep a smile on her face, and dashed out of the bakery to the bookstore two doors down.

"Finally!" Jen laughed as Kelly burst through the door. "What took you so long?"

"You will never guess what just happened to me." Kelly cried, setting the bag of donuts on the counter. "I just ran into Mr. Riley, and he asked me out!"

"No way!" Jen squealed. "Isn't he married?"

"Separated, apparently." Kelly told her. "But still, I can't go out with someone I had as a teacher."

"Why not?" Jen questioned, surprising Kelly. "You've been out of school for seven years, and he's a hottie. I wouldn't have thought twice about spending some quality time with him."

"How can you think of him like that?" Kelly shot out, disgusted. "I could never look at him and think of anything other than the man who forced me to read Shakespeare."

"Any excuse not to date." Jen muttered, laughing to herself. "If you keep this up, Kelly, you're going to become a spinster."

"I don't care." Kelly retorted indignantly. "Besides, the way he talked to me gave me the creeps."

"Uh huh." Jen said under her breath, not believing Kelly's excuse. She'd known Kelly long enough to know when she was stalling. "One of these days, you're going to meet someone who will change your mind about men."

"And when I do, you'll be the first to know." Kelly smiled sweetly at Jen. "But I'm not going to date every bachelor in Marlow to find him."

"Good morning, Kelly." Craig Jasper called eagerly, walking into the front of the shop from the storage room in the back.

"Morning, Craig." Kelly returned the greeting sincerely. Craig was one of the nicest guys she'd ever met, and she'd be sorry to see him go when he left for college in September. Jen had hired him at the beginning of the summer at the request of her cousin, Nancy, who was Craig's girlfriend. Craig had needed a flexible job to save some money toward his upcoming college expenses, so Nancy suggested he offer Jen his services. Needing the help during the busy summer season, Jen had readily agreed. In the short time he'd been with them, he'd become irreplaceable, working extra hours, and filling in whenever one of the girls needed a day off.

On the surface, he reminded Kelly of a typical California surfer. He had golden blond hair he wore straight to his shoulders, deeply tanned skin, and a lean but muscular physique. At six foot three, he towered over both Kelly and Jen. Even though he spoke in the slang of today's American teen, Kelly knew that was just an act. He was actually quite a bit more intelligent than he was willing to admit. He had been class valedictorian, and would be attending Dartmouth College in the fall. He also had a terrific sense of humor, and made the days at work easier to bear.

"I hear you on the whole teacher thing." He told Kelly, smiling sheepishly.

"Somebody has a little crush!" Jen whispered when Craig had returned to the back room. "Why don't you ask him out?"

"No way. He's way too young for me, and he has a girlfriend who just happens to be your cousin." Kelly said. "Besides, he was just being nice. Someone has to agree with me around here."

"You sure don't know how to read the signals men send out." Jen said, and Kelly couldn't help but agree that she was impaired in that department. If she'd been able to read the signals, she might not have gotten herself into the mess she had found herself in a few years ago.

The day continued with a steady stream of customers, and when four o'clock came Kelly couldn't believe it was time to close the shop. She helped Jen with the last of the evening chores, and the two headed out the door.

"What are you up to tonight?" Kelly asked Jen, hoping for some company. She wasn't much feeling like being alone tonight.

"Michael is coming over for dinner, and he promised to spend the night. Don't know how fresh I'll be in the morning." Jen winked, a crooked smile on her face. "What about you?"

"The usual." Kelly replied softly, which Jen knew meant sitting alone at home, curled up in bed with a book.

"I don't think so." Jen said, with a sly tone to her voice. "I hate to be the one to break the news to you, Kel, but you're getting a little dull. You're twenty-five, not eighty-five, and it's time you acted like it."

"I'm happy with my life just the way it is." Kelly insisted, but Jen wasn't about to back down. She was sick of seeing her best friend in the whole world wither away before her eyes. No matter how much Kelly tried to convince her she was healed, Jen knew that she wasn't even close. At this rate, she would fully retreat into her shell in no time, and Jen wouldn't be able to do a thing to help her. She needed to give Kelly a push to get on with her life.

"No excuses tonight." Jen prodded. "Get your butt out there, and have some fun! There are plenty of places for a single, attractive girl like you to meet the man of her dreams. You'll never know unless you try."

As the two went their separate ways, Kelly thought a lot about what Jen had said. For the first time in a very long time, Kelly wondered if what Jen told her was true. Was she really wasting her life away, sitting at home by herself every night, when she should be out doing what most single girls her age were doing? She didn't feel like going crazy tonight, but it wouldn't hurt to do something out of the ordinary for once. She might even find she enjoyed it.

Before she could change her mind, she drove into the parking lot of The Diamond Room, one of the nicer local bars, where she hoped she might run into someone she knew. She took a seat at the bar and ordered a glass of white wine, sipping slowly and enjoying it thoroughly. It wasn't often that she let herself indulge like this, and she was sure going to give it all she could. She looked around the bar and dance floor for familiar faces, but found none. Suddenly, a hand on her shoulder gave her a start.

"Hey, there." Purred a deep voice from behind her. She turned her head, and found herself looking into the icy blue eyes of her former high school classmate, Tony Graves. She mentally rolled her eyes, smelling the pungent stench of alcohol on his breath.

"Hi, Tony." She said curtly, not caring to speak with him for any length of time. He had always been, and would always be, a first class jerk. He and Jake Warren had been partners in crime in high school, literally as well as figuratively. Now they were partners on the Marlow police force.

"Long time, no see, Kel." He continued. "Wanna dance?"

"No, thanks." Kelly declined politely, turning back to her drink. She thought he'd take the hint, but instead he sat down on the bar stool next to her. He signaled for the bartender, and ordered a beer.

"Fine. We'll just sit here instead." He said, giving a small shrug. He lounged against the bar, lazily sipping the beer and gazing intently at Kelly.

"You've sure gotten pretty since high school." He told her, skimming a large hand through his short brown hair. "I never expected you to look so damn good."

"Tony, I'm not in the mood for company, so if you'll excuse me..." She tried to explain, but he wouldn't have any of it.

"Sweetheart, you wouldn't have come in here all alone if you weren't looking for company."

"Why are you so sure I'm alone?" She asked, trying to keep the anger out of her voice. She didn't want to make a scene in front of all these people.

"Sweetheart, I saw you walk in and sit down all by your lonesome. You don't look like you're waiting for anybody. Come on, just one dance, that's all I want." He finished his beer, and didn't waste a beat ordering another one. He was beginning to slur his words, and his eyelids were starting to droop.

"No, Tony. I'm going to sit right here and enjoy my drink. By myself." Kelly hissed, leaning in close to be heard over the pulsating music. "And if you call me sweetheart one more time, you're going to lose a limb."

"Wow, feisty! I never knew you had it in you." He laughed. "Do you know how much that turns me on?"

Oh, hell! Kelly thought. How am I going to get out of this one?

"You know what? I'm going to go home now. We can catch up when you're sober." She told him. She got up, threw a couple of dollars on the bar to cover her drink, and took a direct path to the front door. She made a beeline for her car, dug out her keys, and unlocked the door.

"You're not leaving yet." She heard a familiar whisper behind her. She turned and found Tony standing a few feet behind her, still holding his beer. She was suddenly feeling sick to her stomach.

"How much have you had to drink tonight, Tony?" She inquired, starting to get a more than a little worried. She was in a poorly lit parking lot, alone with a man twice her size who had probably consumed enough alcohol to kill a horse. Not the best situation to get herself into. She was sure Jen hadn't had this in mind when she had told Kelly that she needed more excitement in her life.

"What are you, my mother?" Tony asked sarcastically. Kelly could see the sudden glint of rage in his eyes. "I don't need some broad telling me how much I can handle. I know my limits."

He advanced on Kelly, backing her up against the side of the car. She had to force herself not to show him she was afraid. She tried in vain to calm her wildly thumping heart. She could see Tony's rock solid muscles under the tight knit shirt he was wearing. She knew he could overpower her in an instant. She also knew he had an explosive temper, like a time bomb set to go off at the slightest disturbance. But what scared her most of all was his choice of profession, and the fact that his father was the chief of police in Marlow. Somehow, Kelly didn't think he would take her word over his beloved son if it came to that.

She lifted her hands to his chest to push him away, but it was a lost cause. Pushing against his chest was like trying to move a brick wall. She couldn't even budge him an inch. She was just about to scream, when suddenly Tony was grabbed from behind and flung to the ground next to Kelly's car. When he fell, he slammed his head into the metal of the back door so hard Kelly was afraid there'd be a dent.

"Hey man, what'd you do that for?" Tony whined at his assailant, sitting up and rubbing the back of his head. "I'm gonna have a knot on my head for a week."

Kelly tore her gaze from Tony to the man who'd saved her pride, and maybe a lot more tonight. She was surprised to see it was Jake Warren, pacing a small area near her car, and running his fingers through his thick, black hair. He looked furious.

"What were you thinking?" He yelled, giving Kelly a start. It took her a moment to realize he was talking to her.

"Me?" She yelled back. "Your partner just attacked me!"

"You knew what he was like as a kid; we all knew he'd never change; why would you come out here in this deserted parking lot alone with him at this time of the night?" Jake demanded, not able to conceal the anger in his voice.

"I didn't. I came out here to get away from him, and he followed me." Kelly answered, allowing as much hatred into her voice as she could muster. "You people make me sick! How is a woman supposed to feel safe in this town with cops like him? And you, defending him? I thought you were better than that. How anyone could call you a good cop is beyond me. Why don't you protect innocent citizens, instead of drunken detectives?"

"What do you think I was doing?" Jake snarled. "Look, I'm sorry I accused you of going with him voluntarily. I didn't know you hadn't left the bar together. All I saw was him all over you, and you trying to push him away. With his track record, I just assumed you'd invited him out here with you, and things got a little carried away."

Seeing that she was about to yell at him again, he raised his hand to stop her from speaking. She shot him a dagger-filled look, but kept quiet.

"I believe you, so don't go trying to make me into the bad guy here, okay?" He said, sounding exasperated. "Did he hurt you?"

Kelly looked down at Tony, who'd passed out on the ground by her feet. "Not physically. He just scared me. A lot."

Jake didn't know what to say. He was used to Tony's behavior, but usually it was with women who expected it rough. Sweet little Kelly Carter was obviously not his type. He looked her over, making sure she hadn't been injured. She said she was fine, but he noticed her whole body trembling. She had such a look of shattered innocence about her, and he suddenly had an unreasonable urge to pull her to him and sooth away all her fears. This feeling took him by surprise, and shook him to his very core. This was definitely the wrong time to be having such thoughts, and Kelly was definitely the wrong woman. Still, it took all his will to refrain from touching her. She intrigued him, always had. But the urge to know the real Kelly Carter was stronger now than ever, even more than he'd felt for any other woman he'd known. Why now, and why this particular woman?

The answer was simple. He had walked into a situation that could have easily turned into an assault, had he not stopped Tony when he did. Now he couldn't help but think of Kelly as a victim, and wanted to protect her from the pain he saw in her eyes. He took a step toward her, but she jerked away from his touch. He wondered what was going on inside her head. She wasn't in danger any longer, so why couldn't she seem to relax? She looked like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car, too afraid to move. He looked down at Tony, who was starting to stir. His analysis of Kelly's condition would have to wait. First, he had to get his inebriated partner a ride home. He took out his cell phone and dialed Chief Graves' home number.

"Chief, its Jake Warren." He spoke into the phone when the Chief answered. "Have a little problem with Tony over at The Diamond Room again...Yeah, he's passed out on the ground right now...okay, I'll just leave him here, you'll be able to find him easily...oh? Hold on, I'll ask her."

"Do you want to press charges?" He asked Kelly, covering the mouthpiece of the phone. She knew it wouldn't be worth the aggravation. Chief Graves would never believe it was anything more that a misunderstanding, and Tony could make her life hell if it went as far as court. She shook her head at Jake.

"No, Chief, she doesn't...okay, I'll see you in the morning." Jake hung up the phone. "Come on, I'll give you a ride home."

"No. I have my car, and I can drive myself." Kelly stated coldly, opening her car door and sliding behind the wheel. "Thank you for helping me tonight. I guess I got in a little over my head."

She slammed the door, thrust the keys into the ignition, and started the car. Then, she embarrassed herself even further by bursting into uncontrollable sobs. She sat there for what seemed like hours before she heard a rap on her window. She looked up and saw Jake standing outside the car. In his eyes, she saw the last thing she wanted right now or ever: pity. Still, she didn't say a word when he opened the door and led her out of her car, and into the passenger seat of his truck. She kept her mouth shut when he closed the door, went back to her car for her purse and keys, and then got behind the wheel of his own vehicle. She was mute as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed in the direction of her house.

When they arrived, he told her to stay where she was. He jogged around to the passenger side, and opened the door for her.

"You don't need to walk me to the door. I think I can make it from here." Kelly protested as he led her up the stone walk to the front door of her little white house.

"I want to make sure you get in okay." He explained, keeping pace with her as she walked. "I'm sure you had the scare of your life tonight."

That statement did it for Kelly. She forgot all that had happened to frighten her tonight. She looked down at her clenched fists before raising her eyes to meet his, no longer frightened, but instead very, very angry. Seeing the rage in her expression, Jake involuntarily took a step back.

"The scare of my life, huh?" She yelled at the top of her lungs, not caring if she woke any of the neighbors. "You have no idea what you're talking about. What do you think I am, some insipid twit who can't handle herself around men? Believe me, I have been through far worse than anything your drunk, idiotic friend could ever do to me, and I'm still standing. I will be fine. All I need is a few minutes to compose myself, and what happened earlier will be a distance memory."

Jake was shocked at Kelly's sudden burst of anger. One minute she was half scared out of her mind, then the next she was yelling at him like he'd been the one to attack her. He couldn't imagine what she'd been through to make her so jumpy, but from the fury in her eyes, he had to assume that it must have been pretty bad. The detective in him took over, wanting all the facts of the situation, curious as to why she behaved this way. What had caused her to react to his simple statement the way she had?

"Whoa, calm down for a minute. Something tells me this is no longer about Tony." Jake said softly. "Did something else happen that you want to tell me about?"

"Look, I told you I don't want to press charges. That's it, end of case, time to go home now." Kelly said hotly. "Back off, Warren. I don't need you butting into my personal business. If you don't mind, I need to get some sleep."

Before he could open his mouth, she slammed the door shut in his face.

"Typical woman." He muttered. "One minute they're all helpless and sweet, the next thing you know, they've turned into Medusa."

Annoyed, he climbed into his truck and sped away, leaving tire marks on the street in front of Kelly's house. Apparently Kelly had changed very much from the shy little waif he'd known in high school. Now, she was just as angry all the rest. That was something he surely didn't need any part of in this lifetime. He would be glad to put the whole incident behind him.

The man stood at the edge of the woods, waiting for a light to appear in Kelly's window. The house was completely dark and silent, as it had been two hours ago when he first arrived, expecting to catch a glimpse of his love as she arrived home from work. But she was nowhere to be found. His patience was wearing thin. Where could she be? It was unlike her to be this late. He could feel a slow burning anger building in his stomach. She had no right to do this to him. She should be here now, dressing for bed. Not out on the town, while he stood in the bug-filled trees, waiting. He was about to leave when he heard the rumble of a car engine in front of the house.

Moving silently and efficiently through the brush along the perimeter of the yard, he made his way to the side of the house where he could see her driveway. It shocked him when he watched Detective Jake Warren help her out of his truck and walk her to the door. At first, he thought he must be seeing things. Kelly didn't keep company with men, at least not men like Warren. He was too rough around the edges for such a fair lady. Was she attracted to Warren? The man didn't think so, but one could never be sure. He knew it was entirely possible that she would someday forget her fears, and date again, but when it seemed to have finally happened, he wasn't ready for it.

The man realized he didn't have as much time as he thought. If Kelly were seriously interested in the detective, he would have to work hard and fast to show her what was right. Tonight, the man knew that this was no longer a game. It had become an all-consuming quest to make the woman of his dreams see him for love of her life that he was. If he couldn't prove it to her soon, he would lose her forever. And he would be damned if a lesser man would be allowed to take his place.

"Soon, Kelly." He whispered into the night. "We will be together forever."