Much like at the fancy Beverly Hills party, Shay is a bit overwhelmed by the snooty maiter D' and the expensive menu. She feels like though her dress may belong here, she really doesn't. Gavin of course is as confident as he always is. And he compliments her like crazy, telling her she radiates like the sun and more, until she feels good enough about herself that she can meet the gaze of the haughty waiter & actually order something.

Gavin says a lot of really nice things, complimenting her hair, her eyes, her lips, her dress. Shay thinks he does it almost reflexively, that maybe he doesn't actually mean a lot of what he says. And then he lays something on her she has to take seriously, "Shay," he says, "I know this might be a bit sudden, but I think I'm falling in love with you."

And then he stops talking & draws Shay closer to him, putting his arm around her. "I...I think I'm falling in love with you, too," she admits quietly, barely able to speak at all.

But the suddeness of it is a bit disturbing: wasn't it just last night he was telling her how heartbroken he was over his last girlfriend? Does he fall in & out of love so easily? "Are you really over her?" she asks him, almost without realizing she is speaking aloud, not just posing the question to herself. "Shay, you must have some ex-boyfriends in your past that you loved once, that you don't want to talk about.....the past is the past, and what we have is now," he answers, followed by a kiss that proves his feelings for her as much as such things can be proved. And it's true what he said, Shay has had boyfriends who, when they broke up with her, so devasted her that she thought she'd never love again: none of them can hold a candle to Gavin.

As they're getting up to leave, and Shay is wondering how far this date will go tonight, he sweeps down on her, right in front of the busboy. Shay reflexively starts to struggle to be let go, but when he kisses her, it is all she can do to support herself, to keep from dropping onto the floor completely. He can make the whole world disappear just by touching her. "Take me home," she murmurs in his ear. She wants him so much, she could make love to him right on the table they just ate off of, right in front of the snooty wait staff, even.

Shay's never wanted anyone like she wants Gavin. She's had her share of lovers, and they've all had their qualities but none had ever quite lit her fire the way he does. His odd mixture of suave gentility and forthright passion is reflected even his lovemaking, both tender & forceful at the same time.

And when they're done making love & Gavin curls himself around her, Shay begins to prepare herself for the inevitable,'Baby, I've got to go,' routine. But Gavin isn't making any moves to get up, and Shay nervously asks him if he's going to stay, afraid that if she falls asleep & then wakes to find him gone, it will break her heart. If he's going to sneak out, she'd rather know ahead of time. "Is that all right?" he asks her & Shay sighs in relief, wondering how long it will take to get used to him, to always expect the unexpected from him. "Of course it's okay, Gavin," she tells him, explaining that a lot of guys just don't like staying the night. "A lot of guys are idiots, Shay," he says, chuckling a little as kisses her shoulder, "and I'm not done with you yet...as soon as the sun starts to rise, I'm going to wake you up & make love to you," he promises. Shay falls asleep dreaming about it.

NEXT