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in the lock, he asked, “Are you hungry? I can have the cook make us a snack if you want.”
    â€œNo, I’m too keyed up to be hungry.”
    â€œIn that case we could play tennis”
    â€œNo,” she said. “What is it with you, today? Why are you so bent on embarrassing me?” “I’m just doing my job,” he said, standing aside after he’d opened the door.
    â€œWhat are you talking about?” she asked, as he followed her into the house.
    â€œI’m observing you in order to write a song for you. Isn’t that what you wanted? Oh, look—someone’s sent me flowers,” he said, going to the vase of fresh tulips on the round table in the foyer.
    Dakota reached for the tiny envelope tucked in amid the flowers. He slipped the card out and read aloud.
    â€œHappy Birthday!
    Love, Me”
    A look of puzzlement crossed his face. “There’s obviously been some sort of mix-up. My birthday isn’t for months.”
    â€œWhat time is it?” Chelsea leaned over to smell the white tulips.
    â€œWhat time is it?”
    She nodded.
    He glanced at his watch. “Twelve-thirty, why?”
    â€œBecause as of midnight, it’s my birthday. The flowers are for me, not you.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you tell me it was your birthday? I would have ordered champagne and a birthday cake at the club to celebrate.”
    â€œMy birthday just started at midnight, somewhere on the ride home,” she said with a shrug.
    â€œSo how old are you?”
    â€œThat’s none of your business.”
    â€œSure, it is. I have to know to get the spankings right.”
    She didn’t like the look in his eyes, and began inching away. “You wouldn’t dare….”
    He pushed back his cowboy hat, smiled wickedly, and took the three long-legged steps necessary to tug her up against the lean, hard line of his body.
    â€œDakota, what… what do you think you’re doing?”
    He answered her by slowly tracing her pouty bottom lip with his thumb. “I figured since Tucker took care of the flowers, I’d take care of the birthday kiss.”
    â€œThat’s really not—” she began.
    â€œIt’s the gentlemanly thing to do,” he insisted. He winked, then added, “And you know me, I’m always a gentleman.”
    â€œDakota, please…” She giggled nervously.
    â€œAw, you don’t have to beg, precious….”
    Before she could reply, he lowered his lips to hers, which were parted in surprise.
    The kiss started as a nibble, then built.
    Chelsea could feel the beating of his heart and smell his cologne. His eyes were closed and she noticed how thick his lashes were. Her eyes were open; that was the way she went through life.
    Fleetingly, she wondered what he was thinking, then she was lost in a whirlpool of sensations that carried her into murky waters.
    â€œHappy Birthday, Chelsea,” Dakota said, his voice husky with passion.
    Then the devilment returned to his eyes. “Now, about that spanking…” he began.
    â€œOuch, woman! You’ve got to learn to stop doing that,” he exclaimed, rubbing his arm where she’d punched him.

Chapter 6
6
    D AKOTA SWORE AS HE stuck a piece of tissue on his face where he’d nicked his chin with his razor. The tissue joined three other bits, making his face look like a first grader’s art project.
    He was distracted, had been distracted, ever since Chelsea Stone had waltzed into—actually crashed was a better word—into his life.
    Six months ago she’d turned his career upside down. Now she was making him reconsider his life.
    He’d been singing about love, but he’d never felt the emotion. He wrote love songs with his head, not his heart. Was his writer’s block forcing him to think about what was missing in his life?
    All he knew was that he didn’t believe in love and he felt like a fake writing about