"I'm not giving up on you."

Charlotte's eyes flew wide as LoriSue appeared behind her husband, her blond brows knit in a frown. There was nothing she could do to prevent it from happening…

"Ten at the Creekside. See you there, babe."

Then Jimmy turned, knocking the plate of food into his wife's enhanced chest.:

"You are such a complete weasel, Jimmy." LoriSue's eyes lanced Charlotte through the clear plastic of the window. "And you-nice. Real nice." Then she turned and stomped off.

As Charlotte raced out the back door of the concession stand to catch her, Ned shouted, "Stay clear of those fingernails!"

Charlotte was panting by the time she reached LoriSue, already unlocking her BMW with the chirpf chirp! of her automatic door opener. "Please wait! Just a second!" LoriSue looked over her shoulder, her face pulled tight with anger.

"Look, I swear there is nothing going on with-"

"Oh Lord, I know that," she snapped. "And I'm sorry for implying there was." She shook her head. "It's all him. He does it all the time. I know it's not you."

Charlotte slowly approached, touching LoriSue's arm. "I'm not going to meet him."

She gave a stiff nod. "I know."

"I never have and I never will."

LoriSue laughed. "Well, I guess that makes you a boatload smarter than me, doesn't it?"

"I'm sorry, LoriSue."

She sighed heavily, picking chili off the front of her white silk wrap blouse. "Me, too." Then she straightened her shoulders. "You know, I've been thinking. He can just have the damn house. I mean, I can find another one for God's sake-it's my job!"

Charlotte smiled.

"I can't live like this anymore. The asshole can have it-it's just bricks and wood. I need to get on with my life."

Charlotte patted her arm. "Sounds like a good plan."

LoriSue suddenly brightened. "In fact, I think I've already started getting on with my life."

Charlotte was happy for her, happy to see her doing something positive, taking charge. "That's great! What have you done?"

LoriSue locked her gaze with Charlotte's and shook out her liltrablond tresses. "Made up my mind to go after Joe Mills, of course."

The next afternoon, Charlotte sat at the kitchen table in the sunlight and scraped away at what was left of the half gallon of French vanilla. Under Hoover's watchful eye, she slipped a spoonful of the cold, sweet comfort between her lips and wondered how she could possibly compete with LoriSue, the tight-skirt queen of Minton, Ohio.

But if LoriSue was going after Joe, there was no way she could just sit back and watch it happen.

Right?

She needed one more Joe-related encounter, that's all. And she refused to let LoriSue Bettmyer stand in her way.

Charlotte took inventory of what she was up against. She had bare, short nails, and LoriSue had sexy long red ones. She hardly ever wore anything but jeans or shorts, and LoriSue dressed like Fuck-Me Barbie. She kept her racy thoughts locked away in her nightstand, and LoriSue just went out into the world and said what was on her mind and strutted her stuff like a liberated, modern woman.

Charlotte downed another spoonful, trying to ignore how Hoover's eyes tracked every hand-to-mouth movement. He sat at her knee, licking his chops and drooling, and Charlotte couldn't help but wonder if that's how she'd appeared to Joe Mills the other night in the driveway. For the first time ever, Charlotte truly empathized with her dog.

"Aren't we a pair, Hoov?" She set the carton down on the kitchen floor and let the dog lick away the dregs. She stared out the window arid wondered what excuse she could possibly have to go over there and talk to Joe again, only this time sporting a pretty dress and dry hair?

She let her mind and gaze wander until she suddenly saw what was right in front of her-the window. She'd go over and inquire about the broken window! She wouldn't even have to make up a reason to see him! And she'd wear something simple but lovely and she'd.shave her legs and put on some mascara and she'd call this a do-over.

She had exactly three hours before she had to go pick up the kids, plenty of time to shower and dress and get over there with a couple hours to spare. She already knew what the two of them could do with two hours.

Charlotte used the blow-dryer and a round brush to put bounce in her hair. She dabbed on a bit of blush and a flattering pale pink lipstick. She selected a slinky spaghetti strap sundress in a buttery yellow that she'd worn to a 1 banquet with Kurt a couple years before. She found the matching sandals in their original shoe box at the back of the closet. She didn't have time to polish her toes, but if all went as planned, Joe wouldn't be studying her feet.

She took a flirty turn in the mirror and liked what she saw. And she told herself that win or lose, at least she was giving it her best shot.

Charlotte walked downstairs, holding her head high, and exited from the front door. She could hardly believe that she soon might be tasting the one thing she'd been starving for all these years. And by God, she deserved it She deserved one more taste. She was a good woman who followed all the rules. She deserved one more taste of Joe Mills.

She headed down the driveway, aware of the sexy click of her heels as she went.

In fact, maybe that's all she needed-just one more taste. Maybe that would be enough to get him out of her system forever. Then the two of them could go on as neighbors. Normal, friendly neighbors.

She practiced rolling her hips as she walked.

God, how she wanted her slice of Joe. She couldn't wait to sink her teeth into that big serving of melt-in-your-mouth man-

Charlotte stopped dead in her tracks. LoriSue was leaving Joe's house, calmly making her way down the stone sidewalk.

"My God. I don't think I've ever seen you in a dress." LoriSue looked Charlotte up and down. "Where are you headed?"

Charlotte's mind went numb.

"Charlotte?"

"Just back from a new client interview." Charlotte realized her answer was a bit rushed and loud, but it was the closest to normal she could do. Then she added, "And you?"

LoriSue smiled and rubbed a hand on her throat "Just bringing Joe another one of those welcome-to-the-neighborhood gifts I mentioned."

Charlotte stopped breathing.

LoriSue sighed dreamily. "So where you headed now?"

"Hoover escaped again."

LoriSue laughed. "I don't know why people have dogs. Well, good luck. Talk to you later." She got into her BMW and pulled away.

Charlotte went home to change her clothes. She couldn't get out of that ridiculous outfit fast enough.

"I have to breathe or I'll turn blue and die," Justin pointed out

"Then breathe in silence, like a ninja "

Justin closed his eyes and focused on the movement of air into his nose and out through his mouth. "How was that?" he asked.

"I can still hear you breathing."

Justin frowned and looked at the dog in the pine needles between them. Hoover was now scratching and licking his hindquarters, his license tags tinkling, making enough noise to blow their cover.

"Well, at least I don't lick myself," Justin said.

The boys snickered for a few moments, then. Matt flinched and held up his palm. "Shhh. Here he comes again! Give me the camera!"

Justin traded the Techno-Spy camera for the binoculars as they both watched the subject step out onto his porch, look left and right, grab the basket, then shut the door.

"That's the fourth delivery this week," Justin said.

"Do you think they're top-secret communiques?" Matt asked.

"Looked more like pretzels to me."