"Five years and that's all you have to say to me?" he asked. Standing so close she could taste his breath.

She wanted to move away from him. But she didn't want him to know just how much he affected her. So she stood right there. She wasn't going to let him intimidate her.


"Well... Is there anything else you want me to say?" she asked 

The side of his mouth moved upwards.

He was smiling? Why the hell was he smiling like that? She thought. She didn't remember saying anything funny.

"You left... Kitty" he said. "I asked you to stay... Begged you to stay... And you left anyways.. With him. And now you come back... Acting like everything is okay between us...?"

There was something about him... She thought. Something about the way he called her 'Kitty' that made her heart flip. He was the only one who called her that. She hadn't even realized how much she missed him calling her that. 

"You shouldn't have gone with him". He said. 

"Oh really? Why not? Because you didn't want me to?" she asked. She was starting to get angry. 

"Yeah that's right" he replied. "And because of what you felt for me -what we felt for each other. When I came near you, you felt an excitement so intense that you ceased to breathe --like you are feeling right now. You wanted me just as much as I wanted you. And that should have been enough to make you stay"

ALWAYS BEEN YOU 

"Penny is going to have a baby" Audrey blurted out suddenly. "Jeremy's baby... Of course" 


Joey swung around. He looked suddenly furious. 


"Then he'd better marry her quickly" he said. 


"Penny hoped that a home life would teach Jeremy not to be so afraid of being tied down" Audrey said flatly. "I'm afraid she hasn't succeeded. Obviously the man isn't even ready to settle" 


Joey gripped his sister's arm. She felt his fingers biting into her flesh. 


"You mean he won't marry her?" he asked incredulously. 


Audrey released her arm from his grip. "I don't know Joey" she said. Penny hasn't told him yet. She was going to tell him tonight. I hope that's what she's telling him right now because if she doesn't I will " 


Joey sat down heavily in the nearest chair and thought about Penny. He hadn't known the woman for long, and yet he felt so strongly about her. He wanted her to be happy, even if it wasn't with him, and he wanted to protect her from any kind of hurt. 


Chapter Two Hundred and Thirteen