Kim blinked up at him, struggling to comprehend what he had just said. And why. No man could kiss a woman like that unless it meant something to him. Could he? From past experience, she knew that he was a great kisser, but this kiss had been different. There had been so much more emotion, so much more tenderness. Her heart had soared, convinced that he had wanted it as much as she did.

But now she didn't know.

Jerry's expression seemed to have completely closed down, and his eyes didn't meet hers. Even worse, he took several steps back, moving as far away as he could without actually walking out of the door. For a moment she was afraid he was going to actually reach for the knob, but instead he leaned against the door and shoved his hands into his pockets. His attention was inordinately focused on the tips of his shoes.

Kim opened her mouth to speak, not sure where to go with the conversation. Jerry was obviously distressed, and that bothered her more than the fact that he had broken off the kiss. She didn't realize how much she had come to depend on his ability to see the bright side of most situations. And she was thoroughly unprepared for how his dejected uncertainty would affect her.

"Jerry," she managed in a soft voice, "Why did you kiss me?"

Jerry looked up at her, his brown eyes stormy. "Because I thought you wanted me to."

Kim took in a breath and blew it out. It was no surprise that he thought that she'd wanted him to. She'd wanted nothing else more in the moment before he whispered her name and touched his lips to hers. But there was another question that begged to be asked.

"Why did you stop?"

Something changed in his eyes as he considered the answer to that question. A bemused smile lit his face. He shrugged slightly. "Because I thought you wanted me to."

"Talk about mixed signals." She smiled at him, feeling a flutter in her heart when he returned it brilliantly. "What exactly in the way I was practically throwing myself at you made you think that I wanted you to stop?" she continued. "Because I really need to work on that."

Jerry stood away from the door, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "And the signals thing," he said, taking both her hands and linking his fingers through them. Then, he leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips.

It was probably meant to be a quick little kiss, but something changed at the moment of contact and it grew into something more. Soon his hands had released hers and wound their way up to her neck and back.

The rocket ride started all over again. Everywhere they touched seemed to cause sparks and dizzying sensations. But on an emotion level it was so much more. Something deep and warm and unfathomable welled up inside of Kim. She didn't know if Jerry could feel it too, but it seemed as if she was consumed by it. It spread through every part of her being, touched her soul, made her feel complete. She didn't try to give it a name. She just knew that it was.

This time when they broke the kiss, Jerry simply wrapped his arms around her and drew her into a hug. They stood that way for a long moment, neither speaking, both understanding the need to just be there in one another's arms.

When Jerry pulled back from their embrace, he looked down at the woman before him. She was beautiful. Not only because of her lovely features, but because she was looking at him with an expression that he had given up hope of seeing in her eyes. She no longer looked at him as 'just a friend'. He wanted to tell her that he loved her right then and there, but he didn't want to rush her. He had gone too fast before. He didn't want to make that mistake again. So instead he said the words that it almost killed him to say.

"I should go."

"You don't have to, you know." Neither of them made any move to break their loose embrace. She chewed at her lower lip, nearly sending his resolve out of the window.

"I know," he answered. "But I should." His tone was hardly convincing, and she would have to have been blind and deaf not to notice that he was becoming distracted by the thought of kissing her again.

He gave in, needing to taste her just once more. Or so he thought. Once they started, neither wanted to end it. The wonder of holding her and being so close was almost overwhelming on several levels. Jerry forced himself to pull away. He was losing it.

"Let me cook for you tomorrow," he said. "Or at least order in something fancy and suitably impressive that you'll think that I'm better than that Emeril guy."

Kim chuckled at him. "I'd love to. You have no idea how much I'd love to. But I have to take a rain check. I have this dinner thing with my family tomorrow. It's going to be a most of the day affair."

"Oh." Jerry tried not to be too disappointed. "Maybe we could do something during the week."

"Or you could just come with me," Kim suggested. "You've paraded me in front of your family. Now I say that it's my turn."

"Will big brother be there?" Jerry asked warily.

"'Fraid so," Kim replied with a teasing look.

Jerry groaned good-naturedly. "Do you think maybe by the time we get around to our silver anniversary he'll warm up to me?"

"That might be pushing it. He's got a pretty long memory."

"Great. I'm doomed." Jerry leaned in and gave her another long kiss before bidding her goodnight.