Warning: Extremely mild adult situation.

"So? How did you like it?"

Nancy looked into Ned's eyes as soon as she had finished putting on her gloves. "I don't know," she said honestly. "I liked most of it. But that scene near the end..."

"Just before she walked out? Yeah. That bugged me too."

The sky was fluffy pale gray and glaring overhead, and another dusting of snow was starting to fall. According to the last weather report Nancy had seen, the next storm wouldn't start until after midnight, but it was expected to be awful. Nancy adjusted her scarf before they walked out of the theater and toward Ned's car, and he reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Nancy and Ned had been dating for just over a month, and the weekend before, he had asked if they could be exclusive. She had nodded and smiled, unable to tell him the truth: she hadn't dated anyone else since they had met, and she didn't intend to. No other guy had asked her out in months, and she hadn't really cared about that. Not until she had met Ned.

For her, one thing was always constant: she didn't want to say goodnight to him. She loved spending time with him. So when she slid into the passenger seat of his car after he opened it for her, and he went around to the driver's side, and they shivered as they waited for the heater to kick in, she turned to him. It was still early, and she didn't want to go home yet. "Want to get some hot chocolate?" she suggested.

"We could," he replied, his teeth chattering a little. "But then we'd have to go out in that again. Man, it's too cold. Why don't you come over to my house? We have hot chocolate mix, and milk, and marshmallows. I think my parents are going to be in Chicago for a few more hours...?"

He raised his eyebrows, and when she took a breath and nodded, he grinned. That look of happiness set off an answering warmth that spread through her belly. So he didn't want to say goodnight so soon either. She was glad.

They talked about the movie on the way to Mapleton. His car radio was tuned to a station playing Christmas carols, but he had turned it down so low that she only heard the occasional chorus of voices or jingling of bells between their comments. It would have been easier for him to just take her back home, but she was happy to spend another hour or two with him before he took her back to her father's house. Then the internal clock would start over again, the one counting the minutes until their next date. She hated that feeling.

She hadn't been to Ned's house since before Thanksgiving, and his family had been hard at work decorating for Christmas since then. Evergreen wreaths sporting cherry-red velvet bows hung on the front door and the posts at the end of the driveway. Candle ornaments flickered in every window. Two miniature Christmas trees, decked with twinkling lights and red berries, stood on either side of the front door. A smiling stuffed snowman and a scaled-down Santa figure stood on the front porch too, and the two posts were strung with lit garland. The sky was already so dark that all the dusk-tripped lights were on.

Ned quickly keyed into the house, and after they had stamped the snow off their boots, they hurried inside. Nancy was shivering in her insulated winter coat, her arms wrapped around her belly, but she still couldn't help looking around. The stair railing was decorated with garland too, and a miniature Christmas village had been set up in the hallway. The house smelled like warmth and pine, and Nancy realized why when she glanced into the living room. A large, real pine tree stood there, and she gasped when Ned plugged in the lights. It was beautiful.

"Christmas is Mom's favorite," Ned told her. "In fact, they're in Chicago to see the Nutcracker. They go pretty much every year."

"You didn't want to go?"

"Well, after the first five times..." He shrugged and smiled. "Besides, I don't know if we've reached a place in our relationship that I can ask you to go see the Nutcracker with my family, with a straight face."

She giggled. "Maybe next year."

"Maybe. Here, let me take your coat."

He really was the perfect gentleman, Nancy thought as he helped her take her coat off, and took her gloves, scarf, and hat too. When she looked into his handsome face, she was still a little awestruck. He was so incredibly gorgeous and sweet and kind, and he genuinely wanted to spend time with her. It still felt a little unreal.

"So, how do you like yours? A lot of marshmallows, a few?"

"Mmm. In between, I guess," Nancy said, following him into the kitchen. He gestured for her to take a seat at the bar while he poured the milk into the mugs. "So your dad took your mom to the ballet?"

"Yeah." Ned shrugged, like it was no big deal, but to Nancy it was. The few times she had met Ned's parents, they had seemed very sweet and nice, and very much in love with each other. She was curious about it, even though she tried to pretend it wasn't unfamiliar to her. "I mean, they do stuff for each other like that. She goes with him to Bears games sometimes. He takes her to art museums."

"That's neat," Nancy said, trying to keep her tone casual.

"Is there anywhere you'd like to go, Nan?"

The way he said it, and the expression in his eyes when he glanced at her, made Nancy blush a little. If his parents went on dates with each other all the time... "I'm pretty curious," she said.

"I hadn't noticed," he teased her, deadpan.

She wrinkled her nose at him, but she was smiling. "I love learning about new things, so history and art and culture are all neat. Ballet... well, I did some ballet when I was younger, and I do like to watch it sometimes, but I wouldn't ask you to take me if you didn't like it."

Ned pulled the first mug out of the microwave and stirred hot chocolate mix into the warmed milk, then arranged a layer of mini marshmallows over the top. "Football? Basketball?"

"I'd have to say that I'd be a lot more interested in watching if you were on the team playing."

Ned chuckled. "I just might take you up on that, Nan."

She loved it when he called her by a nickname. "Thanks," she murmured, when he handed her the mug.

"Hope you like it."

They ended up in the den, and even though they turned on the television and Ned scrolled through until he found a holiday TV movie, they weren't really paying attention to it. They kept talking about the movie they had seen that afternoon, about their plans over the break, about possible dates.

They were so engrossed, and working on their second mugs of hot chocolate, that they were both startled when the telephone rang. Nancy glanced toward the window, guiltily. She was sure Hannah and her father were wondering what had kept her; it was already dark outside. Still, she didn't want to leave just yet.

"Nickerson residence... oh, hi... yeah, I'm fine. Everything's okay... okay, I will. Stay safe, okay? ... Love you too. Bye."

As soon as he hung up the phone, Ned rose and crossed to the window, then whistled softly. "Mom wasn't joking. Wow."

Nancy gasped in dismay when she peered through the blinds. The predicted snowstorm had arrived early. The air outside was thick with a dizzying onslaught of white flakes. She couldn't see anything past a few feet.

"They're staying in Chicago tonight. Mom didn't want Dad on the road in this. I—Nan, I'm sorry, I thought this wasn't supposed to happen until later."

Nancy's eyes widened as she realized what he wasn't quite saying, but she understood. Ned couldn't drive her home in the storm; they would almost certainly have an accident on the way to River Heights. It would be safer for her to stay until the snow had tapered off, although according to the weather forecast, she thought it was supposed to be hours.

"I thought the same thing," she reassured him. "Well, let me call home. I'm sure they're worried about me."

Hannah answered Nancy's call, and as soon as she heard her voice, Hannah sighed in relief. "I'm so glad you're safe, honey. I was just looking for the Nickersons' phone number in case they knew where you were. Are you doing okay?"

"Yeah, Ned and I were watching a movie at his house and we didn't realize the storm had started," Nancy said. "And since he drove me..."

"Your father would come pick you up if you asked, but I'm afraid he might have an accident if he goes out in this. Would it be too much trouble to ask Mrs. Nickerson if you might stay there tonight? I just don't want either of you getting hurt."

Nancy glanced over at Ned, her cheeks beginning to flush again. "I'll ask, but I don't think that would be a problem," she managed to say. "If it gets better soon maybe we'll try to come back, but if not, maybe in the morning?"

"That sounds good. Stay safe and warm, honey. Call us if you need anything."

Nancy hung up the phone slowly, still feeling a little dazed. "Uh... would it be a problem for me to stay here?"

Ned shook his head immediately. "Of course not. You're welcome to. There's a spare room upstairs, and I can loan you some clothes to sleep in..."

Her eyebrows went up. She couldn't quite believe it. They were actually talking about her sleeping over at Ned's house. Her boyfriend's house. Alone with him. She knew that she should have told Hannah that Ned's parents weren't home, but—well, Hannah and her father didn't need to know that. It wasn't like Ned would take advantage of her. "Okay," she said.

"I really am sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. Although... it's not the end of the world," he said, almost tentatively. "At least this way I know you're safe."

Her heart was warmed, and she smiled at him. "And I know you are."

He stood. "Let me grab some firewood, and then maybe we can figure out dinner. We had lasagna last night, and I think we have enough left over for both of us. And garlic toast, if we're lucky."

Ned made a few trips and brought in plenty of firewood, and Nancy went to the kitchen and found the leftover lasagna and frozen garlic bread. As they set the table and sat down to eat, she could hear what she hadn't before: the wind blowing icy snow against the windows and sides of the house.

"So, a nice romantic dinner," Ned said with a smile. "My mom's lasagna is great, by the way. Of course, I love everything she makes. I'd offer you some of the chocolate cake she made a few days ago, but..."

"It's gone now?"

Ned nodded, tearing his slice of garlic toast in half. "Seriously, people at Dad's work bribe him to bring them some. Mom loves it."

Nancy tasted her first bite thoughtfully, then met Ned's eyes. "This is really good," she remarked. "Hannah's is really great too, but I really like this."

Ned beamed with pride. "I'll be sure to tell her."

Nancy smiled at him, and they ate for a few minutes in companionable silence. Then Ned glanced up at her again.

"I'm glad you're here with me."

"Me too," she replied, after she swallowed her bite of lasagna. "I love hanging out with you, and the worst part is always when it's over."

"I feel the same way. I feel like... like I could never be tired of talking to you."

Nancy nodded. "You're just... really cool. I have so much fun when we're together, even when it's something like this afternoon."

Ned ducked his head, then glanced up at her again. "I'm always afraid that what we do on dates isn't exciting to you."

Nancy shook her head, her eyes wide. "No, not at all—I mean—I mean I love it. We don't need to do something exciting all the time. I go shopping with Bess, I play tennis and work out with George, and it's not just based on cases. Not that I don't love when you help me with cases, too."

"If you say so."

"Ned..." She waited until he met her eyes again. "I do mean it. I... well, I haven't dated very many guys, and all the time I've spent with you..." She sighed, unsure of how to say it. "You're different," she said, finally. "It was like... from the first time I saw you, it was like something clicked for me. It's a really great feeling. I just can't get enough of it."

His smile became a grin. "I feel that way too," he admitted. "It's never been like this for me either. And I hate that we didn't meet until now. But at least we'll have the summer before I go away to college."

She nodded, her heart skipping a beat. So he didn't just see this as some brief fling or casual romance, if he was already thinking about the summer. That same warmth she felt whenever they touched or their gazes met spread through her. "We can go to the lake, or maybe plan a vacation together, if I'm asked to take a case somewhere."

He nodded. "I'd love that."

They finished up their dinner and Ned loaded their plates into the dishwasher; he wouldn't let her do any of it. "Mmm—take a look inside that jar," he told her, pointing at a cookie jar on the island. "I know Mom said something about making monster cookies today..."

Before they returned to the couch, Ned built up the fire and left a cluster of candles on the mantel above it, placing a flashlight beside the lamp. "You never know," he pointed out. "I can't believe how hard it's coming down."

Nancy nodded, casting a worried glance at the window. "But at least we're safe and warm in here," she murmured. "I just hope the power holds out."

"We can see if another movie's on," he suggested.

They shared his mother's cookies and watched another movie, and when she shivered once he draped a blanket over them and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She leaned against him, and even as they watched the television and commented on it, she felt hyper-aware of him. The warmth of his body, the smell of him, of something woodsy and a little musky. She was also very aware of how alone they were, and that their parents wouldn't be interrupting them, so there was no reason to stay at least a foot apart at all times.

With any other guy, she would have felt at least a little nervous. With him, she didn't—or, at least, she wasn't nervous about him trying anything. They had kissed a few times, but those kisses were generally on the front porch of her house, at the end of their dates, when there was no possible way for him to take anything further.

She knew what happened sometimes, when couples were alone with each other. Her father had told her about it. But it seemed like there was so much beyond it, so much she didn't really understand, about how people in relationships behaved. She just never wanted to ruin this.

Ned had just taken a breath, and it sounded like he was about to say something, when the lights flickered once. Her eyes were wide when she glanced at him, and he looked startled too.

"Well. Now's as good a time as any to light the candles," he pointed out. "Can't hurt."

Neither of them was really surprised when, a couple of minutes later, the lights flickered again and finally went out. By then the mantel was crowded with lit candles, and the fireplace was blazing. The dancing flames cast strange shadows on the wall, and the house was so eerily quiet with the television abruptly off. The wind was still howling outside, pelting icy snow against the windows.

"Glad it held out long enough for us to eat dinner," Ned said.

"Me too. Might be time to put on some more layers."

Ned started. "Oh! I'll be right back. Wait here, okay?"

Nancy nodded and took a seat on the couch. The firelight was hypnotic, and as dark as the house was, as limited as their entertainment options were, she couldn't imagine going to sleep just yet. The lights might come back on soon, or it might be morning; there was no way to know.

Ned returned with his arms full of clothes. "Okay, I have a t-shirt, a pair of drawstring shorts, and some sweats. And socks. I don't know if your feet get cold..."

"They do. Thanks." Nancy smiled as he handed her his clothes. "I guess I should go ahead and change, before I'm too cold to do it. Um... the powder room?"

He directed her to it. "Here, take a candle. And I'll bring you some toothpaste so you can brush your teeth before bed, too."

She smiled again. "Do you want to put on your pajamas too? That way we can both be warm."

Ned paused, and for a moment she thought he might be blushing. Then he smiled. "Sure. And I'll find a few more blankets, too."

She liked wearing his clothes, she decided, although they were easily two sizes too big for her. She had to roll up the cuffs of his sweatpants and draw the string tightly in the waistband, so tight that the fabric bunched on itself. She padded into the hallway, one bare hand tucked beneath the sweatshirt to keep it warm, the other holding the candle. She could hear Ned's footsteps on the stairs, and then he came into view, wearing a Mapleton High sweatshirt and sweatpants. She thought he looked adorable.

Ned had also found a battery-powered radio, so they could listen to storm updates and Christmas music. He suggested roasting marshmallows, and together they stumbled around the dark, candle-lit kitchen looking for the marshmallows and skewers. Nancy found a handful of miniature candy bars left over from Halloween, and they made messy, sticky s'mores with graham crackers, and Nancy couldn't help grinning whenever Ned found some excuse to touch her. Whenever their hands brushed, when he used his thumb to wipe a smear of chocolate from her cheek, she glowed from the contact.

"Never have I ever?" she suggested, raising her eyebrows. The room was starting to get cold, so after they washed their hands and put away their marshmallow-roasting supplies, they had wrapped themselves in quilts and sat down on the couch.

"Never have I ever for things we want to do," he replied.

"Okay. So, never have I ever... gone skydiving. I really want to, though. It sounds like it would be so much fun."

"Why am I not surprised by that?" Ned commented with a grin. "I've never done that either, but I think I'd like to. Sounds like a fun date idea."

She giggled. "Your turn."

"Never have I ever... been to a concert. A real concert," he hastened to add.

"Really?"

He nodded. "Between sports and scouts and everything, it's just never worked out. I'd love to, though."

"I've been to a few. Mostly because Bess begged her parents to buy her tickets to see some really popular bands. Six months later, she was always into something else. But the concerts are fun."

They went back and forth that way for a while, and Ned turned off the radio to save the batteries; they had both given up on the power coming back on. Nancy felt like she could stay awake all night. She couldn't bear to waste a minute of this, of all this time with him. The longer she was around him, the less she wanted to leave. She dreaded the morning, the passing of the storm, knowing that he or his parents would offer to give her a ride back home and she wouldn't be allowed to just ask if she could move in.

Her body had turned traitor, though. After her second big yawn, Ned glanced at the fire. "I know I said you could stay in the guest room, but it'll be cold upstairs. This is probably the warmest place in the house, with the fire going. The couch turns into a bed. You should sleep here."

Nancy's heart fell a little. Even though she was exhausted, she didn't want to say goodnight just yet—and she didn't like the idea of sleeping so far away from him, even though she had no idea why. It wasn't as though she had even planned on sleeping at his house that night. "Where are you going to sleep?"

"Upstairs. I'll be fine, seriously. I get hot when I sleep. I actually—well, generally I sleep in my underwear."

Nancy blushed, then, and realized where his mind must have gone when she had suggested he put on his pajamas. "Oh. I... well, I don't want you to be cold tonight, and it's your house, and... why don't you sleep here, and I can just sleep on the loveseat."

He shrugged and shook his head. "I can't ask you to do that. You're a guest and you should be comfortable. And the sleeper sofa isn't super-awesome, but at least it's better than sleeping on the couch."

"I'll be fine," she parroted back to him, and they both laughed.

"Here. Let me pull it out and make it up for you."

She helped him make the sofa bed with clean sheets, and they piled on half the quilts and blankets Ned had found. The fire was dying down some, so Ned added another couple of logs and put up the screen in case it threw sparks.

"Is it bad if I say I just don't want to go to sleep yet? I mean... are you really tired?"

He shook his head. "No, but you are," he pointed out. "I don't want to miss a minute of being with you, but I think you'll be out in five minutes."

She sighed. "I think it was your turn on our game," she pointed out, and moved under the covers, her teeth chattering a little as she pulled them up to her chin.

"Never have I ever... taken Nancy Drew to the prom."

She raised her eyebrows, suddenly glad she was entirely covered by the blankets and he couldn't see her. She had a feeling that if she had been standing, her knees would have buckled. "And I've never been escorted by Ned Nickerson," she said, once she found her voice again. "Are you... asking me to prom?"

He nodded.

She grinned. "That would be so much fun," she told him. "Will you come to my prom with me too?"

"Of course I will." When her teeth chattered, he tilted his head slightly. "Still cold?"

She paused, then nodded. "I'm sure I'll warm up..."

"Here," he said, pulling back the covers a little; then he glanced at her and raised his eyebrows. She nodded, although her heart was in her throat, and he slid under the covers. He reached for her hands and took them in his, sandwiching them between his large warm palms. She didn't know how many times they had ever touched, but she was warmed by his concern. Something about this just seemed so intimate.

Well, of course it was. They were sharing a bed. As she realized it, a blush rose in her cheeks.

"Have you been to prom before?"

"No," she admitted. "I was going to go last year—a senior asked me, and he was... well, he had a crush on me, and Bess said I would be stupid not to say yes. So I bought the dress and everything, but, uh, on prom night..."

"A mystery came up," Ned filled in when she trailed off.

"Yeah. I mean, a part of me was relieved, but I felt bad for ditching him... but that won't happen this time," she rushed to reassure him.

"As long as you promise me that if it does, we'll be together fighting crime, instead of me waiting on your dad's porch with a corsage and a frown on my face."

He gave her an exaggerated pout, and she smiled. "Deal."

Ned sighed. "Good. Mom asked me, that first night you came over and met them, if we'd be going to prom together. She just loves all that. Taking pictures on the staircase, and I mean dozens..."

Nancy smiled again, but she sniffled, and Ned rubbed her upper arm. "You okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I just... sometimes I just miss my mom," she murmured, trying to keep her tone even and unemotional, but it cracked a little at the end anyway. "Your mom's great. I can't help wondering if mine was like her."

"I'm sure she was. She must have been awesome, because her daughter's amazing."

"I've already said yes to prom. You can turn off the flattery," she said with a smile.

"It's not. Not at all, because it's true. You are amazing, Nan. There's no one in the world like you. I want to be around you all the time."

She searched his dark eyes, the warmth and firelight reflected there, and her heart skipped a beat again. She was feeling that—that thing she had no words for, that thing like a faint vibration in the center of her chest, that feeling that he was going to kiss her. His gaze dropped to her lips and she knew he wanted to.

"You've been to prom," she said, without meaning to say anything, but she felt both disappointed and relieved when the moment passed. Just the idea of him kissing her while they were like this felt scary, even though she couldn't deny that a part of her wanted it.

He nodded. "It's nice. But I'm more excited about sharing it with you. And not only one, but two proms. Mom will be beside herself. She really likes you. Dad does too."

Nancy smiled. "And I like them too," she said. "You know, when you came over to dinner that first time... Dad made this joke about..."

"About what?" he prompted her, when she blushed and looked away.

"He just said something like he'd bet that one day you might... oh, it's nothing. Really. I wish I hadn't said anything."

"Well, now you have to tell me," Ned said with a smile. "I'm curious. And I want your dad to like me."

"He does. He just basically said that you seemed to be more serious about me than anyone else I'd gone out with." She left out the rest of it, her father's joke that he'd bet on Ned giving her a diamond one day. She had scoffed at him, and even now she hadn't been sure if her father had been serious, but after that he had taken to calling Ned "your young man."

"I'd hope so," Ned replied. "I know it's still early, that sometimes this feeling doesn't last forever... but I can't imagine ever being bored with you, that we would ever run out of things to say and do together. It's pretty awesome."

She murmured her agreement, gazing into his eyes, and when she shivered again, Ned slid his arm around her and pulled her close. He was so warm, and she cuddled against him happily, burying her face against his sweatshirt. "Mmm. You smell nice," she murmured, although the end of it was swallowed by a yawn.

He chuckled. "You smell nice too, Nan. Shh. Go to sleep."

"I don't want to," she whispered.

"Me either," he admitted, and her heart beat painfully hard when he dropped a kiss on the crown of her head. "Shh."

She didn't want to fall asleep. She didn't. But she shivered a little with happiness when she remembered that he had asked her to prom. She would finally be going with someone she cared about, and she was sure they would have a good time. Bess would probably insist that they start prom dress shopping as soon as possible, and she would need to have her hair done... assuming, as she had told Ned, that they actually would make it to prom instead of being sidelined by some mystery...

But she would hate to miss it. The whole ritual of going to prom, posing for pictures with her date and her friends, dancing and laughing and having a good time. She did wish her mother was still around to see it, but she had often comforted herself with the idea that her mother was aware of her life somehow.

And Ned... Ned in a tuxedo on her father's front porch.

She fell asleep with that image in her head, Ned's arm wrapped around her and his warm body pressed against hers. Her sleep was deep and dreamless, and she was roused from it when the bed shifted. "Mmm?" she murmured, slowly opening her eyes.

"Shh. Go back to sleep," Ned murmured, tossing something to the side. He was sitting up beside her, and then he moved back under the blankets, reaching for her. She realized what he had been doing when she cuddled against him again; he had taken off the sweatsuit. He was wearing shorts and a thin shirt, but the cocoon of blankets around them was so warm...

Nancy released a quiet groan and shifted onto her back, sliding the sweatpants down and stripping off the socks. She had put on all the layers he had offered her, so she was still wearing his shorts, although they felt almost hilariously loose on her. Then she moved back into his arms with a little sigh.

"Told you," he murmured, and she chuckled.

In the morning, the fire had gone out, but the power had been restored. Nancy realized it when she slowly opened her eyes and saw the ceiling light. "Mmm," she murmured.

"Morning, beautiful," Ned murmured.

When she glanced over at him, a fleeting image came back to her, from some mostly-forgotten dream she'd had the night before: of Ned beside her in a pure-white bed, shirtless, and the two of them sleeping peacefully in each other's arms. She had somehow known they were married, in the dream.

"You okay?" Ned asked, stifling a yawn. "Did you sleep okay?"

She nodded, feeling a blush she definitely couldn't explain rising in her cheeks. "Thanks for keeping me warm," she murmured.

He grinned. "Anytime. Let me see what we have for breakfast..."

Ned made pancakes—he told her with some pride that it was one of the few things he could do well in the kitchen, other than reheating his mom's dishes—and they sat down at the breakfast bar with the news playing on the nearby television, almost like they were preparing for his parents to come home. When the phone rang as Ned was mid-bite, his fork in the air, Nancy already knew that was who it would be. She liked Ned's parents and wanted them to like her, and she wondered how mad they would be if they found out how she and Ned had spent the night.

Ned returned to his stool and gave her a smile. "They'll be leaving after breakfast, so they'll be back soon. The roads are still pretty bad, but it's easier in daylight."

Nancy nodded. "Glad they're doing okay."

Ned forked up another bite of his pancakes. "I know I need to take you home, but... do you want to do something later today? Maybe we could go ice skating."

Her heart had already been heavy with the prospect of going home and parting from him; her face lit up with a grin. "Oh, that sounds perfect. I'd love to."

Ned grinned too. "Great. It's a date, then."

She helped him clean up their breakfast plates, to fold up the quilts and put the sleeper sofa back in order. She felt a little bedraggled and in need of a shower as she put her clothes from the day before on again, but she'd have one soon enough. She just wished... the clothes she had worn the night before, while sleeping in his arms, still smelled like him, and she loved that.

Ned's car skidded a few times on the way to River Heights, and he muttered to himself as he corrected it, but they pulled up in front of her father's house without incident. The roads were starting to improve with traffic, and she hoped his parents would get back safely—definitely after Ned had gone back home, so they would have no clue Nancy had slept over.

"I had a really great time last night," Nancy said after Ned turned his car off.

"I did too," he replied. "I loved everything about it. I hope... it can happen again soon."

Nancy blushed, but she nodded. "Me too," she murmured.

That peculiar feeling had come back to her, as she searched his eyes. Ned hooked his index finger under her chin and tilted her head up, then leaned down and gave her a long, sweet kiss. She felt a tingling all the way from the top of her spine to her toes, and she couldn't help feeling that he had pulled back far too soon, when they parted. His dark eyes were so warm and intense as he gazed at her.

She had no name for what she felt for him, not yet. It was too soon for her to know, and she had never felt this way about anyone else. But she suspected. And it would break her heart if he didn't feel the same way.

But right now, his kiss still warm on her lips, she thought that he had to, and if he would just say it first...

He gave her one more kiss, then smiled at her. "Let me walk you to your door, or I won't ever want to leave this car," he murmured. "I'll want to just stay here with you all day."

She chuckled. "Dad would probably be very suspicious of that."

Ned paused with his hand on the door handle. "So... are you going to tell—"

She shook her head. "Just between us," she said quickly. "I mean, there's nothing to tell?"

He nodded. "Okay."

"Even though I really loved it too."

He grinned. "Come on, Nan. Before I change your mind and take you back to my house."

Her heart was so full of joy it ached. He wanted to be with her; he wanted to spend time with her. He didn't want their already impossibly-long date to end. And she didn't either.

They walked hand in hand to the front porch, then turned to each other as they reached the door. "I'll call you," he said. "Maybe around three? Did you want it to be just us?"

Their first few dates had been with other people, partially because Nancy had been feeling cautious and wanted some moral support. If she asked Bess and George if they would like to go, he would have to pick them up... and she would have to divide her attention. "Just us," she said.

Ned grinned, then leaned down and gave her another sweet kiss, and she was aglow with happiness when he pulled back. "I'll see you again soon," he promised.

She nodded, watching him until he reached his car, answering his parting wave with one of her own. Then she wrapped her arms around her waist and giggled.

She had spent the night in her boyfriend's arms. The whole night.

And she couldn't wait for it to happen again.