Something else unexpected happened, too: the villains entered the fray.I saw Miranda by chance as I was flipping through the channels.“…these accusations against me and his parents are slanderous, they are defamatory, and we WILL be suing him in court. Frankly, everything he’s saying is bizarre. Augustus Templeton and I would never stand in the way of progress in America. We support green energy initiatives, we support solar. This is just Connor ginning up a bunch of outrage to promote his own greedy, illegal schemes to defraud the people of Nevada and steal federal land. Which, by the way, Nevada state officials and Congressional members are helping him do solely because he’s lining their pockets with cash. The man has no shame, and anyone helping him is a criminal. I think you can see why I left him eight months ago – not just because Connor Templeton is a liar, but because of his sleazy sexual proclivities.”“You fucking BITCH,” I screamed at the TV.She was good, I have to give

After a few moments he pulled away and smiled sadly at me. His hands were still cradling my head, and he wiped away the tears from my cheeks with his thumbs. “Come on,” he whispered, “let’s sit down for a minute.”He led me over to the couch and we both sank down onto the cushions. I leaned against him, my head against his chest, and he encircled me with his arms.“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I just…”“It’s okay,” I whispered.“No, it’s not. I meant it when I said it, I just… I got a little freaked out this morning when I woke up. With everything that happened yesterday, and how much I hate my family, and you’re so good, you’re such a wonderful person… Jesus, Lily, seeing what they were going to do to you, and you were so brave, telling me to go ahead even though you knew what was going to happen… I’d never felt like that towards anyone, ever. And I meant every word.”But it was as obvious as a neon sign that he wasn’t saying it now.I was silent for a few seconds.“I didn’t ask yo

I did end up calling room service – for a pint of Haagen Dazs, which I ate during a Big Bang Theory rerun.My phone kept buzzing on the coffee table. I checked it every time it did, hoping it was Connor.It never was. Just a bunch of phone numbers I didn’t recognize. Many different area codes, but a lot of New York and LA prefixes – 212, 310, 213.He’s still flying, I thought. He can’t call from the plane, I rationalized, even though I was pretty sure you could in a private jet.When I checked the messages, I realized Dad had left another one earlier, when Connor was still here. That’s why I hadn’t seen it.Tomorrow, I promised silently, feeling sick to my stomach. I’ll call tomorrow.Sure enough, Connor was on both Jimmy Kimmel and Leno – at the same time. Sebastian really was good.I flipped back and forth between the channels, watching Connor appear in two different places seemingly at once. Ah, the magic of pre-taped shows.Both shows had all the same things in common – the sexua

Sebastian turned out to be right, no matter how much I tried to deny it.The first sign was that Connor didn’t call Friday.But yah, hooray, my parents did.I don’t want to linger on the conversation. Let’s just say it was unbelievably horrific. It’s never pleasant for anyone involved when a father finds out that Daddy’s Little Girl is having sex. Much less crazy, uninhibited, slightly kinky sex.Add in ‘there are pictures of it on the evening news,’ and you’ve got about the Worst Situation Possible.I found out that my parents had been contacted by dozens of reporters, both at home and at their workplaces. Local camera crews were camped out in front of their house at that very moment.I think I apologized about a thousand times.The only time I ever got angry was when my dad starting bashing Connor and calling him a scumbag. I defended him – of course I defended him! – which was precisely what I didn’t want to do. Not after my conversation with Sebastian last night. After the phone

It was the most painful time that we made love… and also the sweetest.He kissed me so softly, his lips barely touching my own. His hands ran down my bare shoulders and arms, encircled my waist, drew me close to him.I kissed him back softly at first, then passionately, wanting this time to last for the rest of my life if need be. Or at least not leave me with any regrets of holding back.His hands caressed my bare skin as his lips kissed my ears, my neck, my chest.My head tilted back and I moaned as he tugged down the front of my dress and kissed my breasts, caressing them, licking them, sucking at them.He bent down and picked me up, then carried me willingly to the bedroom, where he placed me delicately on the mattress.I reached up and fumbled with his clothes as his hands circled around me and unzipped my dress.Our clothes were off before I knew it, and then he was beside me on the bed, his body hard and muscular, his hands warm and tender as they touched me on my belly, my th