SeventeenBen dreamed that night and, for the first time in a long time, it wasn't a nightmare. It was a dream about the first time he and Erin made love. Officially, the consummation had been wonderful. But that wasn't precisely true and his subconscious knew it. What it really had been was the collision of animal passions in two people too shy, too wrapped up in their professions, and too afraid to display passion. Refusing to commit, unwilling even to admit what was happening, it had been frightening, clumsy, embarrassing, funny, warm, and finally, yes, wonderful. In the middle of a blizzard they'd bumped into each other, two weary civil servants, both out alone, killing matching nights off by attending a local community theater production. She fumbled around. He talked too much. He spil
