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He stared atmy own, then he shook his head

"I didn’t have a choice" My voice thinned and I sed hard, dangerously close to tears I didn’t, did I? No I’d had to have at least so my job

"You could have told er had drained out of him

"You wouldn’t have let me in," I insisted Would he? Even the possibility hadn’t occurred to h and dropped his eyes to his glass "You don’t have any fucking idea what I’d do for you"

Myto say, he pushed up from the table and left

Snow fell silently outside ofto the ten-inch pile already on the balcony I rolled over, pulling my down co eyes

I reached out and scratched his chin, and the bit of light leaking frolass doors reflected off of his black fur "Think Itime, buddy"

Charlie yawned and his eyes closed I sat up and glanced at the clock One fifteen Great The way I was going, I’d be up the rest of the night

Mason’s words reverberated through my mind, and despiteeach and every potentialbehind them And for once, I wished for the familiarity of nness of his voice and intent

You don’t have any fucking idea what I’d do for you

What the hell was that supposed to mean? If he cared about me, why couldn’t he just say it? Why had he called our kiss a mistake, and why had he avoided me ever since? The words seeh to wrap my mind around And I was scared to think about it too ? What if heshared by lovers I couldn’t take the chance Ifthere Sure, he’d kissed o

Oh there’d been looks before that Ti into me But when I’d turn to look at him, his eyes would be elsewhere I’d convinced ined his interest And we had talked, but it had been just friendly chatting Granted, I hadn’t noticed Mason talking to others in such an easy ured it was because--unlike h macho cops I worked with--I was quiet, and ht that siht

Two days before Christet a breather froround, so siaze had been hot against my back I’d whipped my head around to stare at hiht that bounced up off the snow in a way only a lycan’s could and he’d closed the gap between us without a word

Then he had kissed me

I’d lost a bit of myself in that kiss Maybe Mason had too

I closed hts of him from my ainsta flash in ht I’d fallen into a dream But as Charlie purred loudlysound touchedthe lock?

I hadn’t dreae of htest s just beyond where I could see theet closer, I ht be able to determine who the vampire was If it was one I’d ot through ot in they’d be too fast for et away

And like a prize idiot, I’d left un downstairs in my car