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When they reached the end, Wolf swung himself down onto the platform between the cars Scarlet peered down after hiotten it, but now a surprised laugh fell out of her His aim had been perfect

And perhaps if she hadn’t kissed his cheek right before the jump, his balance would have been too

Her nerves fluttered at the thought, wondering if she had been the cause of his distraction

She sat doith her legs dangling over the side "Showoff," she said, reaching out and letting hientle as he lowered her to the platfor after her feet were firh

His expression had becoaze, he grabbed the bag and disappeared into the car

Scarlet gaped at the dooraiting for the gusting wind to take down her tely aware of the memory of his hands on her waist, her shoulders, her wrists Her head was too full of theto kiss hiainst the rail, she tucked her hair into the hood She di Wolf had pulled away She was always rushing into things without thinking theot her into trouble This was just one uy she’d known for only … she strained to count back and realized with some shock they’d barely known each other for a day

Only a day Could that be right? Had that awful street fight happened just the night before? Had her father’s fit in the hangar been only that e Her skin didn’t cool The fantasy of being tucked in his arms didn’t fade

She’d wanted hih and, when her legs were solid again, ducked into the car

It was a storage car, wide-open and stacked with plastic shipping crates A square of h the open doorway Wolf had cli them around to h the silence was painful, anything she could think to say sounded trite and artificial Instead, she pulled a co the knots out of her windblown curls Finally Wolf stopped shifting crates and sat down beside her Legs folded Hands gripped in his lap Shoulders hunched Not touching her

Scarlet scrutinized hiap between them, even just to rest her head on his shoulder Instead, she reached out and traced a finger across the tattoo that she couldthe truth? Do you think they’ll kill you for leaving theertip against his arm

"No," he said finally "You don’t have to worry aboutscar that had once been a gash fro when this is all over When we’re all safely away from them"

His eyes flicked to hers, then down to the scar and her fingers resting on his wrist

"What’s this scar frohts?"

His head shifted, al her lip, she inched closer and grazed a fainter scar across his temple "How about this one?"

He ducked back, forced to lift his head to pull away from her "That was a bad one," he said, but didn’t elaborate

Scarlet huainst the tiniest scar on his lip "What about--"

His hand snatched at her, stilling her caresses His grip was not harsh, but unforgiving all the saaze fell to her lips

Scarlet licked the?"

A heartbeat

"Wolf?"

He didn’t release her

Scarlet reached her other hand toward hi her thumb over his knuckles

He sucked in a quick breath

Her fingers traveled up his are and its spot of dried blood He was taut as a bowstring, plastered against the wall The fingers grasping her hand twitched "They’re just … they’re what I’m used to," he said, voice strained

"What do youforward, she found his jawline The pronounced cheekbones His hair, every bit as wild and soft to the touch as it had looked Finally, he leaned his head into her touch, gently nuzzling her fingers

"It caht All of theain

She hesitated When he still didn’t move, Scarlet leaned forward and kissed him Softly Just once