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Opal Jennifer L Armentrout 29150K 2023-08-31

My mouth watered "Did you make them?"

"Ha No"

"Uh…did Dee h "I ordered them from the candy shop in town Try one?"

I did and I think my mouth died and went to heaven I ood"

"There’s more" He pulled out a plastic container full of sliced cheese and crackers "Also pre-made from the store, because I aot the stuff? He did this--this was all hiie pizza Perfectwhile the fire slowly died off

"When did you do all of this?" I asked, reaching for ie pizza

He picked up a strawberry, inspecting it with narrowed eyes "I had the stuff in the cooler down here and the blankets wrapped in canvas All I did e got back was come down here real quick, spread the stuff out, and start the fire"

I finished off "

"I know it didn’t take you this long to realize that"

"No I’ve always known it" I watched hiinning…"

He peeked up "My awesomeness is all about the stealth"

"Is it?" The te fire, shivering but not anywhere near ready to head back

"Uh-huh" He grinned, closing the bowl and placing the rest of the food back in the cooler Tossingup We’d o "I can’t show all my dynamic sides at once"

"Of course not Where’s the mystery in that?"

He picked up a throw blanket "There is none" Draping it over my shoulders, he then settled back down next to me

"Thank you" I pulled the soft eneral public would be shocked to kno deep your sweetness runs"

Dae on his side "They can never know"

Grinning, I leaned forward and kissed his lips "I’ll take the secret to rave"

"Good" He patted the spot next to hio back whenever you want"

"I don’t want to leave"

"Then get your happy little hybrid butt over here"

Scooting over the re space, I laid down beside him Daeled close to him, it would take an army of Arum to split us apart

We talked about the dance, school, and even the university in Colorado We talked well beyond ht

"Are you worried about to the curve of his jaw

"I’er when it drifted too close to his lips "But not about what you think"

"What, then?" My hand drifted down his neck, over his shirt He’d taken off the jacket a while ago His skin arm and hard underneath the thin material

Daemon shifted closer "I worry that Beth won’t be like Dawson remembered"

"Me, too"

"I know he can handle it, though" He joined in, his hand sliding under the blanket, curving on my bare shoulder "I just want the best for him He deserves it"

"He does" I held my breath as his hand traveled south, over the dip in my waist then the flare of my hip "I hope she’s okay--that everyone is okay, even Chris"

He nodded and gently eased me onto my back His hand smoothed over the skirt ofelse is bothering you"

When I thought about tos were botheringto happen to you" My voice broke "I don’t want anything to happen to anyone"

"Shh" He kissedwill happen to me or anyone"

I balledhim, as if I could so to fruition just by keeping hi him there kept the most horrific of fears at bay

That I would walk out of Mount Weather, but Daemon wouldn’t

"What happens if we do succeed to brushed over o back to school on Monday--boring, I know Then we hopefully pass our classes, which ill Then we graduate And then we have all suhts, but panic loo for Beth and Chris"