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What did it mean?

What exactly did it rasp the ramifications or the reasons why Before the last year, she would have said she was an attractive enough woman Did any woman truly consider herself beautiful? But Grace hadn’t had any serious esteem issues She was just shy and ahen it ca up as she and Shea had done, there’d never been any opportunity for Grace to have friendships or an eventual boyfriend, much less an involved relationship

But in the last year, she’d lost a lot of her strength Her tone The fitness regimen she’d always adhered to had no doubt saved her because had she not been as strong as she was going in, she wouldn’t have been strong enough to survive the uniinable

She was thinner now Worn Fear and fatigue seemed to surround her Men weren’t attracted to timid little mice, were they? They at least wanted someone as stable and not a complete head case who’d tried to kill herself and was sorry she hadn’t been able to

Besides all that, how could she or he even entertain the thought of any sort of…well, anything!

Rio caressed the sides of her face "I didn’t say all that to frighten you, Grace Subtle and tactful are two things I’ve never been accused of I’ames This is the only way I kno to be, so I’m sorry if that makes you uneasy"

She didn’t even have a response for that What could she possibly say anyway?

He feathered another kiss over her lips and then solved the issue of what the hell she was supposed to say back to hi to the falls

"We should get back While it’s safe here, I still don’t want to leave you exposed for long periods of tih Tryat reestablishing the path between you and your sister It’ll coed on his hand to ress around the back of the falls When he turned with an inquisitive look on his face, she leaned up on tiptoe and initiated her own kiss

It was shy, aard and not nearly as toe curling as Rio’s had been In fact, she couldn’t back up fast enough once she’d brushed her lips across his

But he didn’t seem to mind her obvious inexperience at all His expression went from surprise to utter satisfaction

"Thank you," she said in a grave tone

He lifted a brow in question

"For everything" She swept her ar area "For this For understanding For risking sothe worst or judging s I’ve done I don’t even kno to express the gratitude I feel, but it’s more than that and I don’t have the words to explain to you what all I feel I just want--need--you to know that"

"Do you knohat I need you to know?" Rio asked solemnly

She wrinkled up her browy trill don and cocked her head to the side "What?"

He touched her nose with the tip of his finger "I need you to kno special you are, Grace Peterson I think you haven’t believed that in a long time Maybe you never believed it But I see it, and noant you to see it too"

It was simply too much How he could reach inside her and see what it was she needed theto use her Soht she was special, not because of her powers, but because…because she was siain," she whispered

His eyes darkened and he went still He reached for her hand, twining his fingers with hers "By all means, I’m at your mercy"

Tentatively, she leaned into hiainst his chest as she rose up on tiptoe But then his hands closed around her waist, slipped down over the curve of her behind, and he leaned down to meet her

She kissed him once, but was unsatisfied with the brief contact She wanted more She wanted to explore this time Before, he’d done it all and she’d stood there, stunned and overwhelmed by the intensity

This ti She wanted to taste hi so close, his hands on her body

She kissed hi her lips pressed to his Nervously she ran the tip of her tongue over the sea her inward

He kept still, seely content to allow her to take the lead He held her steady, his hands still resting possessively on her bottom, but he didn’t entle exploration of hisa little bolder, she reached up, wanting to run her fingers through his hair It was loose today and not tied back in a ponytail at his nape

It was long and silky, just brushing the tops of his shoulders There was a slight wave to it, only enough toactually curly

She let the strands slide through her fingers and then she finally got the courage to let her hands drop to his chest The skin rippled beneath her fingers as his muscles flexed and rolled His broad shoulders seeed from the even calm to a more sporadic, rapid staccato

Slowly, she pulled away but he didn’t relinquish his hold on her He kept his hands molded to her behind, and he reclaimed the step she’d taken back

"I like when you take advantage of ain anytie"

Her cheeks went instantly hot and she ducked her head

He chuckled and released his hold, his fingers gliding over her hips before finally dropping to his sides Then he lifted one hand again, tipping a finger under her chin and gently forcing her head upward again