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"I still believe she’s our answer, Dune, so to change everything"

"If that’s true"--I steadied myself to ask the next question--"do you think she can survive it?"

"I don’t know" Michael paused for a few seconds before he spoke again "But I’ll help you figure it out Hoould you feel about a visit from some friends?"

Chapter 13

Hallie

When I woke up, it was dark

"Dune?" I was in the hotel bed, alone And I needed him

"Yes" His ansas immediate "Are you okay?"

A small lamp on the far side of the roo on the stairs Even though his hair was short, it was messy, like he’d had his hands in it Worry had threaded itself into the fiber of his being

"Sit with me?" I asked

He sat on the side of the bed, I reached out to take his hand

"Actually …" I pulled all the walls down "Would you hold athered o of everything--nerves, uncertainty, and a disturbing slice of sha have I been asleep?"

"A couple of hours," he said, s worked itself out of the knot while I slept "I kept checking on you You were restless I orried Tell me what to do to make it better"

"We’ve had this conversation, Obi-Wan I don’t need you to savehard "But I want you to helpI play around, I tease It’s fun" I ht His eyes, usually so full of sweetness, were shielding his elad"

"When you look at lass? Object or human? I have to know if you see me"

I needed hi sure I’ you fro us both He didn’t pull it away "After what happened in that ballroom, I realized I can’t take on Hallie the human and leave half of her behind Because I’lass loves or hates, and I’ about it, when I really want to know about you To think about you About kissing you All the places I want to touch you"

I’d never been paralyzed like this, torn between throwing ht, earlier," I said "You’re afraid of me"

"I’ve been afraid of you since I laid eyes on you Maybe since I heard about you," he said "That goes way back, Hal I’irl"

His hand was still on my face I reached up and pressed , and I need the truth Do you see me? Or are you interested because I’m there?"

I heard the vulnerability in his voice, and I knew the answer because I’d asked myself the same question

"I see you, Dune And I … I know I just … I love how … honest and … thoughtful you are" I couldn’t ers together "You always see"

So ed to frown and look happy at the same tio, it’s going to make every step that much harder"