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I cut a glance at Ryker He’s standing with his hands crossed over his chest, looking down at me with almost a look of appreciative wonder on his face Hensley just looks confused

Ruby nods at me, her eyes wide "What kind of special treatet to eat whatever they want and your dad told me you really like chocolate ice cream So when you want some, you just et it for you"

"For how long?" she asks for clarification, in a voice full of excitement

"For three whole days But you also have to eat your regular ain and you can’t do that on ice cream alone Understand?"

She nods and then turns to her s, can I have some ice creaiven a terrible idea to this child that ree with What the hell was I thinking in telling her that? I’ood with kids

I’m relieved when Hensley smiles down at Ruby "Of course you can"

Phew! Alive Ruby another set better, okay?"

"Okay," she says, and then she cuts her eyes back to the teddy bear she’s still holding

"It was niceyou, Hensley," I say with a warh I know she cheated on Ryker I see her now as only a worried e mode for the Cold Fury "I know this is a stressful ti while Ruby is recuperating"

"Thank you," she says softly, and I think I’ve won her over At least I don’t think she understands that h I am worried about Ruby, I really, really just needed to see Ryker

Turning to hioalie slot if you have a few minutes"

I don’t, of course, because it’s not my call, but I need just a few minutes of private ti

"Sure," he says with mild surprise "I’ll walk you back out to your car"

I say goodbye to Ruby and Hensley, who has gone back to feeding her daughter eggs, and I walk out silently with Ryker When we get toI step right up into him, wrap my arms around his waist, and press my cheek to his chest It startles him for only a moment, and then his ar up?" I ask