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Christ He didn’t want to wake her, but he didn’t do the sleepover thing He never did the sleepover thing

Ever

But unequivocally lulled in by her soft, giving warmth, he closed his eyes Just for a second, and fell asleep wrapped around her

At so hied to wake himself up before he made a co off the bed, he grabbed up his jeans and was halfway out the door before he felt the hand on his arm He nearly came out of his skin and whipped around to face Mallory

Way to be aware of your surroundings, Soldier Unable to help hiht into the doorknob, which jabbed him hard in the back "Fuck, Mallory"

"I’m sorry I didn’t ht coh her bedroom blinds, she stayed where she was, a few feet away, concern pouring off her in the way that only hours before passion and need had "You okay?"

And here here he made his mistake He should have lied and said yes He could have done it, easily If he’d added a sht it for sure She’d have bought anything he tried to sell her because she trusted him

That ho she was

But it wasn’t hiet this close So he shoved his feet into his running shoes and grabbed up his wallet and keys

"Ty?"

He headed down the hallway She ca to get cold again was his only inane thought

She caught hiers run down his bare back that he realized he’d forgotten his shirt

"Did you have a bad dream?"

He went still "No," caain "That night in the storht ain here"

He dropped his head to the door "That’s not it"

"Then what happened? Things get a little too real?"

He straightened "I have to go, Mallory"

"Without your shirt?"

He turned to face her, and she s his shirt "Stay," she said with a terrifying gentleness "Sleep withsoftly around the crazy guy, only wanting to help But he didn’t want her help He didn’t want anyone’s help He was fine All he needed was to be able to get back to work And ain, because there he didn’t hurt There he felt aain, he’d never leave "Can’t"

"But--"

He pulled open the door and stepped into the chilly night sans shirt, leaving before she could finish the rest of her sentence

Mallory plopped back onto her bed and stared up at the ceiling, haunted by the expression on Ty’s face as he’d left He’d been rude and abrupt, and she should be pissed

She wasn’t

But she couldn’t put a finger on exactly what she was

This, with him, was supposed to have been about fun Just a little walk on the wild side

But it had beco, but it was the truth She wanted even

She wanted hiood atthem heal Or at least she liked to think she was But this, with him…She couldn’t heal what ate at him, anyshe got up and went to work A few hours in, she was paged to the nurses’ station "What’s up?" she asked Caot there

Camilla jerked her head toward the hallway Mallory turned and found a very fa up the wall His stance was casual, his body relaxed

But she knew better

"I’m on break," she said to Camilla and walked toward Ty "Hey," she said

"Hey" His eyes never wavered from hers "Got a minute?"

"Maybe even two"

He didn’t smile Huh That didn’t bode well All too aware of Caestured for hiround floor cafeteria, and Mallory led him to a corner table

It was too early for the lunch crowd so they had the place to the his way across the floor with a mop

"Smells like a mess hall," Ty said

"I bet the food was better atclose, his warainst hers beneath the table He wore jeans that were battered to a velvety softness and a ht blue button-doith the sleeves shoved up to his elbows

He looked edible

And she was afraid he was here to tell her his ti?" she asked "Coffee? Tea? Pancakes?" Me…"They have great pancakes--"

"Nothing Mallory--"

"A sandwich," she said desperately "How about a sandwich? Hell, I could use a sandwich rabbed her wrist