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She closed her eyes "It’s not that" Although it’d be a lot easier if she had any job--or life--prospects Or an umbrella She sed past the football-size lump in her throat "It’s that I miss her I miss her so much"

"Aw, Lily," he breathed and when he held out his arh to walk into theled inside, finding hih escaped her as those strong arms closed around her And she pressed her face into his chest, letting him hold her up for a moment For just athat the words escaped, though they were the utter truth and she was tired of holding on to them

Because she did feel alone Alone and sad and restless, likethe boat that was her life

"But you’re not alone¸" Aidan said, stroking a big hand down her back "There are people here in Cedar Ridge who care about you"

She didn’t say anything to this Mostly because she was re how she’d felt like such an outsider at The Slippery Slope Maybe he was talking about hi about her That would be nice Yes, she was crazy She blamed the fact that he smelled delicious and had to tell her hopeful body that she was not going to kiss hiain She couldn’t Not and live with herself "You want to hear so stupid?"

"Always," Aidan said, voice low, a little rough and a whole lot sexy

"I pictured Cedar Ridge as standing still the whole tione" She shook her head and leaned back to see his face "I expected it to be the saed"

As if adding an exclamation point to this sentence, Mother Nature chose that moment to turn the h

Aidan tugged off his jacket and wrapped her up in it "Coirlfriend?" Not the question she’d ed his jacket close and bit her tongue, not willing to take it back

If Aidan was surprised by the question, he didn’t show it "We saw each other on and off, irlfriend," he said

"So there’s no … relationship?"

"I haven’t had tio I’ll coet the car to you"