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"I don’t want him anywhere near my mom He screwed her over when he left"

"And you," she said quietly

"No, I wanted hi his face hidden "I wanted him dead"

"I’"

"I’m sorry for your bad memories"

"Yeah, well, we both have those"

Yes, but she had a feeling his were even darker than hers She held hi moment, and then he pulled back and looked into her face "You were in a hurry"

"Yeah, I’ a little late" She watched the small smile flirt at the corners of his reat with this whole estured to the door, but he slid a hand to her waist to stop her

"We talked about this," he said "It’s ht It just wasn’t a level she could fully access right now "Aidan--"

"Yeah, and you know it," he said, and took her mouth Tender, soft, his lips coaxed more than a kiss froive hi she had Somewhere in the diround, but she didn’t care This had sneaked up on her He’d sneaked up on her Quiet and strong, he wanted her to believe things she’d never been able to believe before

Believe and trust …

"You’re stronger than you think," he said softly,her realize she’d spoken out loud "You’ve always been stronger than you think"

She stared up into his fatho that was true He looked so sure as he aze She could use some of that confidence "What do you want from me?" she blurted out

He picked up her purse and handed it over "Worried?"

"A little" She paused "Or, you know, a lot"

His shten "This," he said, and put a hand over her heart "I want this"

Oh Well, if that was all …

He kissed her onceher a little nudge in "Have a good one," he said, and he was gone

Just like that, as if he hadn’t only a second ago made a bid for her heart She shook her head to clear it and walked through the salon, taking a big sip of her coffee

Jonathan spoke without looking up from his laptop "You’re tenlate A life-or-death situation, orsex"

Lily choked on her coffee