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She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a folded piece of paper She hands it to me Her face flushes with heat

"Is this the tattoo?" I ask

She shakes her head "No"

I open it slowly

MY NAME IS EMILY

Ean opens the piece of paper and he freezes He looks down at it for a long tier than I expected I try to take it back from him He jerks it away Then he takes et a chance to say goodbye to Paul or Friday I don’t even getme down the street

"Wait," I call But he can’t hearme I tap his shoulder He doesn’t stop He just pullsmy heels in and stop He turns toto toss me over his shoulder one last time But I want this to be ether "Wait," I say, fra his face with my hands He looks down atbad that I hurt, you silly woman" He ain, but I do realize that it’s a term of endearment with him, and not a set-down

"I want you too," I admit

He looks down at the piece of paper that’s in his hand "You trust o to the apartment and talk?" he asks "I promise not to s that need to be said"

Yes, we do I nod

He takes my hand in his and raises it to his lips to kiss my knuckles He walks a little slower this tiet?"

I s hio It’s a piece of hi it Not right now

"Co"

He looks crestfallen for a moment But then we reach his apartment complex and we run up the stairs side by side He’s barely winded

We step into the empty apartment No one is there

"Can you believe that they adra, isn’t it?"

"So fking aiddy about it and I love the way he wears his heart on his sleeve

I don’t want to talk about Matt because I’ and tell hiive Matt a chance, in order to be sure Logan’s world stays co to get a chance," I say My voice clogs in an can’t hear it

He picks up on h, because he walks across the rooers "I’ot sick"

I’lad I could help In lad I was here Wouldn’t trade the ti" I can’t bite backmuch," he says Then he bends his head and kisses ent

Tears well in ether "I need to take a shower," I say, stalling I need a ht at the hospital I need to get cleaned up

He nods and points at et it wet if you take the bandage off," he says

I don’t want to take the bandage off "Can we just wrap it up?"

"Why don’t you wantdeep into h and comes back with some plastic wrap and some waterproof tape He wraps my arm and says, "There That’ll keep it co it wet I’ off "Thank you," I say I kiss him quickly "I’ll be out in a few minutes"

I take off my clothes and step into the shower Warm water sluices over me and I realize that the fear inI was afraid to love Logan Now I long to love Logan And I do And alill But I have to give hi precious to him I know that I don’t have a choice The ater steaainst the wall, trying to co with the water There’s a draft and I feel the curtain an steps into the bath with an!" I screech

A warainstmy wet hair to the side so he can press his lips to an takes s it down my spine, slowly, ever so slowly My breath catches in my throat when he abandons the washcloth and runs his soapy hands over rip He doesn’t leave a spot unwashed, his hands finding every crevice and dip, all the way down the backs of s, across the backs of my knees, which I had no idea were so ticklish, and over the heels of my feet I stand there with my eyes closed, unable to look at hiain This tiers to skiers tickle all the way down ers lace with ives me a squeeze before he turns me to face him

I keepto ht now I ht break I can feel his sainst my shoulder as he presses his lips there I hear him chuckle My eyes fly open

His hair is wet and he’s dripping ater I lean forward and lick his chest He groans, freezing "Logan" He looks up at ?" he asks

"I don’t know," I say Laughter breaks from my throat "I can’t even think You want ," he says He grins "I just wanted to be sure you’re all right"

I lay ain He rubs his soapy hands over ers dip lower I reach for his shoulders

He picks up the wash cloth again, and gets it sudsy He washes

"I think I’an stands up and kisses me "I want to be inside you so bad," he says He pushes et ently "Your hair is growing out," he says "Is it blond?"

I nod "Not platinum But a dark blond color"

"I’d like to see you like that," he says "Maybe someday" He smiles and kisses me He moves me to the side and starts to wash his own body, his movements quick and efficient

"Letto take the soap froht now, this will be over," he warns with a chuckle

My belly flips "Oh"

He chuckles "Just stand there and watch," he says