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I pulled back to see the heat in his eyes, the desire "We can’t," I whispered, s

"Why not?"

He wasn’t confused per se, but clearly wary atour embrace less a hed "Really So I was serious, he leaned to see around me "Ray!" he exclaiirl She was about eighteen rip, her dark hair carefully combed and her even darker eyes solemn as she pinched my toes for our attention She couldn’t have been there very long, and her expression was troubled

"Daddy?" she said, her high voice clear "Oucy no No!" she de to the door, now open a crack I hadn’t even heard her open it, but she was a quiet little thing

Trent pulled the toddler up, bringing the scent of baby powder and snickerdoodles with her Dressed and ready for the day, she pointed again at the door, her features tight in distress I could hear Lucy, her sister, shrilling soround as I fixed Ray’s collar

"What is Lucy doing that she’s not supposed to?" Trent said patiently, and Ray scrunched her face up, clearly wanting to spill the beans but not having the vocabulary yet "Lucy?" Trent called, loudly, and the little girl’s enthusiastic shouts beca the door open so hard that it bounced against the wall and nearly closed again But the blond, excited girl was already in here, a strip of toilet paper in her grip as she danced in a circle, so it up into the air and silently watching it drift down

"Oh osh, that’s so sweet," I whispered, and I swear Ray rolled her eyes

Lucy clapped her hands and ran for the bed "Hi, Aunt Achel!" she shouted, flopping against Trent’s knees,Ray shove Lucy’s hands off hilad that Trent hadn’t started dressing them alike Lucy was only three months older than Ray, but their personalities ly, Lucy bounced inthe wonderful smell of innocence to me

"Hi, Lucy," I said, careful to not talk to her like she was a baby but a real person "Is that toilet paper? Shouldn’t it be on the roll?"

She slid fro it back into the air with a jubilant "Surprise!"

Trent looked up froame with Ray "There were streamers at a party, and now she won’t leave the toilet paper alone" Ray held her arly "Ellasbeth is supposed to be watching theh to be honest, Quen is keeping an eye on them as well And Jon Everyone"

"You think she’s okay?"

Standing, Trent ran a hand over his chin,Maybe she fell asleep reading to theain Unless she left That’d be nice"

"She wouldn’t do that," I said as I arranged Ray’s very dark hair I knew that Trent believed Ellasbeth agreed with the elven dewar’s opinion that the world would be better if eren’t part of it, but I wasn’t so sure "Maybe you should check on her," I said, because I sure as hell wasn’t going to Not in own

Trent nodded and held out his hand to Ray "Ray, where is Ellasbeth?"

Blinking her dark eyes, Ray slid fro only slightly, she looked at the door "Shhh Nap," the little girl said, and I swung ," I said as I stood and glanced at my phone It was almost sunup No time for a shower now I could do it after the news

Trent’s frown took on a shade of concern "I’ll be right back," he said, starting for the door "Lucy? Where’s yourher toilet paper banner again and watching it drift down "Surprise!"

Trent held out his other hand "Showup to show her tights

"Co him off

Ray turned before they left, and Iher head shyly, she trailed along behind Trent, leaving the door open I didn’t mind, but I did put on a borrowed robe before I scuffed intoto Trent, and I wasn’t quite up to ray patch of solitude and calm after Lucy’s exuberance, and after a look atFrench doors I wasn’t going out into the living area until Ellasbeth kneas here

Besides, if there was a real probleirls had been wandering the upper floor unattended, but both Jon and Quen were big on letting the girls explore freely within sharply defined boundaries Either one wouldn’t have a proble them walk in on me and Trent--each for different reasons

Lucy’s shrill voice was punctuated by masculine rumbles as I hit the code at the box by the door and opened it The first breath ofdamp cooled my flush as I recalled the pande and what s drew me out onto the sheltered patio There was a s from it, and tidy flower beds carefully raked and put to bed for the cole" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>