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Of his kiss? "God, yes"

He exhaled a pent-up breath "Bien" Then he liftedrazed his lips alongme in a haze of bliss Atcomme personne d’autre" You heat uely wondering where he was takingwith his ever-present bow

My back e chair for two?

Ah,htless for a s, up to my panties

He hissed in a breath "Ma belle fille" My beautiful girl He followedhalf onin his jeans pocket, I htened arrin, so sexy he robbed oan to take care of you, bébé" He produced a condo it between his white teeth as he rubbed one hot paluish and wicked and oh-dear-God-did-he-have-a-condo too fast, spinning out of control "Wh-what are you doing?" I hadn’t agreed to sex! I shoved against hiaienne--without a word about irlfriend And what if that condom broke? I could have sworn it’d come from the shrie was!

His brows drew together "What’s theto have sex with you!" What if I got pregnant?

I was fu hione and skipped over all the bases--the ones that I had never gotten to experience--and gone straight for a ho like sex with me is a fool idea?" he deain until he drew back "Where do I even begin?" Your ancient condom pack, our lack of a defined relationship, the fact that you were going about things at light speed--even though this is ? I just needed to think, with a clearer head

But his own anger was already seething "You told ht s Without hi with cold

A couple of weeks ago, I’d told inity for my boyfriend, no matter how na&iuined what it’d be like if Jackson wasandcos to let me knoas attracted to me But not that he liked s out there?

Even if there were no other girls for hiet on the sa on between us If we didn’t have soether would only coet in the way of reaching North Carolina

So how to broach the subject of a relationship? "Jackson, you know that I’ve neverI’ve never done that before And I was kind of looking for so with it" Hint, hint

Realization lit his expression "You still think you’re too good for asped "Don’t you dare bring hio-lucky Brandon had been, how ood tihing

Those tiood times for me Before the apocalypse, before the ArcanaMy eyes watered

Jackson saw my reaction "You’re still in love with his into his jeans "You were ready to lie doith that boy ’cause you thought him twice the man of me But what the hell did he ever do besides drive a nice car or throw around a ball? I saved your life!"

I rose as well, darting for s with difficulty "Did you save ht’ve crossed irl on earth for me Would it kill you to put out?"

"I can’t believe you just said that!" I felt like such an idiot! Believing we had a connection? The Cajunland player had ame in town I stormed off for my hoodie, then worked it over my head

"Believe it!" He closed in onside of the bayou That’s all I’ll ever be to you!"

We were in each other’s faces, but I refused to back down "When you act like this, it’s hard to see otherwise! Thank God I had the good sense not to beco you’ll never be accused of having! Gettingyou could ever do I’m the one who keeps you safe Me"--he thureat to be alive’ "

"Admit it, this is the real reason you volunteered to help ed you for a snob, but I didn’t figure you for a miserable tease!"

"A tease? Did you believe I was a sure thing because we’re in a hell-on-earth situation? Or because every other slore you’ve been with has given it up? Tell"A little of both"

I wanted to strangle hiot to be so hard with you?" He turned to punch a wooden gazebo coluain, his chest heaved, his scarred hand bleeding "You’re goan to make me crazy!"

"Well, then suck it up! Just like you said, I’m the best there is It seeirl on earth Maybe you should--oh, I don’t know--try to be pleasant or boyfriendlike or, or"

"Court you?"

"Well, yeah"

"Maybe I have been--every tiht I’ve kept watch over you! But you just take all that for granted Because you’re gâtée!"

"I airl as spoiled as you--coddled your whole life But that shit stops now"

I rubbed one froht like this? "What do you want fro in an odd tone, "Ifroive it toabout sex?

"You knohy rave;re drank?" he demanded, his voice a harsh rasp "Because she wanted and waited for things that would never be I swore I’d never do the sa in the wrong direction, I shut those thoughts down" He raked his fingers through his hair "I got to do that now, me"

"I don’t understand you"

Suddenly what sounded like a sonic boom went off in my head

--BEHOLD THE BRINGER OF DOUBT--

As I tottered onit around, ai it behind us

"Wh-what is it, Jackson? Is someone here?" He couldn’t have heard the voice, and I’d detected nothing around us

He jerked his chin in the direction of a shadoay "Out there"