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Presenting his back to her, he pulled on his jeans Sex relaxed him, helped him sleep

Which hy he'd let his relationship with Beth Ann continue for so long But they'd just made love twice, and he feltabout Officer Allie McCormick His sister Grace had told hiood one Would she finally bring an end to it all?

"Clay?"

Beth Ann was getting on his last nerve "I thinkeach other,"

he said as he yanked on a clean T-shirt

When she didn't answer, he turned to see her gaping at him

"How can you say that?" she cried "I asked one question One!" She laughed in a est that he'd completely overreacted "You're so jumpy"

"My stepfather is not a subject I'm prepared to discuss"

She opened her mouth, then seeet it I was tired and didn't realize how much the subject would upset you I'm sorry"

She should've told hio to hell and walked out

He scowled Although he'd tried to make it clear that he was the most emotionally unavailableattached He didn't understand how, but there it ritten all over her face

He had toto admit he had a heart, let alone open it to anyone "Get dressed, okay?" he said

"Clay, you don't really want me to leave, do you?"

He used to send her home as soon as they were finished, so there could be no confusion about the nature of their relationship But the past few tiether, she'd faked sleep and he'd let her stay the night

Softening his stance had been a ot work to do, Beth Ann"

"At one in the ?"

"Always"

"Coive you a ht me"

She grinned enticingly but with enough desperation to o "You don't owe et me and be happy"

Her eyebrows shot up "If you want me to be happy, that means I matter to you"

Determined to be coe--he shook his head "No one matters to me"