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"Pure research"

‘Absolutely"

"But of course Besides, you ruinedmodern to clash with the nineteenth century Five arden and I went cross-eyed trying to take etup

"I have that effect on a lot of women All it takes is five ht"

"You’d better stop while you’re behind, there, sport"

The television seerow quieter, and theyon the floor with her corset still stiffening her back, she had to lean against him to be comfortable And then his arm was around her shoulder, and his smell was delicious She felt drunk on root beer, and soothed by the twitching of the tiny television He started to play with her fingers, and she turned her head Their breaths touched Then their lips

And then, they really uy she barely knew She’d never done this before, and it made her feel rowdy and pretty and miles removed from her issues She didn’t think or fret She just played

"Good shot," she said, her eyes closed, pretending to watch the ga her neck An evening dress allowed for a lot of neck, and soot it all "Get the rebound, you clu and look at each other, breathless, feeling the thrill and anticipation of the undone

"Good game," she said

The television buzzed with static She didn’t kno long the game had been over, but her heavy eyes and liht if she stayed longer, she would fall asleep on his chest, and because that idea pleased her, she left immediately Her torso stiff inside her corset exoskeleton, he had to help her to her feet With one hand, he pulled her onto her toes as though she were the weight of a pillow

He walked her to the door and swatted her on the butt "Good game, coach See you to the television still droning angrily at having no picture to show

"We did"

Jane didn’t knohat hour it was, since a timepiece wasn’t part of her wardrobe allotment, but the moon had moved considerably across the sky Her arms bare below her thin sleeves, she shivered and crept across the courtyard, the whisper of the gravel path announcing her presence to any lurkers She entered through the grand front door, clicking it closed behind her, and eased her slippers over the creaking boards