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Burning to ask why he kept it so ruthlessly cropped, she waited for hi Like where to drive

His continued silence told her she should figure out what to do with the rest of her one-sided plan He’d contribute nothing nition, cranked up the heater, turned back to him “I’ll need directions”

Without a word, he set the GPS then resumed his position

So The silent treata the powerful car down al realized that that was easier bragged about than achieved

She’d spent a lifeti Now she wanted totie his she’d longed to say to him all her life

But his silence was like a barrier ItShe felt as if his every breath expanded in her own chest, as if every ih her nerves

Then she felt hilance her way

She tore her gaze from the road to his face For a fraction of a second she saw soone before she could latch on to it, but she felt he restling with so Irritation? Humor? What?

“You understand that was blackmail”

All her hairs, perpetually at half-ht of his voice poured into her ear

Her lips wobbled “I choose to call it persistence In response to your pointless resistance”

“My resistance wasn’t pointless Just useless”

Her grin widened as she returned her eyes to the road “That it was But pray tell, as its point?”

“That you shouldn’t be withour region’s traditions on me, of what’s ‘appropriate’ behavior for womatized by spinsterhood”

“You’re not a spinster”

Her laugh dripped in sarcasm “Tell that to my family, especially my dear mother I’ve been a spinster in her eyes for over ten years”