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“Love?” she asked, clueing in to the fact that even in the abstract he wasn’t co the word Never ht she wasn’t just lacking in cynicis dose of e you won’t ed one shoulder “I have never fallen for any of the women I’ve taken tothis conversation” And even the thought had the power to hurt her Maybe she was more at risk here than she realized

“The truth is, I don’t think I’uy who does the softer emotions”

“Ah, you don’t think you are capable of love?”

“I have never loved anyone, never been loved by anyone”

She knew that wasn’t true The affection he and Zephyr shared was love if she’d ever seen it They loved like brothers Like family She hadn’t experienced it but she knehat it looked like Fa the feeling but he’d been lucky to experience it

The discussion was endered unconditional love in her own parents, no as it going to spring forth from Neo’s manly chest in relation to her She had never expected to be loved—longed for it, but never expected it And it had been years since she allowed herself to even daydrea She didn’t feel as lonely when she didn’t dwell on what she could not have

And she wasn’t going to let it stop her fro love from you,” she told hi I learned a long tio that expectations lead to disappoint for, then?”

“I’ Your advent intofro, if you want the truth Your friendship is a reift”

He took a deep breath and stepped back “That’s it then”

“But sex would be wonderful, too” Not that she thought wonderful even began to describe what she would feel sharing her body with this man

“So it is a matter of opportunity”

“Not exactly” She hadn’t dated She’d never kissed, but she’d ht be rich and snobby, but were groupies nonetheless and frankly, they’d scared her silly

Ale to play a concert Talk about performance anxiety What would so she couldn’t control—her talent—expect froht now?” she asked with an eht now”