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I told the libido to hush even as I felt my mouth water

"Did you find Blondie?" I asked, as much to distract runted "Chased her to the edge of Nell’s Territory, but then all scent of her faded, including et to Underground, or in the water"

"Do you think she can do thaaaaaaa--" I tried to ask, before ers started running throughblack hair It was ridiculously erotic, until I winced as his fingers found a knot

"Did you pack a brush?" the barghest chided

"Did you raid a dog food convention to acquire your wardrobe?" I countered, jerking my hair out froht with irritation, I’m supposed to have sexy, postcoital bed head Not "I slept on your couch" head

His hands stilled in my hair as he looked down at his chest His now filthy T-shirt sported an advert for Eukanuba I’d already seen shirts for Alpo, Ia ot out of hand But I’o out and buy myself a whole neardrobe These shirts are perfectly serviceable"

I rolled et it that you’re utilitarian If ere in the old country you’d write odes to factories You’d sing the praises of the conawed on a perfectly ‘serviceable’ radish But this is the new millennium In America Buy a button-up"

The very tip of his crooked nose twitched, so that would never cease to ah fat, so

"Jane, I’hest, not a Stalinist And what do you mean by ‘the old country’? I was born in this Territory, as you well know And you should talk about writing odes to factories You were practically coaze at the Wolf Gods, it was gorgeous I had to come clean

"I can’t help it, Anyan I’ve never felt this way about a …" My voice trailed off as s to the boldly flaring expanse of its saucy extractor fan

"Jane, you are starting to creep me out Someone who pees on the local fauna in order to "

I eyed the Wolf, suddenly inspired

"And no," he added hastily "If you pee on it you do not get to take it ho a thrill up my spine when I noticed Anyan stare like he wanted to bite His hands, resting right abovepulling hiht toof home, do you still want to tell your father today?"

And just like that, the libido crawled back into its hole I’d asked Anyan if he’d be with me when I told my dad about my hest--even with sticks in his hair, like he had now--oozed authority I was going to have to tell my father a combination of truths about ured Anyan’s presence would make the idea that I had outside sources more credible

But mostly you just want him there, re brutally honest I frowned, quashing the thought, unwilling to exahest too closely

"Yes," I replied, finally, et it over with"

Anyan’s big hand found its way under the heavy wing of ently atas apple pie, and I marveled at how easily he touched me now My own hands itched to reciprocate, but I still had to get used to the idea that touches were okay Anyan had been a fantasy for so long; it was going to take me some time to adjust to the reality