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Innocence Preserved

I eased the ketch in alongside of the catamaran's left pontoon and tied it off I looped the sack over my shoulder and cliht

I caught sight of Keturah sitting with her knees drawn up on the forward part of the catamaran as she watched the party on the platform unfold froood reason for that

She was crying A better way of putting it was that she was sobbing her heart out

I stepped closer to her across the netting and gently said, "They tellwith me"

Startled she jerked up to her feet and al and fell overboard Her eyes were puffy and aith tears and her nose was running I'd been the one to completely startle her this time

I stepped closer and set the sack of fruit down She seemed to be in shock, which abruptly seemed to coalesce into the need to escape fro an emotional moment

She started to turn away froripped a hold of her upper ar up and wiped at her cheeks and then her nose

Holding the rag to her nose I said, "Blow"

She looked supre overboard, as I eased rip on her upper arm to a caress of her soft skin

"You didn't think I was co the answer

"I…… I……" She stuttered to speak and I kissed her cutting off further effort to pronounce anything other than to conform her lips to the heated pressure of mine

I drew back after a moment to see that her look of shock had only increased at the suddenness of events Her mouth had fallen open and it was a real teain The kiss despite her shock of it had been sweet In a way everything about her eet

I pulled a fruit from my pocket that reseainst her open lips Reflexively her teeth closed down and broke the surface of the sweet fruit I so of her ar and then lay back with my hands behindclouds for a moment as I heard Keturah come closer and sit down beside iven her