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"I know it doesn’t Nor should it So why don’t you wipe the frown off your face and enjoy the wine? It’s… well, it’s not great But it’s not horrible, either" He sht

"Don’t tell me how to feel I’ll be annoyed if I want to"

"Oh, two hundred years was alry female" Rhys threw an ar quite like it And all that anger sitting behind so --"

"You talk too much" She pulled him down by the collar and kissed him Hard His lips were frozen in shock, and Ava released the hirowl "Finished punishing him?"

"I said I was sorry"

"Don’t be" His ar her into his chest Then hisRhys’s lips pressed against hers, and his tongue licked out, teasing along her bottoe of desire, his hands holding her carefully, his s to her own After a few heatedin the ht

"Well," he said "That was…"

Her cheeks were flush with embarrassment "It was definitely…"

"Fine" He sat back and his shoulders slumped a little "It was fine"

And Ava felt exactly the same "Totally and utterly… fine"

They both let the silence hang for a moment

"Why wasn’t it more than fine?" Rhys asked

"It should have been Good technique"

"Well, that’s nice to hear, considering there’s been a necessary lapse in practice"

She patted his thigh "No, you’re good"

"Just good?" The corner of his ain"

Ava couldn’t stop the smile "Please don’t It would just be weird at this point"

"Totally agree" He squeezed her shoulder

Silence fell between theain, and Ava felt the depths of her own stupidity Her kiss had been unfair to Rhys Unfair to herself Rhys was her friend Would this change things? Would he resent her? She washer faults when she heard hiht, love"

She whispered, "I wish it had been more than fine"

"I’ure it out soon He’s very bright, despite being an idiot But he holds honor above self-interest, which is both wonderful andabout"