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Her head bobbed eagerly, gratefully, the liquid brown of her eyes as slass to herthe back of her head as he relished the feel of her silken hair beneath his hand He watched her drink greedily, and then he drew the glass away even as she tried her best to follow it Shesound as the rope at her neck reached its li close, whispering his gentle reassurance hotly against her cheek "There’ll be ht you breakfast too You can eat just as soon as we get you cleaned up" He reached for the bowl of ater and squeezed the excess liquid froerly, across her forehead, and down her cheeks to her neck He took his tireat care with his task He hesitated when he reached the top of her blouse

She squirhtly as she turned her head away from him She didn’t protest And she didn’t screaized earnestly as he unbuttoned the top buttons and slid the washcloth inside He was nervous around her, and he re to know each other, that they were only dating

His hands shook, and he kept his gaze averted while he worked, telling himself that this was necessary He couldn’t allow her toin her own filth He was doing her a favor

When he finished, he released the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding

"There," he announced Things were progressing well They’d just passed another ht?" When she didn’t respond, he lightly tugged her chin with his finger, drawing her gaze back to his He scowled at her until the shadow of a sht and tentative, but it was a smile nonetheless He was certain of that

"Now, I bet you’re ready for some food" He smiled back at her with no tentativeness at all He felt elated "And after that, a treat" He lifted the bottle of nail polish "How do you feel about lilac?"

Chapter 7

"ARE YOU SURE YOU HAVE TO WORK TONIGHT?" Violet asked, leaning through the openof Jay’s black Acura "Maybe you could call in sick Just this once"

The sounds of other students and engines starting filled the lot The rain had lifted just before lunch, and the sun wasintermittent appearances between clouds that drifted idly across the sky, war Violet’s back Like the weather, her bleakon me Besides, I need theher eyes to his "I have to out then"

Violet’s lips pulled into a de to think oin’ on too"

She crossed one foot over the other and leaned closer, so that her mouth was precariously close to his She felt bolder now, her lips parting slowly, purposefully "Then what a like a proled with his