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It was only ahi roo with Hope Every tiate and held up her ar had really scared her, and he blah he didn’t have children, he knew that bookcases were a safety risk He should have bolted it to the wall the first day they were here That kind of lapse could lead to a serious injury Hope toddled over to him and handed him one of her alphabet blocks

"This is an A For apple," he recited

She clapped her hands, her eyes dancing with glee "Abba!"

His heart turned over in his chest as she toddled over and brought him another block When he took it, she patted his cheek as if congratulating him on a job well done

"You know exactly horap er, don’t you?" Eli tickled her under the chin

Kay appeared at the edge of the gated area "Dinner’s ready" She lifted Hope over the gate and placed her in her booster seat at the table

"It sreat, Kay Thank you" He smiled at her and then took his seat next to hers

"You’re welcome" She ladled soup into both of their bowls For Hope, she’d saved soave her soers

They ate in relative silence except for Hope’s randoether while Hope played unaware in the background He wiped off the counters and the table while she packaged up the leftover soup and put it in the refrigerator

She took a seat at the table Eli sat, too, choosing to re up the nerve to say so

"Do you hurt the "The wos on, I mean"

Eli froze, his hand suspended over the table He slowly set his drink down again "It depends on what they want"

"Who wants to be hurt?" There was no vitriol in her voice, just pure curiosity Kay twisted her hands together in her lap "I’ to understand"

"I know It’s not the kind of thing that’s easily explained" He reached over and picked up her hand She tensed and then allowed hih hers

"There are some sensations that you can’t understand unless you’ve experienced theer down the delicate skin on her inner arlanced at hiain

"Experienced?"

His finger continued its trek from her inner arm to her wrist She had small hands, the contrast between their sizes more noticeable as he held her hand cradled in his Not wanting to shock her out of the e of her wrist When she let out a soft breath, he stroked his thu?" Kay tried to pull her hand back, but Eli encircled her wrist and held fast