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Without warning, he wraps his hands around e of the bathrooo a little squeal and he steps in between s He’s even closer to aze

"I don’t want to talk about it," he whispers "I want to tell you, but I can’t"

I touch his face and he leans intohis eyes I study his beautiful face and I’e to kiss hi it all bottled up inside isn’t healthy" I stroke his cheek and he opens his eyes "You really should talk to so to make him realize I want to be the one he talks to about whatever’s bothering hiht Whenever you’re ready, I’m here" I drop e of the tiled counter, lifting up as best as I can, and press a kiss to his cheek I want him to know that I’ll be there for him no --and I have a feeling they’re pretty awful--I want to stand by hiht be more trouble than he’s worth but I don’t think so This man came into my life for some reason Just as I came into his Maybe we’re supposed to help each other cope

Or give each other hope

~ Chapter Nine ~

Day 4, 1:12 pm

She’s beautiful, and therefore to be wooed; she is woman, and therefore to be won – William Shakespeare

Drew

I took Fable to lunch as a sort of thank you for putting up with ht was inexcusable, but soood toher a nice lunch is such a laot What I really want to do to show my thanks, I don’t think she’d be very receptive to Despite the sweet kiss on the cheek she gaveshe offered before we both went to bed, they definitely had more of a sisterly vibe than a I’I’d rather take her to bed, strip her nad and bury et, for at least a little while I want to map every inch of her skin with my mouth I want to sit with her in my arms and kiss her for hours, until our lips are swollen and our jaws are tired I want to knohat she looks like when she comes And I want to be the one whofroirl Ever I sound like a coood way And I’ve known her less than a week

Souess that’s all it takes

"I love this restaurant" She looks around after the waitress brought us our plates, the sht her to this tohere I grew up "It’s so cute And the food s in don Carot a doll-like feel to it, lots of cottages everywhere and everything’s tiny, all the narrow passages and secret hideaways It’s like a fairy tale

"Dig in," I encourage because I’ and ready to take my own advice I ordered a chicken club sandhile Fable ordered some sort of Asian chicken salad I take a couple of bites, so involved in stuffingout on the look of pure bliss on Fable’s face as she eats

I set the sandwich on my plate, completely transfixed It’s ridiculous, my reaction to her Doesn’t help that I’ she does see that salad Her eyes are half-closed and she’s wearing this dreaue doing one

My appetite for Fable co Like, the best dressing I’ve ever tasted" She looks at ht you were hungry?"

"Uhh…" Busted

"You’re not eating You don’t like it?" Her concern is sweet, but this has nothing to do with a freaking sandwich and everything to do with her How much I want her

And I want her pretty dao with this and not worry about the consequences We’re attracted to each other She won’t have any expectations, and neither do I My turbulent past can be pushed away and replaced--at least temporarily--with new ood" I take another bite to prove it and she smiles her approval before she starts back in on her salad

It hits me then that we’re on a lunch date I’uy alive I play football, I get good grades in college, I have girls dying to go out with irl on a date Have no idea how to be in a relationship My past has turned me off of all that stuff and I’ve let it rule ," Fable says after she takes a drink of her iced tea "Does your faether or what?"

"Not really" Well, we haven’t sincethere Too heavy of a topic today "The last few years we’ve gone on vacation during Thanksgiving"

"How fun" Her smile is sweet but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes She’s just saying that because she thinks I expect her to She sees how fked up we all are

She’s the first person who’s figured that out

"Besides, most of my dad’s fainally," I continue

"Really?" She wipes her mouth with a white cloth napkin, then drops it into her lap My gaze settles on her lips They’re pluain

It’s like I woke up thistheI’d drealed in the sheets She’s consu in it, really

"Yeah My mom was from there, too" I frown I don’t want to think about her either