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"It’s a lot of work--allad to help"

"You don’t knohat you’re offering Do you have any idea how coht take?"

"Good things come to those ait"

"Christ, Simon, you have no idea I want this so badly, probably even ht?"

"Wait, what? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Brioche It’s like, soainst the counter"

The granite felt cool against ed with less force when I heard the edge of panic in his voice

He knew, and he was still here He was here in my kitchen in that blue North Face pullover that made his eyes smoky sapphires and his entire body look cuddly and wareous And here I was, covered in honey and raisins, bangingreat name for a--focus, Caroline!

Heart had damn near leapt out of my chest when she saw hi at the sight of him Brain had shut down in shock and denial for atoward pronouncing hi the ti the cause of concern Backbone straightened now, knowing innately that proper posture created a better-looking rack--could you blame her? Nerves…fluttered

Why Why He wants to knohy I exa concerned As was I-- to hurt I was tired, overwhelashtened up, then listed a little left I caught my balance, drew in a breath, and let fly

"You want to knohy?"

"I’d like to Are you done banging?"

"God bless it, no ht circle, dodging the chocolate chips and pecans that had congregated close to the counter on the floor I spied Clive in the corner, batting a fealnuts back and forth between his paws Nuts all over the floor, nuts inabout pizza parlors, Sireat credit, he listened He listened as I went on and on, circling the kitchen island as I ranted and raged I could barely un…It went away!…night off…Jordan Catalano…Not even Clooney!…hiatus…Oprah…lonely…single…Not even Clooney!…Jason Bourne…al…"

After a while he looked as dizzy I was beginning to feel But I was deterrabin a patch of crushed pecans, which I had crushed further in h the clutter

I , "Spanish fairy tale with prawns," when I tripped over a muffin tin and fell into his aron Theanywhere" He pressed his hands into the shis eht in the eyes

"How did you know?" I asked

"Couys know"

"No, really How did you know?" I asked again

He kissed ently "Because all of a sudden, you weren’t asm in one thousand years," I statedacross the hall to kick your door now," I sighed, pulling away and shuffling through the sugar

"Wait, wait, wait, you what? You haven’t had a what?" He grabbed forout in the open now

"An orgas No orgasive me a five-percent discount whenever I want one, but in return, he took o back to your hareh!" I cried, the da

"Convent? What? Come here, please Get your draly back to the kitchen and wrapped me in his arms He rocked me back and forth as I let out ridiculous sobs and wails

"You’re so…so…great…and I can’t…I can’t…you’re so good…in…bed…and everywhere else…and I can’t…I can’t…God…you’re so hot…when you came…so hot…and you came home…and I killed my brioche…and I…I…I think…I love you"

All stop Breathe What did I just say?

"Caroline, hey, stop crying, you gorgeous girl Mind running that last part by ain?"