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"I re side-to-side, her teeth pinning her lips in a forever kind of se asks, peering up at ive her a thu up speed I hold e Leah toward the door, and Paige and I follow Leah runs ahead, cli herself quickly in her booster seat Paige waits for limpse of pink as she twists behindI laugh once under my breath when I catch her hand on her purse as I turn The wo my head toward her "You have just replaced Santa Claus on the hierarchy of cool people in Leah’s life"
Paige beae of her dress out a little, bending her knees in a curtsy "What girl doesn’t want to be Barbie?" she smiles I notice her soft lips--they are perfect, too Her lips--that’s so I shouldn’t notice Those aren’t part of the costu at the my pockets
"Da onis linked Yeah, that was la that I’m a dumb-ass, then I let her walk to the car in front ofto think Leah isn’t the one who needs to get used to our new rooet to the park in e als to push her, then dragging her to the slides to watch her race up and down When she tries to talk Paige into helping her fill water cups to due waves her hand in front of her face and says she’s getting a little warm and tired, and Leah lets her off the hook She joinsfountain to the sand and back again
"Hey, thanks for being her play, but she see at her as she sits next to me She lifts her ar her neck--I look at that too
She turns her head to the side to face e…I wasn’t looking at your neck, or thinking about kissing it
"I was going to walk through ca dinner? I don’t want to be late," she says
"We usually eat early, probably around five thirty," I say
"That should work," she says, looking forward, picking up her hair again, and I watch Her fingersstrands around knuckles It’s such a simple movement, but damn--it’s kind of sexy
"Stop it!" a voice yells A voice A voice! Leah’s voice! I get to my feet, out of e is already ahead of rass I slow e has her hand around a little boy’s wrist, a full cup of water in his hand, which is hovering above Leah
"O, Mo his neck over his shoulder I walk toward Leah and give her e take over the role of bad cop Another wo it away from the boy
"Get your hands off e doesn’t flinch, instead taking a step toward the wo in close, her hands on her hip
"You should teach your kid how to treat girls This little creep was going to pour water all over her He was teasing her; I saw the whole thing!" Paige is seething I feel Leah clutchand I look down at her, worried she’s scared She’s srinning ear-to-ear
"I should have you arrested!" the wo to walk away She flips around quickly, stopping at the edge of the sand where she bends down to pick up her shoes, then spins with the from one hand
"Yeah, well I should have punched you in the nose So touché," she says, turning back to ht line, and she passes Leah and ht to the car We follow, and Leah skips ahead, clie I pause at the front of the car to watch, noting the initial surprise on Paige’s face at the feel of tiny hands around her neck That shock slides into a proud grin, and she brings her hand up to squeeze Leah’s, patting it once When she looks up at me, she drops the smile quickly, then looks down at her lap