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"I will no' No' without a kiss for toll" He was easing closer as if she were a skittish anih she dreaded losing her tenuous control over her overstimulation, she still was tempted to close her eyes and accept his lips on hers

"That's it, lass," he ru hand

At the last second, Mari reached into her knapsack and snatched out her apple, bringing it between them

His eyes ide, then narrowed "Doona dare," he said

So, naturally, she did Once she'd taken a hearty bite, he looked as if he'd just stifled a shudder and dropped his hand

Around a ht you wanted toher down, he turned fro her to roll her eyes at the succulent taste It was like she'd eaten a super apple - crisper, more flavorful, and juicier than any before She even felt ized As soon as she'd devoured it, she craved another and wondered when she could convene with the reflection again

When she tossed the core, MacRieve glanced back at her A thick lock of jet black hair fell over one of his eyes, rettably, Mari did find herself wanting hi, her attraction to him burned as hot as ever Yet even if MacRieve was sexy - insufferably so - she wasn't going to be seduced into forgiving the hateful thing he'd said last night

Especially not because he ree from her way

He ado back for so that Mari despised, it was to be passed up And yet it kept happening to her

What is it about me? she asked herself for the thousandth ti they preferred over raising her It wasn't as if she'd been a dehter Hell, if her father hadn't died he could've returned at any tiiven the past He could've shown up on her fifteenth birthday with soift like a tea set or a Barbie oven Mari would've been so grateful she'd have held off getting her learner's perhtbulb

Yet he hadn't come back - he hadn't even called her Not once It was like he'd disappeared from the face of the earth One day she had a father; the next day she hadn't

But Jillian's desertion had hurt her the worst If things had been bad between Mari and her, then her leaving wouldn't have been so devastating But life with her had been wonderful

She re on the beach, ar with laughter "Where'slike fire in the sun When Mari had let Jillian catch her, she'd swung her up, and then they'd collapsed laughing onto the sand

Elianna had explained that her parents were - or had been - Important People, and that they had - or had had - Is to Do

Acton, Mari's first love, had ditched her as well For years, the young demon had been her boyfriend He'd courted her when they'd been fourteen, taken her at sixteen, and then she'd taken him at every opportunity for the next three years