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“Well, it’s what I’m like now”

“Is it because of Mitch? I’m not married anymore,” she finally whispered, like some sort of invitation to his worst impulses “He’s not between us”

Mitch would always be between them Every ti helicopter Every tiht of her he was re her so close and still so far out of reach hurt worse than any of his injuries

And he just couldn’t take it

“We need to get soainst the bench because his knee seemed suddenly weak “Whatever you think happened, whatever you think it ot the point “—it didn’t”

Her pale skin glowed red at her cheeks

“We won’t be friends,” he continued

“But—”

He stepped in closer

“Ever”

Stepping closer was a loith electricity She breathed hard, her mouth parted and her eyes fell to his lips He could feel every cell of her body reaching toward hi the same

Good God! How much did a man have to take?

“We’re both alone in this town I thought—”

“I’ to say this oneit I do not want a friend and I don’t want anything else you’re offering me”

“I’m not…”

He s all the slick men he’d knoho’d hurt countless women “Yes, sweetheart, you are And I don’t want it”

He stared into the endless blue of her eyes, willing her to accept what she could not change and get the hell out of his garage before he fell apart in front of her

SHE BURNED She burned with her sha hiht tears