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Julia took a sip frolass he hadn’t noticed The smell of Scotch drowned out the smell of eucalyptus

“Are you drinking?”

Ice cubes clinked and clattered against glass as she set the tumbler on the armrest of the rocker

“I found the bottle in the liquor cabinet, covered in an inch of dust I couldn’t sleep” Her voice was huskier, deeper “Seeood idea”

Jesse caught scent of trouble on the wind and he set his eolden legs, the smell of booze and flowers He felt doomed, reckless

“Do you want soh the bottle were there somewhere

“No I didn’t know you drank”

“I don’t” She shrugged and sighed “Tastes terrible”

“Good a reason as any not—”

“I don’t think I can sleep here, Jesse”

He took a deep breath Another A long steady exhale as though he were going into battle

Calm your mind Calm your heart

“Why not?”

“The bed…the sheets, the pillows, even the towels in the bathroom, it all smells like you”

And there it was The match touched to the dorht, too sain and he bit his lip against the urge to run his hands up those shs, past her shorts…

“It’s killing me, Jesse”

Stand up Go inside Leave Walk away

“It’s killing me to be in this house with you and not touch you”