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"Your experience is with Caraican women," she points out "Of course, I'm the most confident woman you've ever known"

"I've met plenty of other women over the last feeeks Observed even more Trust me; no one holds a candle to you in that respect"

"But yet it's a turn off for you," she says quietly, and her eyes cast doard

I blink at her in surprise, not just by her words, but by the way she drops her gaze So not the confident Moira I know "It's not a turn off"

"No?" she asks dubiously but with a hint of challenge as she raises her face upward "You haven't spoken to me in several days You don't want me unless you can put me on bended knee I'm not Tukaba, and I never will be"

Reaching out, I take a lock of her silky hair in ers I study it carefully, watching the way the light dances on it When I raise my eyes to her, I say, "Don't ever think I don't want you, Moira I' the way"

"Zach I don't want you to lose yourself And I don't ever want you to be anyone other than your true self Please don't think that"

I release her hair and step back "I know But I also know that you will never be the wo to bend toI don't know any other way"

"That's not true," Moira says quickly and reaches out to take ers lace in between mine "You keep your ways, Zach But you can learn neays too, if you want That's how you should treat everything in life"

I'ers intertwined Her touch is warives me a measure of peace "I don't want to hurt you," I tell her honestly "I always feel like I' ready to lose control when I'hly, and I'ht hurt you in the process"

"But you haven't yet," she assures me

"Because I was in control the entire tiive that up, ill protect you from me?"

Raising our joined hands up, Moira kisses my knuckles so sweetly "You won't hurt me I trust you But let's talk about this after dinner later tonight They're expecting us now"

I nod at her, and she releasestoward my door that opens to the hallway, Moira looks back at me "And Zach I don't think Randall should know about us I mean, about how close we've come in an intimate way"

"I prefer hi about "

"It's just what I did having sex with you It's inappropriate fro from He wouldn't understand"

I s anywhere So don't worry"

She breathes out a sigh of relief and smiles "Thank you"

When we reach the botto for us "Everyone is in the library if you'd like to join them for a pre-dinner drink"

I give the man a nod andI don't want to know this Randall Cannon I want to go home back to Brazil, and back to my people

Except, for the first tiht of leaving Moira causes a tightness to form in my chest While I have no clue where our relationship is headed, I'm most certain I'm not ready to be parted from her yet

Moira enters into a set of open double doors and when I follow, I see Randall standing there with a e Both of theolden blond hair The th tobut wrapped up in a knot at the back of her head She's quite beautiful actually, ide, blue eyes and delicate features

"Ah, there you are," Randall boo arm, he says, "Come in Come in I want to introduce you to my niece and nephew, Cara and Clint Cannon"

I follow Moira in, keeping slightly behind her She smiles at the man and woman and holds her hand out to each in turn for them to shake

"Hi I'm Moira," she says "It's a pleasure to meet you"

She then steps aside, so I can shake their hands Clint steps forward and gives , white sood to meet you, Zach Uncle Randall has told us all about you We're going to have so ether this summer"

I don't knohat to say to that because Moira said ere leaving in two days, so I just give him a halfhearted smile and turn to the woman

I hold my hand out to her, but she steps forward and wraps her bare arainst ainst mine, which stuns me "It's a pleasure to meet you, Zach"

She releases me slowly and looks at me intently "My, eous Zach is Such secrets"