page72 (1/2)

He had won; histheir bond to soothe her"Gi a little bottle in her hand with quick jerks of her wrist

Stuffed full of cake—a huge tiered thing, frosted bird's egg blue and beautifully decorated, a cake that could feed half of Shepherd's army… that even after their brutal attack on it could still feed half of Shepherd's ars

S slumped in her chair, Claire picked up one bare foot and stretched it over to set in her friend's lap "Why aht is vampy red?"

Maryanne brushed a careful line of paint over Claire's big toe, s "Too sexy for prudish little Claire?"

"Says the girl who slept with every boy we knew…"

"After I left, did you ever cave in and date that that Seyuy? He had such a crush on you"

Claire groaned and rolled her eyes "Gods no I hadaround the house"

Playful eyes glanced up, Maryanne her academy?"

Claire shook her head "I was focused on my studies"

"After academy?"

"Geez, you !"

"So only Shepherd, huh?" Maryanne pretended to focus on her work, spreading the crimson paint carefully "That's kinda too bad I mean, think about it If you have only slept with Shepherd you have nothing to compare it to He could be awful and you would never know I bet you wish you'd experimented now…"

Laughing so hard it hurt, Claire struggled to say, "Stop antagonizing him!"

"That's what he gets for eavesdropping on girl talk There are reasons oate without men… so we can make fun of them"

Claire was still laughing, green eyes dancing while innocent Maryanne blew on her toes "What other interesting things do you have in your pockets?"

"Look ants presents?" the blonde sang, reaching into her coat for a tube of lipstick

Unscrewing the lid, Maryannea masterpiece Claire leaned forward, puckered, and let her stain her lips a rich berry red

"Well, I'ed, uniht like it"

"It's the sa the tube from Maryanne's hands "I had a lipstick like this once, never had a place to wear it"