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My mind still hadn’t calmed down This whole time, I could still see Ember, still feel her hands on ave the bag one last, resounding punch, then leaned back against the wall and closedhard For a second, I considered not telling Tristan what had happened on the beach that afternoon, but quickly decided against it I’d never kept anything from my partner before Absolute trust was required when someone held your life in their hands

“Garret?” Tristan’s voice was cautious now, and I heard him step farther into the room “What happened?”

I scrubbed a hand overmy arm “On the beach Ember…she…she kissed me”

Tristan’s eyebrows shot into his hair “Coh unable to believe what I just told hi all this tied as a potential sleeper… kissed you?”

I shovedback to that instant “I’ to theBeyond villa roofs and the tops of pal ain “I lost focus,” I continued, “and it wasn’t the first time it’s happened I don’t think I should see her anymore

It’s just going to jeopardize the mission”

“No,” Tristan said firmly, and I looked at him in surprise “No, this is ant, Garret,” he explained “You have to get close It’s the only way to discover anything, to really know if she’s the sleeper or not The more she trusts you, the more likely she is to slip up You can’t stop now You have to keep seeing her”

Continue spending tiht left me relieved and terrified all at once “How do I proceed fro back I had no fra, no experience to draw upon And hoas I going to pursue this girl, pretend to like her, if she didn’t want to see ain? “After she…kissed me…she almost ran away It seemed to spook her pretty badly

What am I supposed to do now?”

“Did you ask her out, ain?”

“No”

“Why not?”

“I…I was…”

“Too busy being ambushed?”

I sighed, giving the bag a half-hearted punch “Yeah”

Tristan grinned “Well, you’re just going to have to suck it up and hunt her down, partner,” he said, far too cheerfully, I thought “Be bold Don’t take no for an answer this time It shouldn’t be too difficult If she kissed you, she has to like you a little”