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"He’s infuriating but I’ve known him and loved him since I was a kid"

"You’re twenty-three, yes? You’re still a kid"

"But he’s never taken o Never asked …" Her voice trailed off as she realized the i She took a quick breath "Anything I wasn’t ready to do"

Eleanor lanced back at the fire

"Are you ready?" Daniel asked and sat his glass on the table next to his chair

She counted to ten before answering She knew the answer at "one" but the little feminine pride she had made her wait nine more seconds

"Yes"

If Daniel was pleased by her response, his face didn’t show it His expression was inscrutable

He sat forward in his chair Eleanor studied hiht hand He fanned his fingers out, gazed at his own palht into a fist But it was the sound of his fingers snapping, loud and unexpectedly sharp, that really demanded her attention He snapped and pointed at the floor She responded ell-trained obedience, rising off the rug and kneeling again at his feet

She inhaled as he laid a hand on the side of her face His thumb caressed her cheek

"I won’t kiss you if thatwould make it worse"

"Honest," he repeated "Yes, be honest It’s been over three years foryou don’t like"

"What if…" She stopped and took another breath His hand was on her neck now, hisher skin in a way that hs damp "What if I do like it?"

Daniel sht she caught a glimpse of the man he must have been before the pain burrowed in and made a home out of his heart