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"This tub isn’t quite big enough," he co his past her hips, lifted her legs to drape thehs and pulled her toward hi

"I’et through the day, waiting for you"

"I’m not quite freshened up yet," she said

"I’ll help with that," he said, picking up the soap He ran the soap smoothly over her shoulders, down her back, over her breasts, under her arhted hums from her when he lathered her up Then he took the face cloth and gently rinsed her "I want to tell you so"

"Another one of those talks? More conditions?"

"No I visited a clinic in Eureka Right after our first night together I had a screening for STDs To be sure, though I was already pretty sure I wanted you to know that despite er that I’ll pass anything to you"

"Aw," she said, pulling hihtful"

"No one’s ever been inside you before me," he said "I want to keep you coot the results just in time I don’t have a condom in this tub," he said "But there’s that other matter…"

"I’m on the pill I took care of that"

"You didn’t tell me," he said

"Sorry I didn’t think about your concerns--I was handlingin for a deep kiss, he said, "I --your uncle visited me"

"He did? He shouldn’t have done that What did he say?"

"That he knehere you’ve been every night And that he didn’t much like the fact that you weren’t able to ride"

"Oh God," she moaned

"It was by far one of the worst moments of my life"

"I’m sorry, Luke I’ll talk to him--"

"No, don’t We worked it out"

"How?"

"Well," he said, pulling her close hiainst him "I refused to explain, he threatened me with dire consequences if I abused you or treated you cruelly, I tried to reassure him that I can be civilized if I concentrate, and in the end, we actually shook hands"

"God," she said "Luke, Uncle Walt and I already had our standoff about this He toldto bully me out of whatever relationship I chose He promised to behave hi "You defended me?"

"Does that surprise you? That I can stand up for myself? Really, does everyone think I’m a spineless little twit?"

"Nah, you’re just too sweet And Walt wanted to be sure you’re safe with me"

"Did you tell hierous and wicked and a real shark o at his lower lip with her teeth

"No one has to know, do they?" he asked her "That I was the first one to--"

She leaned back, looking at him "Why? Do you want it to be a secret?"

"I’d like it if that belonged to us You and rinned "I’ve never had an experience like this in my life," he said "And I’ve had a ton of experience"

"And I’ve never had any," she said

"But I’ve never been with anyone like you," he told her "You’re a house, for Christ’s sake I don’t do things like this"

"See? I tried to warn you Maybe I should have given you the talk"

"Yeah, I never saw that co," he said "Your uncle also wanted to knohat plans I had with you I told him that was for me to talk with you about"

"Luke, you shouldn’t lie…"