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Ian laughed derisively "Touche""

"Go to her, Ian See her There's a purity in her soul such as I've never seen before She could change you"

Ian winced at the softly spoken words For no reason that he could name, they caused a rush of emotion Fear, maybe Perhaps a little stab of hope He pushed suddenly to his feet and turned away, striding from the room

"Run along, little Ian, and hide your head in the sand Or in your precious journal"

He ignored Johann's coh the trees, toward the sea He needed to think, to get away froed souls

Selena was on the beach She earing an old lawn shirt of his and those baggy pants, hitched at the waist with a fist-thick leather belt Her long hair whipped out behind her, fluttered in the breeze The pungent, clammy smell of low tide seeped up from the sand and rocks

In front of her stood an easel A pale crea a huge yelloer on the bodice

She hadn't seen hi stopped hi deep and ele-

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Quietly he came up beside her "Hello, Selena"

She jumped at the sound of his voice and dropped the paintbrush, spinning around "Ian," she mouthed

Nervously he shifted his weight The words he ought to say, needed to say, wedged in his throat, as thick and unwieldy as sand "II'm sorry, Selena"

Her face broke into a dazzlingly bright smile "You are?"

"I never meant to hurt you"