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“You’re contagious?” I s “Is that it?”

He frowns down atfrom him, but I don’t knohat I did to earn it Finally, in a hard tone, he says, “Do you knohy I’m here?”

My pulse quickens “Would you like to tell me?”

His hand closes around my arm as his eyes shut “I can’t”

“You can and should So I can take good care of you”

I step in closer, caress his face with aze before I dare to wrap ainst his warm chest His arms close around my shoulders I can feel him take in two breaths—shallow, fast

“Finley…you can’t get what I have” All his hten as he exhales “I’m an addict”

Eighteen

Finley

“I don’t understand” Perhaps I do, a bit, but my mouth runs aith —”

“Addict Junkie Do you knohat that is?”

“Yes, of course” I flinch at his hard tone, and I feel his body stiffen against mine I lower my arms to my sides and look up at him

“I’ine you…as that You’re so—” What I want to say is, he’s so handso and healthy “Sensible” is what I stammer instead “Sie How can that be true?”

I watch his jaw tighten, his nostrils flaring slightly as he inhales His eyes close on the exhale

“That’s why you’re here? To dry out? Or the equivalent?”