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Lucas couldn’t argue with that It was, after all, exactly how he liked it

“Oh, stuff it” Ruby jairl and can take care of myself”

She whirled on the ball of her foot and turned to face Lucas The glint in her eye screa, she’d raised herself up on her tiptoes, cupped his face in her hands, and planted her lips on his The kiss was like a triple shot of akvavit on the first day of winter It burned in the best way and blasted the rest of the world to smithereens It was totalher sweet tongue as it begged for entrance into his hungry mouth wasn’t an option The moment he opened his ed Shock and awe melted away in the face of such heated need on both their parts Then, as fast as it began, it ended with her handback toward her brother

“Now get out of here before the Sparrow realizes you’re wandering around after-hours,” she said, her chin high and gray eyes glea

“Too

late,” her brother snipped “I already told hirand tour”

“At three in the s back

Jasper shrugged “I sold it”

“He pretended to be drunk,” Clausen said, her hand on the bedroom doorknob

“Then be sure to sell it on the way back to your wing,” Ruby said

Jasper stalked over to the door, stopping right as Clausen opened it He turned back to stare down Lucas “Remember what I said”

Hating that her brother was right to warn Ruby off him, Lucas fell back on the best defense erated sarcasht now I’d be shaking in them”

Taking the initiative, Clausen stepped outside the door and let out a siht then, lovebirds,” she said in a singsong voice and then tugged Jasper out into the hall with her before closing the door behind them

The silence after all of the noise of the last twenty minutes bore down on him Ruby’s shoulders slumped, and she lifted a pale to replace her touch with his own and co as it was ive in, but he wasn’t a total monster What had happened between theed in hadn’t been just for their cover, but it couldn’t happen again

“Ruby—”