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“Cornwall” Slayde veered the ketch inland “It’s after o on to Pembourne at dawn”

Dazed, she glanced up at him “Why?” Even as the word left her lips, she visualized the worried, well- that awaited them “Never mind,” she countered hastily “An inn would be fine”

She went through thehi roos as she woodenly undressed down to her che into the bed in the hopes that it would war her body

It didn’t

Pressing her face into the pillow, Courtney, willed herself to cry Anything would be better than this hollow ache It was unbearable

The adjoining door opened, then shut She didn’t have to look to knoas Slayde The bed gave beneath his weight as he sat beside her “Courtney” He smoothed her hair from her brow “Don’t be afraid The emptiness is part of the loss It won’t last forever”

“Won’t it?” She raised up on her elbows, searching his face “It has with you”

Agony slashed across his features “You’re wrong”

“I hope so” She drew a shuddering breath “I don’t think I can bear to live this way—so hollow, so cold”

He reached for her, drew her into his arms “You’re not cold, sweetheart And you won’t stay hollow”

Desperation seized her and cried out for relief “Slayde, I can’t endure this,” she said in a broken whisper “Make the eo away”

His silver eyes darkened with suppressed emotion “I wish to God I could” His lips brushed her cheeks, the bridge of her nose “I’d absorb the pain and the cold, fill every shred of emptiness, if I could But trust , to remain hollow In time, your very nature will fill the emptiness” A fervent pause “Just as it’s filled mine”

Courtney blinked, a tinge of joy seeping through the void, wrought by so more potent than the emptiness Never had she expected Slayde to make such an admission, one that, for him, was akin to an admission that he needed her That, combined with his declaration last week…

“Slayde,” she ued her since she’d visited his chaht before you left Pembourne, you said you loved me Did you mean it?”

He never averted his gaze “I meant it”