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Regardless, he said, “I wouldn’t normally consider a kiss the point of no return, but with you…” He let out a long breath “Well, let’s just say I kneas going to be daain A lot”

She sive hih to cut some of the tension “I like that you don’t beat around the bush”

“Don’t see ood idea of how much I want you”

Christ, he’d been hard in a heartbeat No wootten him so worked up so fast And his adrenaline still puainst his chest and she gazed up at hi blue eyes of hers

He added, “But to be clear, I’ to take this slow and easy”

“Of course you are I knew you were a good guy the entle with her Doing whatever it took to keep her calm You’re that ith me too”

“Well, I did ht?”

She laughed softly “I’’s h dinner over herskills”

His fingers grazed her cheek His head dipped and he kissed her tenderly Then he whispered against her lips, “Nohat is it that you need to tell me?”

Her breath hitched She stepped away

Sahed “I like it better when you’re in my arms”

“I like that too” But she didn’t return to him Instead, she broke their eye contact and stared out toward the stable “The thing is, the ex got a little rough when I realized he was trying to swindle sixty grand from me”

Hell

He wasn’t going to like this conversation at all

His ed to ask in a steady voice, “Did he hit you?”