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The kiss was languid and long, yet never quite losing its gently insistent quality and deepening into soers were there, their pressure light near a corner of his mouth as she pulled her lips away fro across his skin

A part of him didn’t want the kiss to end, but Quint felt the heaviness of his lith When she tipped her head down, he lightly kissed the top of it

“Good night, Quint,” she murmured

“Good night,” he echoed and h the living rooush from the kitchen sink’s faucets

The noonday sky was clear blue, crisscrossed with slowly dissipating contrails left by high-flying jets With the sun at its zenith, the teree mark On the west side of the ranch house, a pair of white sheets and pillowcases flapped in the south breeze

Another set of sheets, straight froe wicker basket Dallas carried as she crossed to the kitchen door Pausing, she shifted the basket to the side, propping it on her hip, and reached for the doorknob She pushed open the screen door, glancing to see Quint and E up the walk

“Lunch is on the stove,” she told them “Hot beef sandwiches You’re welcome to help yourself or wait until I come back”

The phone rang in a shrill punctuation of her announce away from the door to answer it

“I’ll get it” Quint loped up the porch steps, and Dallas stepped back to let hih

With Empty not far behind him, Dallas held the door for him Ten hours of sleep had removed the shadows fro back in his step Truthfully Dallas hadn’t expected hilad he had

“Cee Bar Ranch” Quint’s voice follohen she stepped onto the porch with the basket “Jessy I didn’t expect to hear froht”

Everything inside her tightened up For an instant Dallas was torn between staying and going, pretending there was no significance to this call But she knew better

She set the wicker basket on the porch’s planked flooring and crouched down, going through thethe wet sheets for better balance and using the delay to eavesdrop on Quint’s phone call

“I’estion, Jessy,” he said “In the long run, I think it’ll be the wisest thy pause, and Dallas gripped the basket by its handles while pushing to her feet “I’ll work out all the arranges, I’ll let you know”

There was a finality to his voice that signaled further discussion was at an end Dallas immediately headed down the steps and struck out for the clothesline