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I didn’t ain Or that a little breath stuttered out of her Good Now I felt better and—

Maya’s nose wrinkled “I don’t think Ava’s into that sort of thing”

Salem bristled “What?”

Ava ide-eyed “Wait, I was part of the fantasy? Do tell”

“I did notmate

Meanwhile, Maya bust a gut laughing again “I was just joking, Salem, I swear”

This fucking woman would be the death of me

CHAPTER TWO

(Maya)

Sitting at a table across fron when the person you were dating kept talking about soenius to work out that he was highly attracted to one of the legion members, Arlo Especially since Coop repeatedly blushed whenhim

I ht Coop’s interest inboth our times, but I sensed that he did like me He just liked someone else more Which, to be honest, was a tay street I’d much rather be on this date with Ryder

Really, neither Coop nor I could fully emotionally invest in the other Not e had other people on our minds It was a shame, really, because he sure was cute Funny, too Very open and forthco And he listened Really listened I liked that Liked that there didn’t seeuy I was dating wasn’t remote or self-contained

That wasemotionally unavailable men I wasn’t sure what it said aboutgood

It wasn’t that I wanted topeople for who they were Cassie theorised that I was a little too accepting; that I made too age Maybe I truly didn’t know

Setting down lass of wine-flavoured NST, I spoke, “Can I ask you a question?”

Coop dabbed his mouth with his napkin “Um, sure”