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“But I should never have asked her to marry me,” he continued

La la la She focused on where the skyat her clothes, her face, her hair, on the scent of the ocean

“Clara was s”

“It took you long enough to figure that out You walked away on the night before your wedding,” she pointed out, wincing inside She hadn’t meant to let him draw her into this conversation She didn’t want to have this conversation

“I’ to ”

“Oh, you’re so sanctioodness?”

A tic jumped at his jaw “Tellhis hands on her upper ar her to face hi you that night far exceeded anything I’d ever felt”

“Don’t say that”

He stared at her so intently she thrust her chin up

“I couldn’tI could have done to her when I didn’t love her the way she deserved to be loved”

“Do you want iven? That you were a saint to walk away and break her heart?” She glared “I’ to absolve you that way”

“I don’t need your absolution,” he inforave o”

“Ha,” she scoffed “If you believe that you’re a bigger fool than I thought”

He was close So close Despite the breeze she could feel the heat co off hiers on her arms as if he branded her

“Has anyone ever told you that you are the most stubborn female?”