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She finally found her tongue, ready to counter him as she s

o often had But this time her voice was full of awe, incredulity

‘How could I possibly have known? You never once even suggested it’

‘On the contrary’ He dragged his finger over her botto the movement as if spellbound ‘I ain every time I worshipped your body’

‘That was merely sex—’

Her voice was raspy, bumpy But then, so was his

‘We both know that it was never merely sex’

If only he’d allowed himself to admit that much, much earlier

‘Still, you can’t just walk away fros mean to you’

He had to concentrate Answer her every question But he was having a hard tiain

‘Hetti is in despair,’ he aze from those luscious lips of hers ‘She wants you to kno desperately sorry she is She has no idea how ot hold of her key but she is ada since said she can do without the dra to concentrate on her own faed into that life As for Rafi—he has loathed both our parents ever since he could talk I don’t think there’s any chance of any of the upset that I’ve finally decided to cut all ties’

‘It all sounds too perfect, too easy,’ Effie vacillated ‘But I don’t just have myself to think about I have Nell And, as ever, the idea of doing sohter in so I refuse to even entertain’

‘I kno important Nell is,’ he confirmed

‘I want to believe you,’ Effie choked out ‘But loveit’s a big deal’

And then he gave up trying to fight his instincts any longer