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Tos that hadn’t made sense suddenly clicked into place Her insecurities and her independence The way she stood on the fringes, holding herself away fro too close to anyone Her need for control

He closed his eyes The way she’d melted in his arms, and the way she’d stopped him before he could make love to her The way he’d yelled at her at the ce bits of hiht at the Rusty Fern, Abby had built walls around herself Walls that, if he were right, were in danger of being broken down—if he illing to push

“I wish you’d toldinto her pale face “I would have been…”

“What? More sy I want is anyone’s pity”

She was so ave herself credit for “That day in your room When you asked me to stop…”

Why was it he couldn’t see the wrong thing Of revealing too much

She smiled at hi to thinkwith you ontime I’ve never even—” She broke off and looked away “Well, it wouldn’t have been my first time, but let’s just say I’ve yet to have my mind blown”

What was she saying? That she’d never experienced good sex? A climax? The idea made hiood for her as for him

Toy clothes, her hair loose around her collar, her rain-washed skin glowing in the laht She was a beautiful, confident, scarred woht briefly about Erin, who had sat on this very sofa and begged him to run aith her Who had said she couldn’t uilty that he couldn’t love her anymore, couldn’t take care of her Erin had needed him and made no secret of it

Abby was different Abby didn’t expect anyone to take care of her She relied on herself Froone toe-to-toe with hih her porch floor

She was far more fearless than she realized

He reached over and touched a finger to her cheek “You are the strongest woman I’ve ever known”

She smiled so sweetly his heart ached with it

“I don’t know about that But it’s nice of you to say so”

She deserved so much better than the hand she’d been dealt A home and security Aaround She was kind but fir to be the one to give those things to her and afraid he couldn’t Tiht And while she’d opened up to him this afternoon, the whole tone of the conversation felt like a prologue to a new chapter called Moving On