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33b3d00
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I swung onto the next branch as Rafe did the same on the other side. I felt the bear's hot breath on my stockinged foot and snatched it away as his teeth clicked together. He roared in frustration, then leaned on the tree and shook it again. "Hold on!" Rafe shouted, like I was planning on doing anything else. I clung to the tree, arms around the trunk, as it swayed. The bear swiped at us, but we were well out of reach. After a moment, he fi..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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2e722a6
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Seems that control-over-animals thing doesn't work so well with the animals we really need control over." "No kidding, huh?" I said."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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76fe1c7
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Okay, so you were going to tell me tonight. Well, it's tonight. Go on." He squirmed and I knew the timing didn't matter--he'd expected this to play out differently, probably on a cliff top after a climb, sitting together, his arm around me, as he casually said, "Hey, you know how those mountain lions have been hanging around you a lot lately? Well, there's a reason..." "Skin-walkers," I prompted. "Right." Silence."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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3da27e4
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Would you like to join us, Rafael?" my mom asked. "Or do you go by Rafe?" "Usually." A disarming grin. "Unless I'm in trouble." --
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Kelley Armstrong |
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44b01f9
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It's not like he isn't going to realize he's being vetted as daughter-dating material." Rafe grinned. "So we dating?" "No. You have to the parental exam first. It'll take you awhile to compile the data. They'd like it in triplicate." I turned to my parents. "We have Kenjii. We have my cell phone. Since we aren't yet officially dating, I'm sure you'll agree that's all the protection we need." Dad choked on his coffee."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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d686946
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We have Kenjii. We have my cell phone. Since we aren't yet officially dating, I'm sure you'll agree that's all the protection we need." Dad choked on his coffee. Mom waved us to the door. "Go. Have fun. Dinner will be at six thirty."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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1aa3475
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I didn't deliberately check my speed, but when we neared the top, Rafe was still beside me. I slowed and he was right there, his face inches from mine. He grinned, that blazing grin now, hair plastered to his face, eyes glittering. I leaned over and kissed him. He hesitated for about a nanosecond, like he really hadn't expected that, and I laughed. Then he kissed me back, a light kiss, almost teasing, making me shiver. "Probably not the saf..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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62fa721
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When he reached the top, I was standing there. He grinned and stepped toward me. I stepped back. His grin widened. I glanced over my shoulder. The cliff topped out on a hill, with forest stretching behind us, the mountains a distant backdrop. "Uh-uh," Rafe said. "If you run, I'll chase. You know how much I like that part." "All the more reason to do it."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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e91091b
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Suddenly he was right there, his mouth on mine, my arms around his neck. Then he stopped. He caught my arms and backed up, studying my face. "Has anyone had access to your drinks recently?" he said. "Any strange allergic reactions? Bug bites?" "Shut up."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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87a04d4
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Whether he killed her or scavenged her remains, he's a man-eater now, so he can't stay. I just don't want to jump to the conclusion he's the killer and overlook the possibility she was--" Daniel's arm nudged mine. A subtle gesture that could be accidental, but when you've been friends this long, you know when you're being told to shut up."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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92c1383
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Under normal circumstances, I'd run there, and try to make it back by the end of lunch period but--" "Not when we might have a man-killing cat roaming around. Come on. I'll drive you." He started toward the lot. I jogged up beside him. "You don't have to do that. Go eat your lunch." "I've got some energy bars in the glove box." I jostled him. "What, you don't trust me to drive your baby?"
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Kelley Armstrong |
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5aac78f
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Come on. I'll drive you." He started toward the lot. I jogged up beside him. "You don't have to do that. Go eat your lunch." "I've got some energy bars in the glove box." I jostled him. "What, you don't trust me to drive your baby? Go on. I can handle it." "It's not that. She's been acting up lately, remember? I don't want you stranded and walking back through the forest." Getting a lift from Daniel was going to make it a whole lot tougher ..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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2686b3d
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What, you don't trust me to drive your baby? Go on. I can handle it." "It's not that. She's been acting up lately, remember? I don't want you stranded and walking back through the forest." Getting a lift from Daniel was going to make it a whole lot tougher to ask Rafe about skin-walkers. But I'd have to work with it."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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8b00b71
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I opened the note again. Just those two lines. Cool and emotionless. Left. Will return. I held the page up to the window, trying to see what he'd crossed out.
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Kelley Armstrong |
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75175fe
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When I reached his branch, he was sitting there, legs dangling. "Will that branch hold two?" I said, looking at it. "Maybe. The question is whether you're willing to risk it." I swung onto the branch and started sidling out. He grinned. " question, wasn't it?" "It was." "You can't resist me." "No, I can't resist a dare." I stopped. He looked at the distance between us and lifted his brows. "This seems close enough," I said. "For safety's s..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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d69c33f
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He swung his leg over and reached for me, pulling me into a kiss. He started slow, shifting, checking my balance. I backed up a little and swung my leg over, so we were both straddling. "Better?" I said. "Much." He gave me a real kiss then, deep and hungry, and I think the branch could have snapped and I wouldn't have noticed until I hit the ground. Maybe not even then. We kissed, barely coming up for air, until a giggle sounded below us. T..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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36cb31d
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I stopped. He looked at the distance between us and lifted his brows. "This seems close enough," I said. "For safety's sake." "Safe from the branch breaking? Or from me?" He swung his leg over and reached for me, pulling me into a kiss. He started slow, shifting, checking my balance. I backed up a little and swung my leg over, so we were both straddling. "Better?" I said. "Much." He gave me a real kiss then, deep and hungry, and I think the..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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8567771
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I thought I asked you to stay inside today." "I was careful." She grabbed the lowest branch and swung up. "I wanted to see Maya. I wanted to make sure she was coming over for dinner." "I haven't invited her yet." Annie grabbed our branch. "Whoa, no!" Rafe said as it dipped. "She can't come over if she falls and breaks both her legs."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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d994438
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I wanted to see Maya. I wanted to make sure she was coming over for dinner." "I haven't invited her yet." Annie grabbed our branch. "Whoa, no!" Rafe said as it dipped. "She can't come over if she falls and breaks both her legs." "She won't do that, silly. She'll land on her feet. Just like me." "Rather not test that theory," he said and leaned over me to unwrap her fingers from the branch."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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7d8facb
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What's wrong?" "Nothing." "Liar. Is it Rafe?" When I hesitated, his hands clenched, jaw clenching with them. "That son of a bitch," he muttered. "This is the part where you get to say 'I told you so."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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36addaa
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The town council met at the school. That meant we knew exactly how to sneak in. There was a window in the guys' locker room that never closed right. Well, it didn't after grade eight, when Corey and Brendan broke in to set up a video camera in the girls' locker room. No videos were ever taken. Daniel had caught them and said if the camera wasn't gone by Monday morning, he'd give us photos from the last time they went skinny-dipping, when th..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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22eedcb
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The town council met at the school. That meant we knew exactly how to sneak in.
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Kelley Armstrong |
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b641931
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When I got downstairs the next morning, Daniel was already up, sitting with Dad, looking over his shoulder as he monitored the fires. "So what's the latest word from the flaming frontier?" I asked as I poured myself an orange juice. "It's not flaming enough to cancel school," Dad said. "Damn." --
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Kelley Armstrong |
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e59decd
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She handed me her teacup for a refill. I took it and ignored Daniel's outstretched empty coffee mug. He arched his brows. "You want a ride to school or not?" "If you don't drive me in, Dad will have to. There are dangerous predators on the loose." Daniel sighed and got up to fill his mug."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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76a42b4
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I heard you guys broke up," she said. "We did." "Did you decide he wasn't good enough for you?" "
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Kelley Armstrong |
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1530a2b
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He likes you." I looked at her. She shrugged. "I'm just saying, if you didn't want to break up, he'll come back. He really likes you." A sardonic twist of a smile. "Everyone does."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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104fa59
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Daniel belayed back down as I got into position. His feet hit the ground with a thump, then he looked over at me. "Ready?" "Always." Nicole did the countdown from the top. I started fast, reaching the halfway mark head and shoulders above him. But that's when things got tricky, the holds and grips a little farther apart, and he had the advantage. By the three-quarter mark, he'd caught up. "Better kick it up a notch," he said, as he drew alo..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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3d3e0d0
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Daniel wobbled and the grip slid out of his hand. He dropped only a few inches, but by the time he'd recovered, I was pulling myself over the top. Brooke and Nicole were cheering. The others below called up good-natured boos. I took a breather as I hung off the ledge. I could hear Daniel panting beside me, but I didn't look over. There was no way he'd lost his hold on that grip. He'd let go. Given me the win at the last second as he realize..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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4a0f87b
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Better kick it up a notch," he said, as he drew alongside me. "I know you really want those extra holds." "And I'm sure you really don't want to make them. But don't forget the second part. You win, you gotta kiss me. Might be better to stick with the holds."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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92590e9
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After a moment, I grinned over at him. "Loser." "The rope slipped," he said, tugging at it, like he was testing the belay system. "You just keep telling yourself that. It'll keep you busy while you're building those new holds." "You still need to beat everyone else. You haven't won yet." "Just keep telling yourself that, too."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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97e767c
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So did I hear right?" he said. "Race to the top? Winner gets a kiss?" "Maya's done seven climbs in a row," Daniel said. "You can race me." "But I don't want to kiss "
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Kelley Armstrong |
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f10604d
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You okay?" Rafe said when the bear was gone. I sat on a branch and pulled my foot up. My sock was ripped, but the bear's teeth hadn't broken the skin. I squeezed my foot and winced. "Just bruised," I said. "Maya?" Daniel called. I tried to see him but couldn't through the thick evergreens. "We're fine!" I yelled. "You?" He said he was all right, and I was about to climb down, when Rafe climbed over to my branch and crouched there. "Seems th..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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a5f6b43
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Um, your prize..." Corey said. "If you aren't going to take it, I'd be happy to play stand-in." "I'll collect it later," Rafe said. "Without an audience." --
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Kelley Armstrong |
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39b6802
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After that, she started asking about the medical stuff." "I hope you shut your mouth," Brooke said. "Yes, but the questions she was asking were weird. About us again. How often did we get checked out? Did we get any special shots? Were we on special diets?" "Oh my God," I whispered. "We're lab rats. They're experimenting on us. Building super wrestlers and singers who can take over the WWE and The first steps to world domination." "I thin..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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6511ef1
|
But what had really happened tonight? With the cougar, it was obviously adrenaline with a chaser of shock, and maybe a little post-traumatic stress thrown in for good measure.
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Kelley Armstrong |
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45fbdd4
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Corey's fine," Daniel said, as if reading my thoughts. "I'm sorry," I said. "I'm not holding up very well." "Yes, you are. We just need to get this done, then you can have a breakdown. I'll join you." I smiled. "Thanks." "Anytime. Now, let's go."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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7719322
|
I'm going higher first," I said, "to look around for Annie." "Good idea." I called down to Daniel to say what we were doing. Rafe was already two branches above me. I scrambled up after him. The faster I went, the faster he did, and I thought it was just coincidence until he grinned down at me. My heart sped up and I raced after him, trying to catch up, cursing when I couldn't. I forgot about Annie and the fire and the bear, and everything..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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1a86327
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So it's up to Maya. She's already won. I'm just the bonus round." He grinned then, but it was a different kind of grin, a mock arrogance that made me laugh and shake my head. I looked into his eyes and saw the challenge sparkling there, and I hadn't even decided what to do when I heard myself saying, "You're on." As Rafe walked over to the dangling harness, he stripped off his jacket, earning him giggles and whispers from the girls and grun..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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eda9092
|
Brendan helped Rafe into the harness. It took a while, the process punctuated by Rafe's questions. Then he stood at the base of the rock face, saying, "You put your toes here, right? And you grab those things that stick out?" The others laughed and yelled, "Quit while you're ahead!" Daniel relaxed and rolled his eyes at me. I rolled mine back, but not for the same reason. When we were finally in position, the others pulling away, I whispere..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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d5018ca
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You put your toes here, right? And you grab those things that stick out?" The others laughed and yelled, "Quit while you're ahead!" Daniel relaxed and rolled his eyes at me. I rolled mine back, but not for the same reason. When we were finally in position, the others pulling away, I whispered, "Poseur." Rafe glanced over, brows arching. "Keep calling me that and I might get insulted."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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d2fa5f7
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When we were finally in position, the others pulling away, I whispered, "Poseur." Rafe glanced over, brows arching. "Keep calling me that and I might get insulted." "Stop earning it and I'll stop saying it."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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805b845
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When we were finally in position, the others pulling away, I whispered, "Poseur." Rafe glanced over, brows arching. "Keep calling me that and I might get insulted." "Stop earning it and I'll stop saying it." I faced forward as I tested my rope and waited for Daniel to get to the top. "Are you implying that I know how to climb?" "Are you implying that I'm stupid enough to think you'd challenge me if you didn't? Of course, you can't be that g..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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f828f53
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How about we up the stakes? I win, you talk to me." Now it was my turn to raise my eyebrows. "I'm afraid to ask what you mean by ..." "Exactly that. I win, I get thirty minutes of your time tonight." "To charm me and lie to me and pretend to be whoever you think I want?" "Nope. Tonight it's me, in case you haven't noticed. The real Rafe Martinez. A special one-night appearance." "And if I win?" He grinned. "Then you get to spend thirty min..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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5649d73
|
How about we up the stakes? I win, you talk to me." Now it was my turn to raise my eyebrows. "I'm afraid to ask what you mean by ..."
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Kelley Armstrong |