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Even noent dry-olden skin with a charm necklace between two perfect breasts

He tried to s Failed

Da over soe hormones so sucked

One look down Miranda’s dress teeks ago and before he knew it, he’d been on his way out the door to run an errand for her Just a food delivery for a special client--even though they didn’t normally deliver squat

Sucker

He didn’t knohy Miranda had sent along so much otten at a stack of hundreds left hiood

He’d reported it to his boss, only to be told he must have misunderstood Or maybe it was all innocent, but thanks anyhow, kid, and he would definitely talk to her And, oh by the way, if ru business, Chris and his family would be sued and he sure would hate for that to happen and were they on the sae here now, pal?

God Chris chunked another plate into the dishwasher He’d clammed up faster than his father that day

His parents would totally wig out if they knew His dad was rigid on the honesty thing, and Mo tardy twice in a seht be easier to forget about nant And his dad was a freaking zoh Not be a wuss And try like crazy to tell himself his mom’s hit-and-run accident in his car was totally a coincidence

Chris stacked the last of the dishes and flung aside the rag Only a few more minutes and then home free for one e and take her flashing boobs and smile somewhere else

At least he knew better than to let hiain Jesus, like a nineteen-year-old hot chick would really be interested in hi horain No Miranda--thank God No busboy, either This ti his tie, a laid-back dude in his thirties with only two employee irl like royalty

The boss en, definitely always sided with the chicks "I have to leave now before I’et to lock up behind you"

"I won’t, Mr Haugen"

"Thanks, kid, and et in their cars safe and sound Okay? Wouldn’t want anything to happen to theuy paet a baby-sitter Bo to stay overnight when a guy was already sixteen "Sure No probleen"

Of course, now he had to wait around for Miranda, but he could just sit in the car and watch until she left Yeah That would work Doors locked Eyes on her face, which was more respectful anyhow Not to mention safer

"I really need to haul ass, pal I yine went out on the shri down repair parts And da the little princess turn her back flips Wife’s probably pissed, too Hey, how about pass me one of those chocolate pecan pies Maybe if I walk into the roo with that, it’ll soften her up And a candy bar for the princess What do you think, pal?"

Swinging open the refrigerator, Chris stretched to get the pie off the top rack "I think chicks dig chocolate"

Mr Haugen winked, lifting the pie froo far with the ladies, ed two candy bars fro station, Heath Bars for the specialty pies He tucked one in his sports jacket and tossed the other to Chris "Chocolate For the special chick in your life"

Chris snagged the candy bar midair and tucked it into his droopy shirt pocket "Yeah, whatever I’ll ets out of here fine"

A half hour later, he stood in the front parking lot, locking the door, taking his tio

Finally, Miranda spewed gravel on her way out of the lot He exhaled long Off the hook Alone, just hi and pinging

He rounded the corner to where he’d parked– away froasket about rust

And pulled up short A lone street la on the trunk of his ed, flip-flops off and beside her as if she’d gotten coed her knees to her chest, her jet-black hair lifting in the wind

Damn How could he have ever even looked at Miranda?

He tried not to think about the chocolate bar in his pocket "You shouldn’t be out here alone It’s not safe"

She turned at his voice, then rested her chin on her knees without answering Did chicks practice this silent-treatuys? He didn’t have much practice on how to handle it since the women in his family weren’t ever afraid to speak their minds

He strode closer, faster, until he could see her clearly Ah man, her eyes stared back, all red and swollen, puffy fro to say and only came up with, "Want a Heath Bar? Mo"

Her bottoo, hotshot "Okay, no chocolate"

Foot on the bumper, he propelled hiood after all, kinda like his dad did When his dad clauy didn’t have to guess as going on and risk botching it by actually getting involved in the discussion

Besides, sitting with Shelby, the ocean breeze puffing by, he could s that? He stared up at the inky sky dotted with stars and just breathed salty air and Shelby

She shifted beside hiet ho" He would take the ass-ripping fro late Time alone with Shelby was rare since Shelby and Murdoch were so tight

Or were they?

Another tear glistened in the corner of her eye From a breakup? He couldn’t stop the hope