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"I didn't mean to embarrass you," he said

"I wasn't embarrassed" She addressed the center of his chest

"No? Then why are your cheeks red?"

"Because I'm flushed from the warmth of the stove"

"You're still a poor liar" He liked how she felt where he touched her He liked her scent and the heat of her body He liked how she was fidgeting, twisting her fingers together nervously, but not pushing him away

"I'ht We can talk about your mother if it helps you"

"It's not just her I didn't know the ly"

She raised her gaze to his "Are they? Why?"

"Nothing good ever happened to me in this town"

She bit her lower lip It wasn't hard to figure out what she was thinking She wanted to know if his opinion of the town included his tie to ask that question, because he didn't have an answer

"What happened when you left? Was it better?"

"Yeah, a hell of a lot better than this place"

"Where did you go?"

"It doesn't matter"

She stepped to the side, away from him "Why won't you tell me?"