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It was that same damn expression he’d favored her with after she had painted his portrait

Catching his eye again, glancing away as she felt the color rise to her face, Claire heard thein filthy detail the exact position she desired, how fast he was to move…

Shepherd enjoyed calling her coy in the past, and gods if she didn’t feel that way now

There was no scolding on his end for her demure behavior in the aftermath, or how she tried to keep her distance and her eyes to herself since Shepherd was si her a piece of chocolate every tierently vocalized a need for it

When he did reach for her, a thing that was as inevitable as breathing, there were ages of purrs and long caresses until she was sedate andsoftly as she arched and hunize her fingers were tracing thehtly raised wounds

He had just taken her again, e the exact sa ht feel it all with her legs folded between their shoulders, bent in half so that he could plunge in as deep as possible When it was finished and she was ta the path of her hand as she asked, “How many weeks have I been back?”

A rue answered, “You have been back hoht weeks”

Home?

“This is not a home, Shepherd” There was no rancor in her voice, just soft words as she stilled her fingers and woke a little froround in a city full of evil”

A pal her attention frory smile in his eyes “That is correct, little one Thólos is evil”

The warmth of the cord deflated and her voice fell flat, “We both know it’s not that simple”