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“What? No! It’s because of—”

She raised her hand and cut hi between us? Pity?”

“Ruthie, I—”

Her heart broke apart—it was there in his voice “It is” Her words echoed in her ed it on and b

elted it Tears overflowed; she couldn’t stop theive you my dreams”

“Ruthie, goddamn it—that’s not what this is! I’m not who you think I arated on her nerves

“You’re right, Tobias I thought you were ht I could be yours But even a blind woman can see that’s just not the case,” she whispered

It was quiet then, nothing between the heart—hers—and a stubborn refusal to see past insecurities—his

“Who are you, Tobias, that you will not share yourself withit at the same time

Ruthie kneho he was, but she had only bits and pieces of his background His sister, Daly, was her best friend, so of course Ruthie knew about their dad and how they’d grown up under his oppressive thuo, shortly after Daly had begun dating Ruthie’s brother, Jereenuinely happy for the brother who’d given up so much to raise her But she’d secretly yearned for the sa—that bond with another person that allowed you to feel deeper than anything you’d ever known

Tobias had asked her to go see a hed in his face, because hello? She was blind But after apologies and one He’d held her hand, hugged her close, and then he’d described the characters in the movie so she could “see” them in her mind He’d licked the shell of her ear as he’d whispered to her,an action-packed movie much more erotic than the directors probably intended Tobias had played with her hair and driven her crazy with soft touches along her shoulders and neck

Then he’d taken her hoht—her first kiss—and left after a proht for more

More Soive him

“You want to knoho I am, Ruthie?” His voice had lowered, the baritone a darker, even richer texture that had goose bu on her body

Ruthie stepped back Did she?