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do what she could to heal Claire. It might be laughable to think

she had any power to do any of that, but she knew how

powerful a single touch could be.

“I can come because you showed me how,” Haley

whispered. “I don’t want to hurt you, Claire. Not in any way.

Just let me touch you. Please. You’ve given me all this

pleasure, and you won’t let me do the same. Let me touch you.

Kiss you. Taste you. Skin to skin. Please.”

There was more of that war going on in Claire, but only her

eyes betrayed her this time. She’d shut the rest down. Haley

thought Claire was going to throw her off her lap at any given

moment, but she seemed to decide something then. It didn’t

look like a good decision. It looked like a goodbye, like a

physical separation was already happening, so Haley didn’t

quite understand her next words. She was so sure she’d heard

them wrong.

“Alright. Pull your dress down and go to my room. I’ll be

there in ten minutes.” There was a knot in Haley’s stomach

that she didn’t quite understand. She was so confused. How

could Claire’s expression scream one thing and her words so

clearly say another? Claire pulled her dress down, easing the

fabric past her hips and smoothing it out, so that she was fully

covered. She gave her bottom a gentle, almost playful pat.

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“Go.”

Haley didn’t want her to change her mind. She didn’t know

what she’d find in Claire’s room. She didn’t know what Claire

would do to her there, or allow her to do, but, like everything

else, she wanted to obey. She eased herself out of the chair,

smoothed her dress one more time, and left Claire’s office