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“You know your vocabulary grows about three times its normal size when you’re pissed? I always noticed that about you. It’s why you could never convince anyone you were angry when you weren’t.” My own anger was fading, at least the part of it that was directed at her.

She blinked at me, then sniffed. “Maybe I just don’t have the patience to dumb myself down when I’m pissed,” she said.

“You saying you dumb yourself down for me? I’m hurt. I thought you knew I was a genius.” I grinned, but she only rolled her eyes. I brushed my fingers against the back of her hand and leaned my forehead against hers. “I’m sorry, Daisy. It’s been weird, coming home like this. Everybody I used to know either hates me or admires me for something I didn’t even do. That second one disturbs me most.”

She sighed and let her eyes flutter closed. “I know it’s hard for you. I feel bad about it because it isn’t fair. But damn it, Kash, I need you to hear me when I talk. I want to be with you. I would love to be with you. But it just isn’t safe.”

Reaching up, I slid my fingers through her silky hair. Everything about the motion hurt, knowing that moments like these couldn’t be imprinted in my mind forever. I didn’t just want to remember having touched her. I wanted to be able to touch her whenever the hell I pleased.

I sighed. “What if I could make it safe?”

Her chuckle was full of bitterness. “How? Are you going to catch the real killer and turn him in?”

“Maybe,” I said with a grin. “But let’s say that’s a next week sort of project. Right now, all I want to do is see you.”

She shook her head, but I already had it figured out. It was stupid simple, tried and true. I lifted her face in my hands, turning her eyes up to meet mine, and smiled down at her.

“I have an idea,” I whispered and pressed my lips against the spot beside hers.

Not the full thing.

Not crossing lines.

Not breaking boundaries.

Just close enough that she couldalmostremember what it was like to taste me.