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“I know.”

“Clara.”

I catch his face between my hands. “I trust you.”

He goes still. The words seem to hit him harder than I expect.

Then his forehead touches mine. “Fuck.”

“What?”

“You.”

I smile. “That’s the idea.”

His laugh is low. “Where the hell has this version of you been?”

“Waiting for you to stop talking.”

He kisses me again.

His hand slides down my side.

My entire body tightens with anticipation.

Then someone pounds on the door.

“CLARA?”

We freeze.

No.

Absolutely not.

Ryder closes his eyes. “I’m going to kill my sister.”

“Half-sister.”

“Not helping.”

Another pounding.

“Clara? Are you in there?”

Ryder looks down at me.

His shirt is halfway off.

My dress is decidedly not where it started.

He drops his forehead against my shoulder. “This cannot be happening.”

“Maybe she’ll go away.”

“CLARA!”

“She isn’t going away.”