“I don't say anything and he casually leans against my desk, picking up the novel that's sitting there."It's bullshit," he tells me, flicking through it. "There's no such thing as Atticus Finch."I shrug. "It'd be nice if there was, though.”

“Finch picked up one of the ancient fax-mags and brought it over to me. "I don't need anything to read," I said. "I'll just sit here and eavesdrop along with you.""I thought you might sit on the mag," he said. "It's extremely difficult to get soot out of chintz.”

“Covering up the evidence?" Hunter drawled, appearing in the doorway and causing me to jump."Yes." I continued to apply as he leaned casually against the frame, watching me."Good idea, though it kinda makes me want to mess it all up again." Tingles shot through my body, and I glanced at him. "You're so bad." He arched his eyebrow. "You have no idea.”

“Then he leaned forward and rested his cheek against mine. Hot tingles spread through me as his lips moved against my ear. "You should tell me to stop." I didn't say a word.”

“If there's anything I hate, it's someone telling me "don't" without saying why.”

“I hold my finger up to his lips. He flicks his eyes down to look at it."You're absolved," I tell him.He brings his eyes back up to mine. There's no fucking way he knows what that word means. That's a word I dream someone will say to me.So I put it in his language. "You're free.”