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D.J.'s eyes shadowed to evergreen as she continued to stare at him over the head of the sleeping child in her arms. In an attempt to break the thick tension hovering in the air around them, Chris smiled and stepped into the room. He stopped next to her chair and bent down to take the child. |
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"I'll put her down," he whispered. "We should go." |
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For a second D.J.'s arms tightened on the little girl, and Chris thought she would refuse his offer. Then she gave a sharp nod and allowed him to take the child. The back of Chris's hand brushed along D.J.'s stomach, and the harshness of her indrawn breath echoed in the quiet room. |
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Chris stood with the child in his arms. "Sorry," he muttered. |
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Standing, she shrugged off the contact and her reaction to his touch. D.J. tilted her head back to look into his eyes. The angle, combined with the fading light from the windows on the fine bones of her face made D.J. look ethereal. A subtle scent of lavender drifted to him on the drowsy air, and Chris unconsciously leaned toward her. |
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The light in the hall snapped on. Chris and D.J. both glanced in that direction with a guilty start. The little girl in Chris's arms shifted and sighed, reminding him of all he needed and wanted in life. He stepped away from D.J., lifting his foot over the nearest sleeping child, just as Cindy appeared in the doorway. |
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"Wow." She surveyed the room. "What did you do to them?" She turned to D.J. in amazement, reluctant admiration in her eyes. |
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