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imaginative person to ever walk the earth." He paused. "You are not simply joking with me, are you?" |
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She shook her head, then watched in dismay as Thorn's mouth tightened and a stony expression returned to his eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked. |
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"With all you have left behind, you must hate it here and yearn for your return." He stood, turning his back to her. Beneath his ecru shirt, his broad shoulders were stiff. |
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"There are things I have here that I don't there." She kept her voice soft as she touched his back. |
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"Well, the sense of accomplishment I feel each time I learn a new skill essential to living. In my time, people would perish if their conveniences disappeared." |
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"As yours did when you came here." |
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She nodded. "Also, in the future, people are so busy with their lives that they've little time for one another. Friendship is hard to find. People here . . . well, you care about one another. And that's something not all the technological wonders in the world can replace." |
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The look he turned on her was so tender that her eyes teared. "You were lonely." She nodded. "People in this time can be lonely, too." |
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"I know." Lost in the depths of his eyes, she wanted to throw herself into his arms. She ached to smooth away the furrow between his dark brows, to stroke the hollows of his cheeks where the shadow of his beard appeared beneath his tanned skin, to outline the edges of his parted lips with her fingertips. |
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Oh, yes. There were things here she could not replace in her own time. |
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But he turned away quickly. "You wished for me to guard you while you bathed. Perhaps this would be a good time." |
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"Sure." But Mariah felt hurt. She'd thought he'd been about to kiss her, but instead he'd withdrawn. |
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He kept silent watch behind her as they ventured to the stream. He carded his long rifle, Mariah her towel and some of the soap Holly had made, pink and scented with raspberries. |
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