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perfectly shaved neck to her cheek made her recoil. Her breath, carefully measured as she’d stood at the door, grew light and fast. ‘You’re looking well, Mara,’ he murmured before he let her go. Discomfited, she looked around her. She coughed; she started to feel lightheaded and made herself take in some deep breaths: in through the nose, out through the mouth, in, out. Why was she even here? He’d called the night before, and she’d really wanted to refuse to come around at the late notice, but it just happened to be a night that Serafina had offered to take the children so that Mara could work on the beach house. Serafina had also dropped a few heavy hints about her spending so much time with Brian, but Mara hadn’t given her any details. It was reasonable: they had
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