Upon entering the quiet shack, the realization struck that she hadn't exactly planned what she would do after she arrived. Blindly search the house for the sleeping pups? What if they were sleeping with Jamie!? It wasn't as if she could enter his bedroom and lure them out with childish cooing—she could only imagine what he might think! Tears welled up in the corner of her eyes; she was exhausted and sad and angry and a little drunk, and had no desire to be bothered with the logistics of this poorly thought-out plan.

Fortunately, she wasn't given much time to wallow in her own despair. Bella was suddenly slammed up the nearest wall by an unseen force. She let out a loud yelp, both in surprise and pain, and instinctively pushed her hands against his chest. She couldn't process his words, but she recognized the voice as Jamie's, and slumped back against the wall with a sigh of relief. Only then did she realize that something was wrong: Jamie was naked.

Eyes blurred with tears, there wasn't any... distinct features that she could distinguish, but she was suddenly all too aware of his nudity. Her eyes flickered up and down his body, her gaze always searching for—but never finding—his own. Her cheeks burned bright red, and she was suddenly thankful for the darkness.

"I... I... I..." she stammered, her palms moving from his chest to the wall behind her.

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