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though she had said something terribly bizarre. Sighing, she started running hot and cold water into the sink as though she had been doing so all her life. He lifted a container of the same strange material as his water bottle from a cabinet and squeezed some liquid from it into the sink. Immediately the water began to fill with tiny sparkling bubbles. |
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Abby cried, "Oh!" She grabbed a handful of the bubbles and began running them through her fingers. They burst as she touched them, but there were many more to take their places. |
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Mike did not look at her as he placed the dinnerware they had used into the water, but his narrowed eyes and taut jaw revealed his barely suppressed irritation. He used a brush to wipe the bubble-laden water over the plates, forks, and knives. Everything became spotless nearly immediately. Obviously the frothing fluid was a form of soap, but Abby had never seen liquified soap that bubbled so much and cleaned so quickly and thoroughly. Mike rinsed the dish-ware, then handed the pieces to her to dry with a small towel. |
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As soon as they had finished cleaning up, Mike showed her to the bedroom. It was pleasantly furnished with attractively carved masculine pieces. The deep blue coverlet matched the pillows. "You'll sleep here," he said. |
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"No," she protested. "This is your room." |
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But he insisted. "The sofa's comfortable." |
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In the end, she lost the argument. He handed |
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