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Chapter One

"Catch a tiger by the toe, eeny, lanced up from her purchase order as her hostess, Chloe Marcel, came into the kitchen area Genevieve Wisner, her other waitstaff person, slid by in front of her with a tray of teacups as Chloe propped a hip on the doorframe Fortunately, Gen was a tall wo not even five feet tall and coh she was nearly twenty-eight Marguerite had discovered her working a kiosk at thejewelry She'd liked the woman's easy manner that drew custoh-quality jewelry and the fact that Chloe, while passionate about piercings, only had one A navel piercing that she rarely revealed by her clothing choices without having todown her waistband Marguerite had also liked the si mischief in her eyes

However, since hiring her as hostess for Tea Leaves, informally known in the Tampa area as the Tea Room, she'd learned to be wary of it

"What are you going on about, Chloe?"

"I'er than his toes " Genevieve rolled her eyes, setting down the tray "She's in one of those moods, M " She used her favorite nicknauerite's cool reserve and authoritative presence would qualify her to head up the MI-6 of the Jaain "

"It's not like we get many here, you know "

"Men, or animals?"

Chloe griuerite, but we do need to figure out a way to e of sexual interest "

"Got it " Gen nodded "Age twelve to ninety "

"I'll plan a construction workers' convention here just for you, Chloe " Marguerite tapped her pen on the desk, considering thethe teacups from the Coalport set carefully in the sink water to handwash them, as they did with all the porcelain sets "Do you think they'd prefer so black teas served up in a reproduction YiXing? If clay was good enough for the sah for them Of course, since the saht ask our guests to leave their tool belts at the door "

"Maybe everything else but the tool belts " Chloe grinned wickedly "Here, take him today's sample " She took away the dish towel and pressed a tiny cup into Gen's hand "You go take a look and telloff this guy I'd have given him a lap dance if he'd said another word in that voice, or kept looking at ned face but obediently went back out the swinging door

Chloe looked toward Marguerite "Even , he says he's here tohim "

Though the apprehension curling in Marguerite's stomach at Chloe's description had already raised her suspicion, the hostess's words confire of resentment, laced with a bit of uncomfortable panic She'd wanted ti foundation ofwhen she would have to be so a side of herself she'd not intended to give to him

But then, it wasn't the first time Tyler Winterman had unsettled her Why had she decided to approach hi that about him?

Pride, in a simple word If she had to do this - and she'd been told it was required - she wouldn't do it paired with someone whose skills were less than her own