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Chris absently followed the jester’s lead,automatically to the final movements of the boisterous Viennese waltz theoverhead She studied the shoulders, hair, and skin color of every man who passed by her It wasn’t until her partner twirled her around and tugged her up against his body that she realized the waltz had ended and everyone had slowed down to the throbbing, sensual strains of a bolero

"I’d better go," she said reluctantly "I don’t thinkup"

"I could perhaps serve as his substitute?"

Chris gave him a rueful smile "My friends are not as nice as you, Mr… ?"

"Guy" He slid around her, hands encircling her waist, before he took her hands and raised her ar her face close to his "You should take the opportunity to norina"

Chris saw atoward them From the width of the shoulders and the silken fall of his black hair, it was Robin The set of his jaw under the feathered mask he wore indicated that he was not happy

"Perhaps I should" She s at his hand as she wove her way through the dancing couples

Guy followed, occasionally catching her to bring her close or drop her in a brief dip before allowing her to lead Chris kept an eye on the hunts blond Aphrodite in a ridiculously short toga, and stayed out of his reach

The bolero ended with Chris bent back over the jester’s arht her up slowly, bending at the same time until she turned her head and his loved hand curling around her neck "You are an excellent dancer, Signorina"

"So are you" Chris didn’t expect him to pull her into a clinch, but he did, and she stiffened "I think I’ht"

"Are you?" He pulled off her loved hands, and kissed her Chris recoiled, but his lips slanted over hers and he tasted her thoroughly before he set her away fro she knew he disappeared into the crowd of couples on the dance floor

Ungentle hands jerked her around to face the hunts here?"

"I could ask you the sarip brought her up short and, thanks to the borrowed shoes, she stuhted herself, she said, "Thatwith knew my name He called himself ’Guy’ " She watched his face "He’s Paul Sherwood, or Nottingham, or whatever you call him, isn’t he?"

"He is" Robin put an arht and told you to co for you If you haven’t noticed yet, Robin, you’re being set up"

"I know," he said, pushing her through the crowd, pausing to take a deep breath before changing direction and walking her toward the terrace "You were supposed to stay in Roht in the middle between us This is Kyn business"

"What are you talking about? You put me in the er "You’ve illegally entered this country and stolen a Mercedes, an apart, and God only knohat else You’ve caused a priceless work of art to be stolen and coation, not to mention my job But that doesn’t es are killed over this thing We’re going to get the book and take it to the contessa and get Hutch freed That’s all I care about"

Out on the terrace he stopped and put one hand on her throat He didn’t choke her, but he looked as if he wanted to "Your partner is all that ht?"

She gripped his wrist "You left me locked up, naked, and helpless in a city where I don’t even speak the language How do you think that made me feel?"

"I wrote you a note," he said, his upper lip curling a degree short of a sneer "Was that not a sufficient measure to reassure you?"

Chris ducked her head "Okay Maybe I deserved that But I didn’t leave you alone and afraid in a strange place"

"Didn’t you? That night I woke up and reached for you, and you were gone" He made it sound as if she’d set fire to the bed "Do you wish to kno h a day? I cannot re Yet when I a"

"I’ pill," she snapped

"No, you’re mine My kyara, my lover, th of the balcony before walking back "It’s right in front of you and you still don’t see it? I’ in love with you"