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Why the change? The unease inside her grew The way Z had looked at Gabrielle had been…different Of course, he always acted as if all the subs in the club were his responsibility to protect Jessica loved that…mostly She did hate the way subh he made it clear Jessica was his sub She couldn’t blame the other subs--ouldn’t want Z?--but sowhen he’d find one he liked better than her

But this new trainee wasn’t beautiful She wasn’t as overly round as Jessica, but still a little on the heavier side Friendly-looking, with a wide s eyes And yet, Z had squeezed her shoulder and smiled at her as if she was

Why hadn’t he said anything about doing a favor for soain, all this week, Z had acted reticent She’d even asked if so at work had bothered him His patients were all children, and sometimes their problems, their pasts, ripped him up inside, but he’d said no

And then she’d wondered if he was unhappy that her doctor had taken her off the pill lastthem to return to condoms But he hadn’t seemed upset at the ti lot and turned off the engine The gusting wind rocked the car as she watched clouds blacken the sky

Maybe she’d blown everything out of proportion She had to adood reason Z’s sons had arrived yesterday to spend a few days with him before they returned to the University of Florida, and Z wanted her tohis children for--oh, a lifetime--seemed a much better plan, but he’d refused to listen to her protests

"You’ve stalled long enough, pet," he’d said yesterdayas she prepared to leave, and she’d seen the aet it over with"

He could be such a jerk so She slid out of the car and went through the side gate to the back, hoping to find them on the covered veranda where she could easily escape No such luck Great Her hands grew cla rain and the wind turned her hair into a tangledherself pretty Could life get any better?

She reached the third floor and knocked

Z opened the door a minute later, dressed in his usual black slacks and black shirt "Did you lose your key?"

"Uh No But I didn’t want to…"

He chuckled and put his hand on her lower back to direct her into the house "You didn’t wanta parent?"

"Well Yes"

Z turned her to face hi his hands on her shoulders "Kitten, my boys knoho you are"

"Oh" What had he told them? Why hadn’t she asked more questions yesterday like, What exactly do the boys know about us?

He led her into the living roo men sat in the dark leather chairs Z stopped beside the couch and said, "Jessica, this is Eric He’s a senior this year"--he pointed to a tall, lanky blond--"and Richard, a junior" Richard had black hair and brown eyes Muscular Both wore jeans Richard’s T-shirt displayed a country-western band; Eric’s a metal chick band

"It’s nice toa seat on the couch She leaned against the end, idly tracing a dent in the leather left fro when Z had bent her over the ar herself turn red

Z chuckled and said, "I’ll get you a drink, Jessica" The way his eyes danced with laughter, he knew exactly what she’d reait, she turned her attention to the two young h Eric frowned at her, Richard grinned in obvious approval "You’ve been seeing Dad for a year?"

"A bit ed in that year

"How’d you aze assessed her, and his ht her a whore who’d wandered off her street corner She tried not to take it personally He probably acted that way toward any of his father’s wo a snort of laughter from Richard "An armadillo lay in the center of the road, and when I braked, I skidded right into a ditch filled ater"

"Did you miss the armadillo?" Richard’s brown eyes held concern

He sounded as protective as his father She gave him a warm smile "I did Then I walked here to see if I could call a tow truck"