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Maybe it was because of the unusual circuer from an unknown stalker Perhaps she was instinctively drawn to Jake’s protectiveness

Or not She could be totally off base She had a degree in English literature, not psychology

I hope Gray catches this ht I’d say this, but a nor to sound better and better

She finished dressing and went downstairs, shawl and s the foot of the stairs and the slate-floored entryway, she glanced into the living roo She peered through the side , verified that the man on her porch was Jake and opened the door

"Hello" My, oh, my From the top of his well-combed hair to the tips of his polished black shoes--and the black Ralph Lauren suit that clothed the toned, eous If Alexie could only see you, she’d never tease aze swept swiftly doard before returning slowly, lingering,heat blooertips over her

"Hi," he said softly "Ready to go?" He held out his hand, took the shawl froers, and Chloe suddenly realized that she was standing perfectly still, siry; she wondered if hers held the same open need

"Yes"

He stepped closer and slipped the shawl around her shoulders, then tugged gently She obeyed the slight pressure, joining him on the porch He bent his head until his lips touched her ear "In case soaze met his for a brief moht blue of his eyes darkened to indigo, and he brushed his lips against hers once, twice, before his mouth settled over hers

The world narrowed to his ers clutched his sleeve and she leaned into hi her

When he lifted his head, he left her craving rip on his jacket sleeve to keep hi on her front porch, in full view of her neighbors and anyone passing by

And that’s the point, she re

"Let’s get out of here" His voice was rougher than usual He took her hand and led her down the steps, tucking her into the passenger seat of the Porsche

Chloe checked the side mirror several times as they neared don Seattle "I don’t see Gray, do you?"

"He picked us up two blocks froain but didn’t see a car following them Traffic was moderately heavy, and all around them cars, trucks and SUVs switched lanes, turned off the street or sped up to pass Jake’s Porsche None of the vehicles appeared to remain steadily behind therin "Then he’s doing his job" He flicked a glance in the mirror "He’s about six cars behind us, opposite lane He’s off duty so he’s driving his own car, a gray SUV"

Chloe looked over her shoulder, counted back six cars and found Gray "Clever He’s very good at this, isn’t he?"

"That’s why he’s a detective"

"I hope he knoup his off-duty tiing with the line of cars waiting to turn into the Second Avenue entrance to the underground parking lot It was fifteen minutes before they found a space and left the Porsche

Chloe draped the shawl around her shoulders and took Jake’s arm "Is Gray parked here, too?"

"One aisle over The only tiht is e take the elevator upstairs to the Boeing Company Gallery But we’ll have lots of other people around us" Jake nodded at the well-dressed couples strea toward the bank of elevators "Even if our ht" Chloe’s fingers tightened unconsciously on his sleeve

"Nervous?"

"A little" She looked up to find hith sat easily on his shoulders and the butterflies in her sto breath "I’hed "Yes, allery and joined the chatting, laughing crowd as it moved on to the Grand Lobby The curved bank of s that separated the lobby fro sunshine to fall across the plush carpet Sconces were already lit inside the vast, elegant roo the bright colors of their dresses

Jake pushed back his cuff and looked at his watch "We have another fifteen lass of wine?"

"I think I’d just as soon find our seats, if you don’t mind"

"Not at all" Jake covered her hand with his where it rested on his ar it closer in reassurance, before he released her to get their tickets from his coat pocket

The usher led theh a door and held open a curtain for theht "You didn’t tell ed "That’s why Gray thought this would work He’s two boxes over and one level up He can see almost the entire auditorium from there and he’ll watch the audience with binoculars Anyone whose eyes are on us instead of the stage will stand out like a sore thumb"