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"You’re so of an inferno there, yourself, rin deepened

Ge of a blaze, for she blushed to the roots of her hair

Unusual for her His English was perfect She couldn’t even tell if there was a trace of an accent in it, and she could usually peg people ih their speech

"Thanks," she said wryly

"So, what are you doing in these parts?" he asked softly

She slowly arched a delicate, flyaway brow "Considering leaving them," she told him "I’m an actress

I’m here to do a friend a favor" That wasn’t really the truth Close enough The job had seemed a decent offer at the ti area, you know," he told her

"I want the action in my lifetinetiset the io"

"We only live once," she said lightly

"How true" He straightened and indicated a table in the corner "There’s some nice shadow over there

A cozy little place Itfamily owns this place It’s always very clean Why don’t you come over and tell me more about yourself"

Gema quickly slid from her bar stool

"With pleasure," she told hi like a purr The corner Delightfully dark Intied

A little shiver ripped through her

Yes Oh, Lord He had an aura of pure sexuality…

And danger

A half-hour later, she barely knehat she had said to him And she definitely had no idea of what he had said to her She knew that they had talked, that they had gone through several drinks, and that she was floating on air

She was leaning closer and closer and was startled when he suddenly looked at his watch and frowned

"What is it?" she asked

"I--I have some business Come, I’ll walk you ho"

"By the club" Gehtly "I have a lovely little place That, at least, is a boon to being here My cottage is s"

"I’ll walk you," he said

She s like a protective e crime eleht there could be anything so exciting"

"It’s a wonderful place," he assured her "As to crime, you never know So I alk you"

They strolled through the streets Gema didn’t think that they passed anyone, but she wouldn’t have known She couldn’t take her eyes from him The arm he placed around her shoulder seemed more supportive and protective than affectionate, but that was all right He could be a gentleh his voice, by the very way he had sat so near in the bar, that he could and would be a passionate and experienced lover

But when they reached the downstairs door to the pleasant little cottage, he stepped back

"You’re not co in at all?" she asked huskily "I have a truly fine liquor cabinet The views are gorgeous And naturally, I’ve lots of my own music"

"Maybe I’ll make it back," he said

Ge the iven the chance

He inclined his head with a secretive smile, then he was headed down the path that would take him around the club and back to theback "Keep that door locked It n country and a quaint town, but you should keep your door locked"

"But you’re coo Watched the set of his broad shoulders, the long, easy stride hich he seeer

She leaned against her door, sy returned to her He’d be back And she’d be ready She flew up the stairs where a hallway divided into three full rooms, all with access to the outer porch The accoh

Even very nice But she wasn’t sure what the builders had been thinking, putting three bedrooalow Nor what she had been thinking when she hadn’t insisted that she have really private quarters

Ah, well--tonight, she was alone

And waiting

She hurried to her bathrooht to come as she stroked her flesh with scented soap

Giovanni was between twenty-five and thirty, exceptionally tall He had an easy appearance that htly worn knit shirt clearly showed that he was really incredibly well honed He also had a s female heart

He had a lazy, sensual look about hiy as Arturo, and was a worker who could ht Sexy

But she felt far more mature, and not at all in the ar, all carried at once Stephanie wasn’t quite sure how he had , and not appearing at all burdened by the weight

"Good evening, Miss Cahill I will run these up to the loft for you?"