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Both of his friend’s brows shot up, and then Crispin let out a bark of a balls, that’s why you’re acting like a nutter! You’ve gone and fallen in love with her Bloody hell, if I didn’t see it on your face myself, I wouldn’t believe it"

Crispin was off the couch in the nexthim on the back "This is cause for celebration! And no small relief for me as well I had to force my wife to let otten into trouble and you were holding her against her will"

Spade was momentarily speechless Was it that obvious how he felt about Denise, or did Crispin just know him too well?

"I’rin fading a bit "She was broken up very badly after Randy’s death, and then herCrispin’s shoulders

The smile wiped completely from his friend’s face "Didn’t she tell you? Denise miscarried a feeeks after Randy’s rief and stress Afterward, she hts that she intended to pull away fro her calls the past couple ured she’d made the final break"

Spade closed his eyes Denise didn’t just have guilt over her association with vampires for her husband’s death; she had it for her unborn child’s, too

"No, she didn’t tell me"

Denise cared for hi to relinquish her chance at nate humans Cat had been the rarest fluke as a half-breed, and even then, her father had been undead by days only Not centuries, as Spade was

Crispin must have read some of that from his face, too "Does Denise feel the same way about you?"

Spade opened his eyes "I don’t know"

Denise stretched, rolling over No one was on the other side of the bed, which she was used to, but then her eyes snapped open when she remembered this ti around the roolance still told her Spade wasn’t in it

It’s not unusual for him to be up before you, she reminded herself to cover that flutter of nervousness in her sto did he even stay? an insidious inner voice proht after you fell asleep

She looked at the bed The covers weren’t mussed where Spade would have slept Her stoht afterward Maybe she’d ht about this not being casual

Oran idiot and Spade had just slept withoutbreakfast

Hope battled with insecurity She hadn’t dealt with this potentially aard -after situation before With Randy, the only other man she’d slept with this quickly, she kne he felt beforehand The other three guys, she’d dated for a while before sex came into the picture, so relationship para for her weren’t casual, but in the harsh light of day, that could s, and a relationship wasn’t necessarily one of the she wouldn’t do was sit in bed and stew until Spade caot up and went into the bathroom Any situation was better faced with an e breath

After Denise eht that met her eyes made her heart twist Spade was in the bedroo on the couch, and he wasn’t alone

When Bones’s dark brown gaze met hers, Denise alet her He’d even arranged for Bones to be here when she woke up, so there would be no hter an

"No," she cut hiive me a few minutes, Bones, and then I’ll be ready to leave"

She wasn’t looking at Spade anyistered amazement "You want to leave withanywhere," Spade snarled Then it was iht in front of her, gripping her arhed at that, a high-pitched, ood one, Spade Har har! Well, it’s nothing you need to worry about anymore, is it? Thanks for your time All your time, but really, the farewell fk was unnecessary A vibrator can last all night, too, vampire"

Bones cleared his throat tactfully "Need a moment alone, mate?"

"It appears so," Spade replied in an icy tone, his eyes glittering eot up "I’m sure you’ll tell hiain, when Cat finds out, I hope she sticks so silver in you where the sun doesn’t shine!"

Spade’s grip lessened "You think I rang Crispin to co this way"

"Why else is he suddenly here?" Denise demanded, horrified to feel tears well up in her eyes

Spade leaned very close, his hands now stroking her face "I didn’t ring him, I promise He showed up uninvited, but it doesn’tanywhere You’re staying with , until the tears dried froh her Even so, that wars for Spade weren’t just a coratitude, and friendship She’d fallen for him Hard That was ht he’d called Bones to whisk her away She was in way over her head eer, what do you have on your arms?" a surprised voice asked

Denise froze Spade pulled away, revealing that Bones was right behind them He stared at her bare forearms, revealed when the robe sleeves fell back after she’d wrapped them around Spade’s neck

"Telly," Spade said

Bones went across the roo froht Then Bones calanced at Spade He nodded once, and she slid her hand into Bones’s cool grip, palht hiss escaped him

"Brands" One word, alh Bones was less than a foot away He took her other hand and his frown deepened

"You should not have hidden this from me, Charles Or you," Bones added to Denise

"Mate," Spade said softly "You don’t even know the half of it"

Denise tensed when Spade reached behind him and took a knife off the dresser She knehat he intended, and it wasn’t the tiny prick of pain that made her flinch when he pierced the tip into her paler and held it out to Bones

"Don’t say a word," Spade ordered in a dark tone

With an arched brow, Bones took his friend’s finger and popped it into his reen and he juhty!"

"Don’t say it" Froave Denise and pitying