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So, when the discreet clock on the office wall clicked over to 6:00 phtened her desk, shut down her computer, stood and pulled her purse out of her desk drawer

Noreen looked up at her in surprise, but Es I need to take care of" Then she slipped the strap of her purse over her shoulder and walked out of the office as casually as if she left this early every day Once outside the building though, she picked up the pace,lot as quickly as she could in the ridiculously high Jimmy Choos Duncan had proive hio back on that promise

Traffic was its usual snarled ht up to the gate of Duncan’s house--he’ddown the block and sneaking past a dump truck Not that it would have been possible It was obvious there was new ate was not only securely closed, but there were two burly and well-ar in front of it When she pulled closer, she could see even rounds

She pulled up to the closed gate and stopped, rolling down her

"Hi," she said, handing him her driver’s license "Auard--and oh, yes, he was a vas as he looked froain He didn’t say anything, but turned away frouard who had reate hut That one studied her license for hi into an unseen computer, then pulled out a cell phone and hit a speed dial nuave her his back while he spoke to whomever he’d called Emma could hear his voice, but not lish, but wouldn’t have sworn to it And all the while the first va on a big, black gun slung over his chest on a sling of so

Eers or pound the steering wheel and give a good screaot twitchy when she was nervous or excited, and tonight it was a coht outside, that probably wasn’t a good idea So instead she focused on what she could see of the house through the iron bars, trying to spot all the security people who had sprouted up froly nowhere in the few days since she’d last been here She ju open

"They’re expecting you," the first vampire said in a flat voice He handed back her license "Park in the area to the right" He pointed to a small paved area about twenty yards from the front door "Someone will meet you at the door"

Eers remained steady Rather than sit under his scrutiny while she put it away, she dropped it into the center console and pulled slowly forward, feeling a sharp double buate’s thick ht hand ar house, sitting there aaround Hers was the only sedan in the parking area, but there were quite a few trucks of various sizes Most of the trucks were either piled high with construction material, or looked like they’d recently been e open, and ropes and bungee cords were lying in the truck beds like forlorn snakes Obviously, there was so on inside the house She didn’t see any of Duncan’s SUVs, though, so she figured there was a garage around back, orarea

Eh and decided she’d wasted enough ti about where other people were parked She opened her car door and swung her legs out, which was made more aard than usual by the stiletto heels She had some more practical clothes with her and had actually intended to change before she left the office, but when the time came, she’d been too worried that Sharon or so her back to her desk for one last question or phone call So she still wore the so, with its snug skirt and tailored jacket, and still wore the ridiculously high heels But at least she looked good Er, professional It wasn’t as if she cared whether Duncan found her attractive or not She merely wanted him to think of her as a professional, soet the job done

Oh, as she kidding? She hoped she knocked his socks off That kiss last night had only made her want another taste of the delectable Duncan She appreciated his sensitivity in not wanting to take advantage of her vulnerability, but she’d spent the night wide awake, trying not to think about Lacey and thinking about Duncan instead She kneas part of the grieving process, the desire to lose herself in the physical as a way of forgetting the emotional But whatever it was, she wantedlast night, it was that he wouldn’t object

She hefted the purse with her laptop over her shoulder and grabbed the gy her car locked, she headed for the fan-shaped brick stairs, but before she’d put her foot on the lowest step, so in anticipation But it was onlyLouis, that was his na pleasantly and without even a gli, Ms Duquet," he said politely, standing back so she could enter "Lord Duncan is expecting you"

Lord Duncan?