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That thought shakily in reed with no doubt at all

"What about you, Mr Ar so as my Norina… or as handsome as Mr Porter?" Bianchi asked

"Beautiful people are in general a distraction," Armen said stiffly

"And more trouble than they are worth" He made no effort to qualify the stateeneralization He glanced out at therew familiar with how the other moved

If Lorenzo Bianchi had known the fake Del Porter on the dance floor was actually bisexual and had the reputation Ty did at home, there was no way he"d sit passively by while his wife danced with hi on no s the real enjoyrinned widely at each other as they raceful box steps and the occasional twirl or dip

"A distraction, perhaps," Zane started before forcing himself to turn back to the table "But also motivation to conduct a successful business"

"Leave it to the Aht on to the business," Bianchi re it up to Zane "I salute your ability to ignore beautiful things in favor of business"

Zane nodded once and leveled an expectant look at Armen

"While they"re otherwise occupied, no time like the present"

"To business, then," Arlass

He and Bianchi touched their glasses together

After a moainst his earlier decision and lifted the lowball glass in front of him from the dark blue napkin "To successful business"

Theof applause fro as one or two of the couples attelance back saw Norina al the shining wood surface as the other gripped Ty"s elbow Her feet were between Ty"s legs, sliding easily as Ty pulled her up and into an i turn that required some fancy footwork on both their parts

Zane"s curiosity was in overdrive: where the hell had Ty learned to dance like that? They would be having a talk about this Zane lifted the glass halfway to his lips but stopped as he continued to watch, wanting… no, aching to be… After a long , he shook his head and turned back to the table, letting the lowball glass thuently to the table as the es of the tango He sure did have his occasional flights of fantasy, Zane reflected with no so with Ty definitely qualified

"I have arranged for athe shore excursions," Armen told theet it out of the way before the other two returned to the table "We are to be taken to the objects, allowed to exaotiate a price for any we deem worthy"

He had just finished with this curt explanation when Ty and Norina ca back to the table

"Oh, hoonderful!" Norina was exclai hi! We ain with the otherthe formalities, and waited for Ty to seat Norina and rejoin him "Did you enjoy yourself, doll?" he asked, a little more seriously than he"d actually planned

Ty"s face was flushed, though whether from the exertion or from embarrassment Zane couldn"t be sure "Yes," Ty answered curtly The tone was enough to let Zane knoas blushing and not merely overheated

Zane slid his arm around Ty"s waist and pulled him in close for a ood luck that it was in character

Ty shivered violently He turned his head and exposed his neck to Zane"s lips as he spoke "Shut up," he whispered, flustered yet slightly amused Zane chuckled and decided to let up Otherwise he"d pay for it later So he pulled Ty"s chair out for him instead, but his hands still itched to touch

"Well done, my lovelies," Bianchi said as Ty seated himself and Norina bea my poor feet"

"My pleasure," Ty responded with a weak atte s rapidly in Italian to hilish

Ty was reement to whatever she said as he reached for his whiskey But Zane didn"t want to wait, and he knew getting Ty out on the dance floor wasn"t really a viable option

So he caught Ty"s hand and lifted it to his lips for a soft kiss along Ty"s knuckles He leaned very close, brushing his lips against Ty"s cheekbone as he whispered "How about another blush so they don"t suspect I"htly and then turned just enough that his breath arainst Zane"s cheek He put his drink back down, so distracted that he almost missed the blue napkin "Is it soon?" he asked softly

"Tomorrow," Zane breathed "On shore" He leaned a little closer, draping his ar," he led noise in the back of his throat before pulling back and looking away from Zane with a sharp shake of his head He followed it by starimace Bastard Ty wanted to be in the market when the deal went down, didn"t he? Zane jabbed Ty in the ribs with two fingers and kicked his shin in return while starting to settle back in his chair

Ty jerked and sat forward too hard, jostling the table and the glass he"d again been reaching for The hundreds of dollars worth of Scotch in his glass splattered everywhere, soaking the linen tablecloth and the e onto Ty"s chest and lap

He stood quickly with a curse under his breath Norina exclaimed loudly and reached with her napkin to help hi to avoid all but a s, and he had to stifle a laugh He hadn"t expected Ty to react so violently, but maybe he was in a worse mood than Zane suspected

Ty convinced Norina not to help hi her napkin with thanks and then turning narrowed eyes on Zane, as if it had been his fault "Excuse ritted teeth "OrderI"ll be back," he snapped at Zane as he turned androoht did Zane realize Ty had probably taken advantage of the heavy tuxedo to hide a weapon on himself for the first tiun