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Well, it was always best to let ato pan out Marty’s heart was his, Khalid knew, just as Shayne did There was no jealousy required, but that didn’t mean Khalid wouldn’t silently put the other er in my back," Shayne whispered in Marty’s ear as she lifted the cha to a school friend recount her latest trip to the Baha comment, she focused instead on a conversation she really didn’t give a damn about, just to prove, incorrectly, that she really didn’t give a damn She wasn’t in the least amused that Khalid had had Shayne pick her up for the ball rather than picking her up hiht, she had cautiously accepted, interested to see where he was going with this He was up to so She could feel it And she wanted to knohat the hell it was

"Andrew’s yacht is si, as Marty felt Shayne’s hand press"And Andrew does kno to throw a party You should join us nextMartha In all the years Marty had known Tanya, she had never had the good grace to use the nickname Marty’s mother had declared Marty would be called by when she was a baby

Martha was her grandmother’s narand wish, and Marty was proud to own it But her name was Marty She had been Marty all her life, and she didn’t like Tanya’s poiven naawonderful, Tannie," Marty cooed back at her "But I think I ht have to work You kno it is Have to h she never for a second caught the small slur Marty had sent her way

"Dear, I’m certain your trust fund could cover you," Tanya draith self-irandmother left you rather well off, even if your parents aren’t inclined to do so"

Marty gritted her teeth Her parents had taught her a strong work ethic--so trust-fund babies and silver-spoon angels she had grown up with

People like Tanya didn’t realize the work that had gone into the fortunes they now lived off and rarely contributed to

"And I still prefer to pay ure"

Tanya blinked back at her before turning to her husband, as though in confusion The husband, an executive with Tanya’s father’s engineering firm, hid a smile

"She’s an aberration, sweetheart" Her husband, Mike Collie, sighed, as though he, too, was confused by Marty "Remember hoe used to pat her on the head ere children and pray for her before sleeping?"

Tanya glanced back at her sympathetically

"Yes, and now, Mike, I pray for you," Marty stated sweetly, as he chuckled back at her, clearly unoffended by her remark

"And I appreciate each prayer, leaood ones They were few and far between soant as some of her childhood friends may be, most of them still had a sense of humor where it counted

"Excuse me, I need to find lanced to the side and saw that Khalid had roup ofto ht No one ave her a fewKhalid carefully in her peripheral vision as she hid her smirk at the frustration on his face, Marty and Shaynewith Ian Sinclair, and the owners of Delacourte-Conovers, a rising electronics develop firm in the area The Delacourtes and Conovers were heavy contributors to her father’s political funds, as well as friends

"Marty" Joe stood back, roup "I see you finally ood to see you again, Shayne"

"You couldn’t at least consort within your own branch of law enforceh she heard the aht it best to have friends in all branches Besides, it doesn’t hurt to look outside the box," she replied, looking up at him with a sazeback "Doesn’t mean you’ll succeed"

She could feel Khalid now As though his very aura had reached out, wrapped around her, and clai behind her

"Shayne Thank you for escorting my lovely date I’ll take her off your hands now" His voice was dark, brooding, sending a surge of sensation racing up her spine as she and Shayne turned to him

"Evenin’ Khalid And I must say, it wasat the mercy of what she liked to believe were no more than hormones After all, how could you love a man who made you insane every time you saw hiical/chemical/pheromonal reaction that bound her to him

"Marty" Khalid turned to her then, and the force of those dark eyes staring into hers seemed to steal her breath and the last bit of coht have possessed as his head lowered and his lips brushed hers

"Khalid" She tried to pretend that her reaction to hiainst hers stole her breath and left her knees weakening in response

"Dance with ripped her hand and pulled her to hih her body

The dark edge of hunger in his tone was barely hidden, but it was his eyes, ht velvet, so deep and filled with sensual pro and her clit suddenly pulsing in reaction

"I must admit Khalid, I didn’t expect you to have your third pick ainst hiinning to wonder if you had changed your ain" Innocence marked her face and belied the subtle ain, love," hewhatever eht, that does rather make him my official date" Marty kept her voice calm, sweet Innocent "I believe, as such, he’s entitled to certain privledges Wouldn’t you think?"