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"Sit over here withher attention as she sat on the facing sofa "That e can listen to ant and tune out e don’t"

"You wound ht my every as music to your ears"

"In your dreams," she muttered back "Come on, Cyn I have cookies, and coffee, if you want it If you’d rather--"

"Coffee would be great," Cyn assured her She unzipped her jacket before sitting down, giving her easy access to her weapon Sure, Lucas was a friend, and yes, Jared and Juro were here to provide security, not tohimself But Cyn was a control freak, especially when it ca that there was a telltale bulge beneath Kathryn’s jacket, too

"What a pair we are," Kathryn confided as she poured some coffee "In a roo the down the hot caffeine "But I can’t seehed "Same here"

"I noticed the horses e drove in," Cyn said, wanting to change the subject She loved Raphael, but she spenthours with va else "Raphael says Lucas breeds theer, but I hadn’t done so in years I’ve been getting back into it since I ht?"

Kathryn nodded "Have to, don’t we? The horses are used to it, though, and the trails are well-marked Why? Do you ride?"

"I’ a properly raised young woman should know"

"Handlers?"

"That’s what I call the parade of nannies and private school ade of one?" Kathryn asked, her voice hushed and full of syone, but not the way you think," she replied, trying to keep the bitterness out of her voice "My mother left when I was three, and never looked back, and I don’t think I exchanged a hundred words with irl, huh? But at least I don’t fall off when I try to ride a horse"

"We should go riding then," Kathryn said, politely leaving behind the subject of Cyn’s childhood "I’hts are free, but I’o blow-out this weekend I’h, and it would be nice to ride in the sunshine for a change"

"I’d like that, but let "

Cyn pulled out her cell phone and punched Robbie’s speed dial

"It’s the ood" Robbie and the other daylight guards had arrived a day earlier so they would be set up and ready for Raphael’s arrival Robbie and the others would be sleeping soh she didn’t know exactly where everyone was yet

"This is what I get for trying to be nice?" she joked

"What do you mean?" he asked cautiously

"Gee, a, Cyn"

"Fine Do you kno to ride a horse?"

"You woke roaned "Yes, oh wonderful one, I ride, courtesy of the US Ar sandbox"

"Excellent Wear your spurs tomorrow, then"

"I can hardly wait Is that all?"

"Love you, too"

"Yeah, yeah," she heard hiuard," Cyn said to Kathryn’s questioning look

"You have a bodyguard?"

"Sure, don’t you?"

"She won’t letsha the words at Lucas, her long-suffering tone indicating this was an old arguuard trailing ht I have Lucas and all of his team What lance toward Raphael "A va the day And if it was up to Raphael, I’d have a whole teaet into trouble by ht her eye with a skeptically raised eyebrow "Might?"

"Okay, so it’s possible there’s been a tihed, and she threw a cookie at hiht it smoothly and tossed it back at her Stupid valare at the love of her life, "I’d love to ride tomorrow, Kathryn, and you’ll like Robbie He’s a sweetheart under the gruff exterior"

"It’s a date We’ll aiht Sunset’s early this time of year, so I’ll meet you out front around two, if that’s okay?"