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"Have dinner with me?" Kara said, and the look in her eyes promised a whole lot more besides

"You know all the best places to eat," he said "Let uess Take-out paella?"

"Not exactly," she said with a small, uncharacteristically nervous snised instantly

"It's yours," she said, watching his face as her words sank in

"You bought the boat?"

His incredulous grin wiped the anxiety fro in to kiss hi palace?" he said, lish, as always"

Kara loved the sight of hiood memories rapped up in one small, crazy old vessel She accepted the hand he held out and stepped aboard, the heels of her cowboy boots loud against the deck

Dylan pulled her against hi the neckline of the tube dress he loved her in

"Did you wear this for me?" he said

"It is your birthday" She leaned in close and kissed the war underneath it"

"You know I’ on it, Sailor" She started up the steps to the roof deck, then glanced back over her shoulder at him "You can look up my skirt Birthday treat"

Dylan's eyes were so firmly fixed on Kara's backside that it took hi alone Lucien and Sophie sat alongside each other on the familiar low deck chairs, conspirators in Kara's birthday plan Sophie jumped up as soon as Dylan appeared

"Happy birthday!" she said, laughing as she threw her ared her hard, bloay by their surprise arrival on the island He kissed her cheek when she stepped back

"You guys have been plotting," Dylan set here?"

"A few hours ago" Sophie grinned, her eyes dancing with the thrill of the successful ambush "We dropped Esther and the kids off at yours as soon as you guys went out"

Lucien unfurled himself from the chair as Kara bent to kiss his cheek then pulled Sophie into an expansive hug and led her away below deck

Lucien advanced towards Dylan