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She nearly groaned out loud and had to physically restrain herself fro her head on the nearest possible place, which happened to be his shoulder He was right She never called him Wade And orse was that it hadn’t been intentional It hadn’t been part of her trying to worh so far it see It had just slipped out If he didn’t have her so rattled and off her game, she would have never called his but never that because, damn it, it was too personal Friends, family, people she liked, those were the people she was on a first nas
He stared at her a long erous thathuge had changed in that moment and she did not want to knohat that was because she had the distinct feeling it had everything to do with her Then he shook his head as if dispelling cobwebs and just as quickly that intense scoas back and the one Thank God
"So this surprise," he drawled "Do tell You avoid a wo her believe you’re angry with her, which causes her untold grief, and if I had to guess makes her husband and your coworker not very happy with you, and now you’re tellingher feel like shit because you have a surprise for her?"
He ended with a snort of pure disbelief Eliza winced at hearing the words "hurt feelings" and "feel like shit" Then,to remember if Zack had treated her any differently Truth be told, she hadn’t even considered the consequences She’d been too focused on her ain, because yeah, she could reer in his eyes and a tight jaw, though he’d never approached her and that surprised her because he and Eliza were tight after all the shit that went dohen he and Gracie had their thing
Eliza didn’t have to pretend agitation or fake regret when she glanced back up at Sterling She stared at hiret and sorrow to show, evidenced by his look of surprise At least she was keeping hi it, have been planning it for over a week," she said quietly That wasn’t a lie She had been planning Sterling would just assu Gracie’s surprise "I couldn’t be around her when it was all I was thinking about and preparing for," she continued "She would have known instantly and then it would no longer be a surprise But I never ry with her I didn’t think" She closed her eyes against the sudden sting of tears No way in hell she’d cry in front of Sterling Even if it would go a long way in convincing hiot the distinct ione almost before they’d even appeared His scrutiny was unbearable and it made her squire to curl her fingers into tight fists because that would betray her supre was soodda asked, eyes narrowed, suspicion still heavy in his voice
"I can’t tell you! Are you crazy? You’re around Gracie all the time If you knew, then she’d know too"
"Then give oddamn clue," he bit out i it Damn it!
"All I can say is that it has to do with her school," Eliza said softly, referring to Gracie’s plan to open her own place to teach free art classes to pro students who couldn’t afford lessons otherwise
Until recently Gracie had used a s of course--but now there were too many students and it broke Gracie’s tender heart to have to turn anyone away because there wasn’t enough space
Her drea of course would provide, but Gracie needed donations to pay for supplies and at least one full-time assistant Volunteers couldn’t always be counted on to be available and that many children needed ive the that took too much of his neife’s time They’d been separated for twelve years by horrific circule day now that they’d found one another again
"And so help , if you even think about Gracie’s school and or me at the same time when you’re around Gracie, swear to God, I’ll have your nuts"
His expression became sly and a look entered his eyes she did not like It made her want to tuck tail and run like the coward he accused her of being
"I don’t even want to know," shehad loosened his grip on her are and turned to stalk away but he was faster, reasserting his hold on her
"I’ll gladly give you et a whole hell of a lot uarantee"
Horrified by the heat that instantly flared to life, curling in her groin and licking up her spine, she tried to jerk away fro said in a silky, bone-shivering, sexy voice "Give me one dance and I’ll make your excuses to Gracie and you can leave with your secret intact She’ll just be happy you came I doubt she’s noticed much more than her new husband anyway," he added wryly
"No one is dancing!" she protested "You don’t think Gracie"--not to le one of her coworkers--"and the others wouldn’t see us and knoas here, never said hi or ee, I had to leave You’re out of your daed "Suit yourself Come on I’ll take you to Gracie then, so you can offer your hellos to your teaid "You little black her want to screa ever ruffle him? What did it take to really piss off abeyond ive a fuck?