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"Like karaoke?"

She shuddered "Overdone I’?"

"No Poker is hugely popular, but aroups I’d set up some casual tables--some mixed, some justclass for woet away from the usual pool and darts everyone expects"

He took another slug of water and studied her She tried not to squirold brain?" She fluttered her lashes in mockery

"I already knew that the first moment I spoke with you No, you surprise me because you look at the world differently from anyone I’ve evertension filled the air His coh or a wave of a hand He was probably just flirting and trying to get into her pants Right? But it didn’t feel that way He meant every word, and the sincerity of his confession hit her exactly where she tried to protect

Her heart

Stop being stupid It’s only a gausted voice shook her out of the odd trance, and she was able to pull herself up to sit straight in the chair "Nice play, Slick," she said deliberately "So, tell me a bit about California Did you like it out there?"

A flash of disappointone so quickly she wondered if she’d iined it He took his final bite and wiped his hands "Yep Kind of difficult not to like sun, surf, and a laid-back attitude It was good for otten under h the winters suck and the people are still too rushed and way too high ure it out"

"Yeah" She nodded slowly, thinking of the exotic sights she’d seen, along with sleeping on the ground next to strangers, looking up at the stars Being back ho solid underneath her satisfied her et it"

"Course you do You’re a wanderer, like h "Trust ree Name one quality you have that you don’t think I do"

He leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms in front of his chest She refused to stare at the bunched muscles underneath soft cotton Why hadn’t she ever seen hiym? His biceps were delicious Did he have a lot of hair on his chest or a little? Was it blond or a bit darker? How far down did the line go--what had he asked? "Umm, what?"

His lip ticked up in amusement "I told you to name me one quality you have that I don’t"

"I’m a total control freak I like to do it all by et all crazy Very annoying"

"I’m the same way"

She tilted her head and snorted "You seeo with the flow Your brothers are htly wound than you"