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"I have no desire to bewhatever it is one has to be, to betranslatedthrough wherever it is you go," she said "No thank you I’ll stay right here in ed "We’ll drive then" He waved his hand toward the back door, gesturing that he would follow

The playful curve of his lips coupled with his suspiciously swift capitulation should have warned her

She opened the door, stepped out onto the top step, and froze He stopped behind her, but just barely, crowding her with his big body Was that his chin grazing the top of her head, his unshaven jaw against her hair?

She took several slow deep breaths, then, "Okay, what happened to my car?"

"That is your car"

"I ritted, "but I do knohat I drive I drive a falling-apart Toyota A disgustingly powdery-blue one With lots of rust and no antenna That is notapart Toyota, BA"

Had his lips just brushed her hair? She shivered, and though she knew better than to ask, she did it anyway "Okay, you got me, what’s ‘BA’?"

"Before Adam After Adam, you drive a BMW I take care of what is ant beast would define hi of an epoch "I’--"

"I didn’t I filled out all the paperwork myself And there was a ridiculous amount of paperwork What is it with you humans and paperwork? You have so much time you can afford to squander it? We have all the ti paperwork You are now in every possible regard the legal owner of that car And no one will ever be able to prove otherwise The féth fiada has es, Gabrielle"

"I will not drive a stolen car," she snapped as he slipped a hand around her fro her the keys

"It’s not stolen," he repeated patiently, softly, close to her ear "According to the dealer’s records, it was paid for in full They wouldn’t take it back even if you tried to give it to them And if you refuse to drive it, aed your an to slip around her waist, his body brushed against hers, and there was noher jean-clad bottoht be mortal, but his iotten thethe keys frolared at the spot where only last night her dilapidated little Corolla had sat In its place was a brand-new BMW And if she wasn’t h-end roadsters It was red And shiny It had all its tri And it was a convertible