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Feeling drunk off success and empowerment, she marched to one of the empty tables and sat, eyes peeled for waitstaff Michael tucked a hand into his pants pocket and strode toward her with a relaxed bearing worthy of the runway All of hi about that suit It looked expensive and excellently tailored, yet so she’d ever seen on other h that their thighs pressed together, and propped his arm on the seat behind her She liked that A lot Ita claim on her

"What brand is this suit? I love it" With the barest hesitation, she smoothed her hands over the lapels and crisp shoulders of the jacket

Searching her eyes, he smiled a slow, beautiful smile "It’s custom made"

"My compliments to your tailor" She checked the inside and was evenof hasty sea Expert craftsmanship

"I’ll tell him"

"Maybe I should switch Does he do women’s apparel? Is he terribly busy?" As she spoke, she couldn’t help running her pal the firmness of his body beneath the starched cotton of his dress shirt

"He is very busy"

She sighed in disappointht, but she thinks I’m crazy She stabs me a lot, too I’m not convinced it’s always an accident"

His hter His voice had an angry edge as he asked, "You mean she stabs you on purpose?"

Was he upseton her behalf? The thought sent wares she’d harbored against her vindictive tailor were forgotten

"In her defense, I’m very picky She calls me her diva client," Stella said

"That doesn’t make it okay She should have better control of her pins It’s not that hard Even when I was ten, I still--" He pressed his lips together and raked a hand through his hair "What things are you picky about?"

"Oh, well, I" She drew her hands toward herself and laced theers "I’s and scratchy, luht or too loose I’m not a diva, I’ smirk

She wrinkled her nose at hiht white top bearing the club’s logo sauntered to the table

Michael handed her Stella’s credit card "We’d like to reserve the table for the rest of the night Water for , too? She wasn’t sure she wanted to do it alone "Soave a professional nod "Coht up"

After the waitress disappeared, Michael explained, "I’"

She smiled "I like this responsible side of you"

"Michael is always responsible, aren’t you, er appeared out of nowhere, and Stella watched in awe as he helped hiht black T-shirt over bulldog-hunched shoulders and kept his hair buzzed close to his scalp She tried not to stare rudely at the intricate tattoos decorating his muscled arms and neck, but it was difficult She’d never seen so many tattoos up close

Michael sat forward "Quan--"

The stranger gave Michael a hard look "No, I get it Youhis attention to Stella, he said, "I’m Quan, Michael’s favorite cousin and best friend"

Cousin Best friend Her nerves juh tension She held her hand out over the table "Stella Lane Nice to meet you"

He stared at her hand with an aainst the sofa "So he does have a girlfriend, after all Let uess, you’re a doctor"