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"Yes," she blurted, even though she didn’t drink "White, please"

"I’ll have red"

The est for an appetizer the blah-blah-blah …"

As whatever he was saying went in one ear and out the other, Elise shifted in the banquette seat and stretched her back Fidgeted with her skirt Her left shoe

And then she realized theat her as if they expected her to yea or nay so "Well, yes, that sounds lovely"

God only knehat she was going to end up with, but like it , his hands and face growing ani But it was as if she couldn’t hear hiht across the table fro at the collar of her blouse, she realized she’d forgotten to take her coat off That was it She was having a hot flash because not only did she still have on a couple of yards of wool, they were fla steaks across the way, and--

Wait a minute

With a feeling of dread, she leaned out around Troy and looked down to the very far back of the restaurant

Right by the eure dressed in black was sitting in the very dilass of water in front of hilass in salute to her

Son of a bitch--

"I’m sorry, what?" Troy said with surprise

Oh, God, had she said that out loud?

Axe sat back and silently counted do long it took Elise to make an excuse to use the ladies’ rooht …

Bingo, he thought to hi in his direction

As she arrived at his table of two for one, he was glad in a perverse way that he’d gotten under her skin He’d hated seeing her walk in with that huh at whatever joke he was sending her way

Especially looking like this, with her hair down and her skirt up above her knees

"What are you doing here?" she gritted out

"Having dinner" He indicated his knife and fork, and put up the napkin he’d laid in his lap "Guess what I’ to be steak"