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"I was interested in your answers--"

"Because your family hired me," she pointed out

"There is that, but I would’ve been interested nonetheless"

"Oh yeah I’ Do you understand that?"

"Well, it doesn’t sound very appropriate when you phrase it the way you did," he agreed, fighting a grin As twisted as it was, he was enthralled by her anger and how she was going toe to toe with hi you"

She barked out a harsh laugh as she took a step back "I guess I failed then, so why am I here? Just to h hi real clear for you If you failed, you wouldn’t be standing here You wouldn’t havea fool out of you"

That beautiful chest rose sharply "If you think either two of those things will make me feel better, they don’t I don’t even knohat to say at this point"

At this point, Lucian decided honesty was the best route to go, but they were too close to his brother He placed his hand on her lower back "Let’s go--"

"Don’t touchhis chin to the side, he withdrew his hand as he said in a low voice, "That’s not what you told ht"

Her eyes widened "You son of--"

"My s, but she wasn’t a bitch My father? He was a bastard, though" Placing his hand on her shoulder, he ignored her protests and atterip as he steered farther down the hall Reaching around her, he opened the door and guided her in

"Howaround in a slow circle as she took in the handcrafted chairs and couches "Like who needs these many chairs and couches?" She ran a hand over an ar a little jealous of a chair "Though this craftsrin teased at his lips "I’ve honestly lost count of how many rooms, but there are many"

Julia dropped her purse on the couch and faced hi off my chest"

Hopefully it was her shirt

He kept that to himself

"If I had knoho you were, I wouldn’t have let you into my apartment or done any ofany of that with you" Her cheeks deepened in color, re she did often, and the knowledge still pleased hi you wouldn’t have let ers? Is that what you’re saying?"

She lanced around the empty room "I cannot believe you just said that I ret it At all"

"Well, I regret it Obviously," she spat, throwing up her aruy he turns out to kind of beret it," he said, stepping toward her

She held her ground "Just because you had your fingers in ht be true, but I do know you want to save snakes and rats in your animal sanctuary" He came closer, thrilled when she didn’t back up He lowered his head so they were almost eye level "And I also kno it feels when you coers"

Julia sucked in a sharp breath

"And I also know exactly how your nipples fit between ers," he went on, voice lower and lower "And I know the hot as hell sound you ret that"

She looked away, exhaling heavily Several seconds passed and then she said, "You left without even--you knohat? It doesn’t matter"

"No, it does" When she started to look away, he caught her chin and gently guided her gaze back to his "I wanted nothing et inside you Hell, it was all I could think about after I left, and no ed that"