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She gripped the counter with hands that had gone white and her mouth curved upwards in an attempt at a smile that lacked conviction "Hi"

He pushed away froood You really can cook?"

"So" She came to stand beside him and lifted the lid froreen beans that looked and s

What was it about her apparent doh him? He'd damn sure never cared if Tanya had been able to cook or not In fact, it had irritated him beyond belief whenever she would prepare a meal and expect him to sit at her table and compliment her on it It had always reeked of awould induce a reactionnoith Natalie in his kitchen

As he looked at the otten the food in the first place puzzled hi?"

"No The roast was in the freezer and I found the can of beans in the pantry But that's about all there was"

"Darab a quick shower and we'll eat" He turned away and walked from the roo the exact reason why

After Marco turned to go, Natalie began setting the table He was gone less than ten minutes, and he came back barefoot, in jeans and a t-shirt She sed hard and served the meal as she surreptitiously observed him for the first time in casual clothes The impact he made was no less intense than the suits she'd seen hi the food a couple of ti her between bites It wasn't so she was used to, and she orried about the talk that his note had said they were going to have

And the talk cahtened the kitchen as she cooked, so the clean-up was minimal When she was finished, she followed him to his study at his request

He didn't sit at his desk, but sank down in one of two armchairs that faced each other over a small table and indicated she take the other "Sit down"

She did, and put her hands in her lap and waited as calave her a ain, her fingers plucking at a s it worse Her clothes looked clean and wrinkle-free, and he wondered if she'd washed them--and what the hell she'd hile they'd been in the wash He pushed the thought from his mind with effort

He unfolded a piece of paper and laid it on the low table between theht away She looked back at him slowly, as if the paper were poisoned or contaminated "Look at it, Natalie"

Slowly, she reached out and picked up the estiure in bold print at the bottoe Her face lost all color and she licked her lips "I don't understand This is over twenty thousand dollars That's as much as a new car would cost"

"Not an Audi, sweetheart And my car in particular cost five tientle, so with anyone else he could remember, and for now, didn't try to analyze why

She lifted a hand to her brow and pushed against it as she expelled a pained breath "That's more--more than I can contemplate" Her eyes were liquid-filled as they lifted to his "Truthfully, I was expecting fifteen-hundred or so"