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“I mean,” Mira went on froher as always in Rashid’s presence “You return her so late every night it’s always after I go to sleep”

Rashid looked at Mira in the mirror with that tranquility that Laylah knew indicated unending patience with her for being her best friend It still amazed her that there wasn’t the least bit of male appreciation in his eyes for the fiery and statuesque beauty who turned heads wherever they went

He inclined his head in gallant apology “I a your sleep”

“That’s not what I meant!” Mira spluttered, as always out of her depth around Rashid

Laylah could syer-than-life vibe could mess with anyone’s balance Especially those with XX chro hience with her, that made her function somewhat nor the tiuys these past weeks I love the ride home every day from work in this wonder car, and in the company of my favorite couple in the world And I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all that wish-fulfill round-the-clockme out with you to places I didn’t know existed, not to ic wand you’ve touched our business with I’ hours to the bare minimum to make more time for each other, why not stay in the sa to Laylah,” Rashid said, “it’s because I’m terra”

Yeah She’d told him that And a few“appropriate” hours But he wouldn’t hear of her spending the nights at his place, or her reputation would evidently disintegrate to ashes The only tiht

But that paled in comparison to another matter

Tonight was their one-ht, the day had passed

And Rashid hadn’t asked her to ain

She’d re he’d say so their late lunch He hadn’t Then at dinner, he’d invited Mira along and had so far said nothing

Because Mira was around? Why invite her if she’d craht his offer? Decided it had been rushed and rash? With her being so free with her favors,to worry about her “honor” when she wasn’t worried about it herself Maybe he thought he should just enjoy what they had

She’d want that, too, as long as it was long-tere of heart ? What if he started winding down gradually to an inevitable end? Maybe he’d made that decision early on, and that hy he’d been ada the occasional night Maybe he didn’t want to cloak their intimacies in any kind of permanence

She tried to shake off her doubts, listen to the almost one-sided conversation between Mira and Rashid She couldn’t

He pulled up to their building and said good-night to Mira, who responded with the self-possession of a starstruck schoolgirl, before she exited the car,for Laylah to take her time

She didn’t After a kiss that she initiated and he ended too soon, Rashid said that he had to rush away