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Julia was silent, as she felt the weight of expectations on her shoulders

When they passed the Ashht

“I wonder what kind of trouble we can get into in there” He pointed to the museum “As I recall, there are ample locations for a tryst or two”

Julia blushed and he pulled her into his side, chuckling

He still had the ability to make her blush, a feat in which he took no little pride And he’d done oed against a wall in the British Museuin Marbles had yet to recover froe just prior to the beginning of the first session Inside, a group of fifty acade tea and enjoying cookies while chatting about the extraordinary world of Dante studies

(For indeed, that world wasthan it appeared to outsiders)

Gabriel poured Julia so himself to coffee He introduced her to two prominent Oxford professors of his acquaintance as they sipped their drinks

When it was time to enter the lecture theater, Gabriel placed his hand at the s her forward She took two steps before she stopped

A fah filled her ears, the source of the laughter visible a few feet away In the center of a group of old and young men dressed pri court She was tall and lithe, her attractive form clad in a fitted black jacket and skirt Four-inch heels er

(For once in his life, the Professor regarded a pair of elegant designer shoes with soh was curtailed when aso on the Emersons

“Fuck,” said Gabriel, under his breath

He offered Christa Peterson and Professor Giuseppe Pacciani a thunderous look, while Julia catalogued the reactions of the men who stood nearby As her eyes drifted fro washed over her

More than one er than was appropriate on her brsts and hips She released Gabriel’s hand and buttoned up her suit jacket so that it covered more of her chest

A look of visible disappointment marked several of the men’s appraisals Clearly Julia didn’t live up to their expectations of a young and delectable graduate student, a woman who’d slept with her professor and beco this once and for all” Gabriel surged forward, but Julia dug her fingers into his ar into the wool of his suit as well as his flesh

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” she whispered

“After”

“You can’t,” Julia hissed “Not here”

“Trouble in Paradise?” Christa’s suess the honey”

She fixed her eyes, catlike, on Julia, her attractiveinto a sneer “Not that I’m surprised”

Julia tried to pull Gabriel away, but he stood his ground, his body vibrating with anger

“I’d like a word, Miss Peterson”

Christa inched closer to Professor Pacciani Sheto be intimidated by Gabriel