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"Oh, God So she really is still inside? They said there ht be a bomb Please tell me she isn’t in there with a bomb"

"They just located it on the roof," he said "A tea it down"

"But it’s still live and she’s still in there?" Her hand tightened on his arm "Please tell me they already disar that was true, on edge hiet her out, if she’s even in there If you want to help, search the crowd"

"I have," she said, swiping at a long lock of blond hair covering her face, her hand shaking "I tried I’ve looked No one has seen her" She inhaled and let it out "I don’t I can’t lose her"

The vulnerability in her gave hiut He knew better than anyone, besidesbehind sex, sin, and a façade of cool, all of which were gone now

"Hey," he said, bending under the tape to stand closer to her "You won’t" He reached up and slid the ard hair in her eyes behind her ear "You won’t lose her"

They stared at each other, the past between theoodbye, sizzling into awareness

Her perfect pink lips parted, then, "Luke, I we"

A loud co to find Royce and Lauren running towards them Julie took a step towards the tape, but then stopped and blinked up at Luke Then, to his surprise, she pushed to her toes, and pressed her lips to his "Thank you," she whispered and then ducked under the tape to run towards Lauren

Luke watched her e her taste on his lips, her scent on his skin while he did And he knew right then that the wall he’d just seen coood and for him

Hours later, when the bomb was disabled and she’d answered a million and one questions from law enforcement, Lauren walked into Royce’s apartment, exhausted as the rush of adrenaline slid away Royce tossed his keys on a small table by the door and Lauren kicked off her heels, heading for the couch where she collapsed, thankful that her offices were closed the next day Thankful that the trial would finally be raet this behind her

Royce shoved the coffee table away and went down on his knees in front of her "We have to talk, Lauren"

"Not the talk thing again," she said, sitting up to rest her hands on his chest "It’s never good and I can’t deal with any ht now"

"Plead the case"