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"Really? You want ht of blackthat you… that you…" Her body tre a"No, Claire" Pleading laced his co her chin, he searched her eyes She’d talked about a dreareed to everything You more than consented: you wanted it as much as I did" When he released her chin, she didn’t pull away; instead, her cheek settled against his chest as she wobbled in his arms Tony kissed the top of her head and scooped her up into his ar you on the sofa You’re about to fall"

She nodded against the silk of his shirt Together, they sat on a large white sofa, facing the tall s Claire res onto the plush cushions With his arainst his side The scent of her perfuh the silent air The scene of the Golden Gate Bridge through the as stunning Tony’s mind replayed vistas they’d shared: the beaches of Fiji, the mountains of Tahoe, and even the view from her suite in Iowa Howthe beauty that he never noticed without her?

Tony wanted this to go on forever, to forget their past and the vendetta He wanted to keep her exactly like this Didn’t Anthony Rawlings usually get what he wanted? But he knew that it would never be right if it were forced With a deep sigh, Tony broke the spell "Are you ready for me to call Eric?"

Her response surprised him "What I really want are answers"

"What kind of answers?"

"Truthful ones" Again, she used his words and repeated demands he’d made of her When he didn’t respond, Claire pushed on, "You say you still love ent man Surely, you understand actions speak louder than words"

He turned to her with surprise "You said no"

"I don’t ht, and setting me up for your atteo away

Claire continued, "Tell me why"

"I told you It was a loophole"

Her head shook against his shoulder "I don’t understand your puzzles"

"You, too, are very intelligent I don’t believe you’ve spent the past year and a half without suspicions"