Page 31 (1/2)

To her disical and businesslike, competent and assured woman, she stuttered

"Monsieur Beaudreaux"

"I’et in here? Without being announced?"

"I spoke to the receptionist outside Told her that I was trying to surprise you, take you to lunch"

"Lunch," she murmured, afraid that she sounded a little stupid, as if she didn’t colish

"I’ood idea"

"No, no, it’s lovely that you’re here," she said, quickly collecting herself "I hadn’t thought about going to lunch I have stacks of work, and I’m afraid that it hasn’t been my most productive day"

"Maybe a break will get you going"

She stood up The hell ork She gave her job eighty hours soht"

She collected her purse The weather was beautiful, a little cool, but sunny She didn’t need a jacket She walked around her desk He took her ar o"

A discreet hotel rooht But she didn’t say the words out loud His shted as they passed by the outer offices of the very conteh rise The receptionist and a feorkers were about They watched her with envy

She paused by the receptionist’s desk Henriette, young, pretty, and now, soentleman said that he was an old friend and wished to surprise you I should have rung through" She paused, looking a bit perplexed "I’uessthat it’s all right?"

"Yes, Henriette, it’s all right" She glanced at Rick "My old friend and I are going to lunch Ithis afternoon"

"Yes, of course"

"Thank you, Henriette," Rick said He smiled at the receptionist Ann could almost see Henriette’s heart flutter

Then Beaudreaux took her arh her ar for lunch She felt their eyes, and knew that she and the A couple

They reached the street

Rick looked down at her Dear God, onderful, powerful blue eyes he had She couldn’t have looked away if she had desired to do so

He asked softly, "So, where would you like to go?"

She met his eyes, and answered simply and honestly

"Somewhereanywherewith "

"With what?" he asked her

She’d meant to say, with a nice salad and warm bread

Somehow, those words eluded her

"Somewhere with " he prodded in a hisper

She let out a long breath, her eyes still locked with his

"Somewhere with a bed," she said

The library door was closed when Tara returned She ignored the fact, and, without bothering to knock, walked in

Her grandfather was behind the desk

And, as she had surmised from the battered old BMW in the driveway, Brent Malone was still with hirandfather’s shoulder, as Jacques ?" she de a randfather was looking up at her, too He didn’t appear particularly frail--rather, his cheeks were flushed, and his excitement in his as apparent

"You need to leave," she told Brent

"Tara!" Jacques said firrandfather has been very ill lately If you tire him, he could well have a relapse of pneumonia"

"Tara!" Jacques repeated

"Perhaps it is time that I left," Brent said

"I have told her exactly what is happening," Jacques refuted firmly

"Yes, but she doesn’t believe you"

She folded her arms over her chest and walked to the desk "If you have corandfather in his belief in vampires, you are certainly not welcome"