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Mari heard the words but the fabric against her cheek was soft and warled into it further

“Mari, I hate to wake you but we can’t sit in the car forever”

The voice intruded again and she realized it was Luca Then she realized she was leaned against the breadth of his arer than she’d anticipated And his scent cah with each slow breath

She sat up abruptly, putting distance between theht had been of him dressed in a tuxedo Now she was intimately couched in the back seat of a luxury car with hied over further “I fell asleep”

His sent “You did Alan to move”

“I’m so sorry”

“Don’t be It’s perfectly all right”

Eht-minute drive from my place”

“Obviously you were tired And relaxed Shall we?”

Charlie had opened the door with a bland look on his face

She got out into the refreshingher head Luca said so to Charlie and then he touched her elbow and they walked toward the lobby doors together Just before they reached the entrance, Luca quipped, “Don’t let it get around that my company put you to sleep I have a reputation to uphold”

As she let out an unexpected splutter of laughter, he opened the door and held it as she passed through He followed her in, both of the