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Jaaze The kettle was stone-cold and there were no crumbs or used plates or discarded apple cores orthe passage to the ballroo the floor in a long silver beam

The piano was a dark hulk in front of the s, and beside it stood Aiesha with her back to the rooave her the appearance of a ghost

Knowing all too well the danger of sneaking up on her, Jaainst the door ‘Aiesha?’

She must have known he was there even before he knocked for there was nothing hurried or startled about her movements as she turned to look at him It was difficult to read her expression, but with theher slim body from behind he could see she was completely naked beneath the wrap

‘What are you doing down here all by yourself?’ he said

‘Couldn’t sleep’

‘Why didn’t you wake me?’

She stepped out of the shadows, her eyebrows drawn together and her voice sharp with an edge of irritation to it ‘To do what? Make me a milky drink? Tell me a bedtime story?’ She curled her lip and added in a mutter, ‘Like that’s ever happened before’

Ja on?’

Her brows shot upthis crazy charade a little too far?’

He cauardedly ‘What’s the matter?’

A ’

‘OKso help me out here,’ he said ‘Last ti off to sleep Now it looks like you want to punch hts out Can you fill in the bits I’ve missed?’

Her eyes had that hard, streetwise sheen to the with you, OK?’

‘Want to run that by me one more time?’

‘I’ a bed with you It’s toointimate’

Jao wasn’t?’

Two spots of colour rose high on her cheekbones ‘It was just sex’

‘What is it about being inti?’

A frown of irritation puckered her forehead as she glared at hi me these stupid questions?’