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Proving he already had power over her, she’d stopped on the sidewalk and glanced up He stayed in place until she hurried off, as if frightened by what she saw

She had reason to be

When he crossed his office to return to his desk, he inhaled the scent of lilacs, and he wasn’t certain whether or not he’d iined it

After shaking his head, he eh she intended to use it to screen his candidates, he wondered which things she’d cross out and which sheto try

Those unanswered questions made his cock hard, so he shoved theed with the business would settle the issue with Noah, take the e pressure off Rafe, and allow him to pursue the curvy little matchmaker

Resolved, he’d called his father again Annoyance flashed through Rafe when the call went straight to voice ache from his shoulder

When the phone rang so his father

Instead, it was Celeste

“You met with Hope”

Like him, she rarely wasted precious moments on pleasantries “If that’s what you would call it” He sat back

“Don’t bla, she added, “Or me We were tools for your mother’s use”

As if Celeste would ever be a mere tool for anyone “Which makes both you and Ms Malloy co of coffee that Jeanine had brought a while ago He’d ignored it until now “Your input ht have made their task a little less burdensome” He took a drink The contents were tepid, but caffeine was caffeine andat the back of his skull “All beautiful All…goddalimpse of his ideal woman and make-believe life No wonder he was pissed off

“There’s another matter…”

Celeste was a master of the expectant pause In fact, she had studied theater along with psychology and business A shreoman he’d never known

While he waited for her to speak, he traced the logo on the cup Instead of the Sterling crown, this one was eo, a laurel wreath cradling Athena’s owl

“You’ve had this thrust on you So much responsibility You’re capable of it, no doubt”