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‘Are you serious?’ she whispered to the woman

‘Oh, yes The older ested it’

Ellery?

Cara sed, a sick feeling balled in the pit of her storeed?’

‘Just then’

Oh, God Why? Why would Aidan agree? And what on earth was going on in Martin Ellery’s head for hiest such an inconceivable notion? What could she say to get out of it? As if in a warning an ined disappointment came into her mind If she caused a scene now he’d think she had done it deliberately Hefun …

Unsure of how to extricate herself from what felt like a very volatile situation, she didn’t say anything

Which seeive Martin Ellery a victorious cue to crow, ‘She’ll do it!’

All eyes turned back to her expectantly Cara froze What could she say? And surely he was only talking about dinner Like when she’d allowed herself to be part of a charity auction to raise h in her father’s eyes Tonight, though, Cara felt that she was damned if she did and damned if she didn’t

‘Well … if you’re talking about my company for—’

‘Done’ Martin Ellery thuressive show of machismo ‘Show your hand, Kelly’

Aidan Kelly’s lol as he sent his cards spinning across the table sent a shiver of alarm down her spine

He wouldn’t look at her and Cara’s mouth went bone dry He looked so hard the hairs on the nape of her neck stood on end This was not the man who had kissed her senseless outside before, the azed at her as if she were the only woman in the world for him

She wondered what she would do if he won Then a worse thought hit She wondered what she would do if Martin Ellery won

Oh, God

‘Mr Kelly has a straight flush,’ the croupier announced in his perfectly modulated tones ‘Mr Ellery, your cards please’

Cara saw Ellery blanch and he almost seemed dazed as the croupier retrieved his cards and sorted them

She felt a buzzing in her ears as she waited She could feel people’s curious eyes on her and she knew a dull flush had heated her cheeks