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She was still turning the idea over in her head as Raoul came into the bedroom

“You look deep in thought,” Raoul said “Problem?”

“No, just thinking about things,” she hedged

She wished she had the strength to tell hinancy now—to pour out how she felt and to have hi would be all right It was a futile hope He’d so effectively cos away that she didn’t dare expose her vulnerability to him

She had to believe that he could love her back before she could declare her heart to him and, she realized, before she could tell hiether was evidence of that—surely there had to be more to this for him than just a release of physical tension

“What are you thinking about?” he asked as he began tugging his clothes off, distracting her with his movements

“Just sohtly

“Oh” He paused in the act of pulling his sweater off and Alexis’s eyes were ied plane of his stomach “Is she ready to take Ruby back?”

“Hardly!” Alexis remonstrated A knot foret rid of me?”

He finished shucking off his clothes and slid into bed beside her “No,” he said, reaching over her to put her book on the bedside cabinet and pulling her into his aret rid of you?”

His erection pressed deer for hihout in a slow, delicious wave She forced a laugh, pressing her fears and doubts to the back of herthe moment, and him, with both hands