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‘Excuse me’ She clamped her hand over her mouth and fled

CHAPTER NINE

THE DEBILITATING WEAKNESS was back again, weighting her lihout her body

But it was nothing co her heart

No ht away, it kept coed

Perla cast a furtive glance at theher arm He hadn’t said a word since they left the restaurant He’d been there when she eed froaze when he’d enquired whether she wanted to leave

The restaurant staff had been profusely apologetic but she hadn’t had the courage to reassure the on was most likely not the fault of their food She’d left the soothing of ruffled feathers to Ari, simply because she hadn’t been able to think past the stark reality of what she could be facing

They exited the lift and she followed him numbly It wasn’t until they were inside the suite that was easily three times the size of hers that she realised they hadn’t returned to her suite but to his He bypassed the living room, the study and the master bedroom and entered a second bedroom

Before her stood as easily an emperor-sized bed, complete with solid four-posters and cream silk muslin curtains A bathrooolden-lit arch and beyond the s Washington DC shone its powerful light over the city

Her gaze returned fro with his hands on his hips, those ly on hers

‘There’s a new toothbrush through there if you need to use it?’

She nodded, dropped her clutch on the bed and darted into the bathroo herthe inevitable

Quickly, she brushed her teeth and rinsed her e of the sink as a fresh wave of apprehension rolled through her

Arion Pantelides wasn’t stupid The knowledge in his eyes told her his thoughts had taken the same path as hers

‘Perla’

She jumped and whirled so fast, her vision blurred

Callused hands steadied her, one curving around her waist and the other rising to cradle her cheek for a moment before he dropped his hand