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His release ca them both by surprise

Once the wave of pleasure had subsided, he sank down on the rug by her side and exhaled hard

Dara sat up on one elbow, tracing the hairs on his chest idly ‘That orth the wait’

Leoher hands on his chest and listening to her rhyth as his eyes closed

Dara couldn’t sleep She stared up at the two stockings that hung over the fireplace They looked so plain, so sued her for the past few ain

This wasn’t about the stockings

The sa at all to do with business

Since they had opened up their charitable project, the Valente Foundation, she had been required to attend a handful of fundraisers and benefits Her presence wasn’t necessarily required in any of the institutions they supported on a day-to-day basis, and yet she had found herself taking on the role of patroness at the Syracuse orphanage with the aiure

The first couple of trips had been to check on the progress of soround to be built That playground had been finished in the summer, and yet she still found reason to visit as often as she couldthe hour-long trip up to three tiun to look confused at her continued presence

There were stockings up on the fireplace at the orphanage too Seventeen of the in the common room Now that Leo was hoain He would ask questions about why she visited only one orphanage—why not all the others? Why not the hospitals? He would know, just as she knew, that her actions weren’t about being charitable at all

The press had been : everyone had wanted to see Leo Valente transformed from playboy to father Dara had never made a secret of her inability to bear children, so it had been no surprise that the press had caught wind of it soon after their wedding The ruone into overdrive Would they adopt? Would they use a surrogate? They’d been a hot topic for quite some time

They had decided that their business was their own, and that their choice to remain childless was both private and definite