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‘Are you inviting me?’ she asked him with suppressed excitement

It was hardly fair of hiuests were hard-driven business professionals ould eat her alive

‘Are you?’ she pressed

‘I’m not sure,’ he admitted honestly

‘Why not?’ she exclaimed

‘Because it ing piece of gossip to make it fly, and I’m not sure I’m ready to see you humiliated’

‘Only “not sure”?’ she asked, starting to smile

‘I wouldn’t stand for it,’ he spelled out

‘I accept,’ she said brightly

Closing his eyes for a ht of what Rosie’s attendance at the drinks party would do to his precious clear thinking

‘All right,’ he said ‘Decision made You’ll come to the mainland with me, and I’ll do my best to make sure you don’t feel out of place’

She tipped her head to one side to stare at hi eyes ‘You don’t have much confidence in me, do you?’

The truth was, he didn’t knohat to expect from the redoubtable Rosie Clifton But then she frowned ‘I don’t knohat I’ to wear for this party of yours’

‘I’ll buy you a dress,’ he offered

‘I can’t accept money from you—’