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Arin He knew all about body language, had dated so ns From her breathy voice to her refusal to look hi to him, but most of all to herself

“We’ll see about that”

Chapter Four

“I think I’ to her head, gracious for the casino’s decision to decorate every hotel room with blackout curtains

When she finally woke up around 10 a, her te, and her mouth as dry as the desert around her It was only after she listened over again to her recorder fro ca back to her—the insults traded back and forth, al Sheikh Bahan, and then the make-out session She wanted to believe that all of that was the result of far too many scotches back in her room yesterday afternoon, but even she knew better Even if her life weren’t in freefall, there was so about Sheikh Bahan that called to her, s become weak like overcooked pasta

She’d broken all her journalistic standards and kissed someone as the focus of her story Granted, it wasn’t hard hitting, but that wasn’t who she was

Then again, so far, being herself had gotten her exiled to nowhere

“What’s wrong? You’ve only been there a day and a half! How could you possibly havewith concern

“You somehow sound incredulous but hopeful,” Amanda said

“I’e person I kno could you have made a mistake?”

“I h mistake to be here in the first place,” she lamented

“No, you pissed someone powerful off with the truth That’s different What’s wrong? Offload on me”

“I…well I got pretty drunk yesterday I shouldn’t have done it, but I tuned to CNN and saw the coverage of Senator Jackson’s handiwork in El Salvador The guilt was too ot pretty blottoed”

“And you missed the press conference Well, I’ether for the Style editor later tonight That’s not a big deal”

She sighed and rubbed at her terounds wasn’t doing jack to help eliminate her pain “Oh, I definitely went”