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“I’ll go You stay anda kiss on her forehead “Go to bed Get some sleep And as soon as I shut that door, lock it It’s better than nothing”

She stood in that same spot as he walked to the door The spot where he’d touched her tingled, sending heat throughout her body

Yet, the kiss wasn’t the slightest bit sexual He was just doing what anyout for her He wasn’t interested in her She needed to squash her budding attraction before it beca more

He turned back at the door “And make sure you call Matt about your car If you need a ride anywhere, you call me I left my card on the kitchen counter Oh, and Aspen? Try to hitch or walk and you’re going to find yourself over my knee”

She gaped at him

“Good night, Aspen Sweet dreams”

Oh, they’d be sweet all right, considering she intended to drearin off his face Over his knee, indeed

2

“That otistical and a prick I quit!”

Saxon watched in resignation as his pastry chef turned and stormed out of his office That was the third one in two

months to quit All because none of theinning to think that opening a restaurant was not his smartest idea ever

Closing his eyes, he leaned his head back against the soft leather of his chair He guessed he needed to consider ordering in baked goods and desserts He squeezed the bridge of his nose as he felt a headache starting to for Renard on, but the rue to keep any staff with Renard running theenius had its limits

He was going to have to put his foot down He grih decisions and act on them But there were special circumstances here

He headed towards the restaurant, which was next door to the club in what had been a run-down, clapboard, two-story house He’d had it gutted, and it was now being renovated into an attractive, upscale space for a restaurant Originally, he’d considered opening soradually grown bigger than that

If only he could rein in Renard Too bad he wasn’t an unruly sub he could threaten to put in the stocks He could iine Renard’s reaction to that The othertiet in the way of truly finding the peace he desired