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"It’s right off the kitchen"

"Thanks" She seeht that wouldn’t leave his mind was that she was naked beneath the robe

He went into the kitchen and ruerator Johnny had left hio with it, and a note about how long to nuke the food He took it out and put it in thewryly as she watched hi?" she asked

"I don’tJohnny’s a decent cook, as well as the best property randfather since I was a teenager, the best friend someone could have We respect each other, we look after each other It’s good"

"It is good," she agreed She pointed at the folder he’d set on the counter "So Chet came by?"

"Yes"

"This is what Detective Newsome has?"

"Yep Notwith hi to share You hungry?"

"Well, crawling around in abandoned mine shafts does whet the appetite," she told him

"It’s meat loaf, but don’t be too disheartened--Johnny makes a hell of a meat loaf"

They ate, and she swore it was the best htly different because of Johnny’s gift with seasoning and because it was made with pork and beefalo "Emu is popular around here too," he said "I don’t think it ever caught on the way people hoped, but we still have so, he found hi at him

Her clothesday; he could take her back to town

But he didn’t offer and she didn’t say she needed to go Their silence should have grown uncomfortable It didn’t He wasn’t sure which of them smiled first, but then they both were and their suess I should ask if you’re in a relationship," she said

"Pretty obvious, I think You seehere alone"

"Ah, but I saw the way Alice looked at you today And then I noticed that Valerie got that touch of awe in her eyes Of course, you cauess I’ve lanced down and her lashes swept her cheeks for a ain "You didn’t ask me if I’m in a relationship"

He shook his head "No"

"Is that because you don’t care?"

"It’s because I don’t believe you’d be here now, speaking to me like this, if you were," he told her

"That’s a coh I’m sure you’ve noticed that many people look at you with appreciation," he said "There’s nothing wrong with appreciation, of course--unless it turns obnoxious"

"True"

"Ho"

"It’s been a while now Since I joined the Krewe," she said

"He was intimidated?"

"He was And you?"

It was such an easy conversation With every word he felt her voice as if it were a caress He thought she could arouse hier ords than another wo before him

"It ended when I left Texas"

"She wouldn’tho There are different kinds of intiht kind"