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He sauntered through the well-dressed crowd, bestowing his lazy sratulations Tall and powerfully built, he’d been ogled by half the women he’d passed He, in turn, seemed uninterested in the stir he created as he charuests assembled for the premier wine auction

As he scanned the rooave away the fact that he wasn’t as relaxed as he appeared

Most people wouldn’t have noticed Roark Black was on edge Most people didn’t have super-sensitive radar for the dangerous types

Elizabeth Minerva did

“The shri out!”

Jolted out of her ru by Brenda Stuart, her quick-to-panic “assistant” on this event, Elizabeth ripped her gaze away from the handsome adventurer and skimmed damp palms from her waist to her hips

“I just checked and there’s plenty of shrimp left,” Elizabeth told Brenda Annoyance with herself fed her ine and canapés and a dozen other things Brenda had fussed about in the last hour “Why don’t you o relax in the back?”

Anything to get rid of the for planner to the middle class Josie Summers, Elizabeth’s boss, had saddled her with Brenda because as always Josie had underestimated what Elizabeth could handle It was the woman’s second event as Elizabeth’s second in co elboith Manhattan’s rich and fa exactly why Brenda wasn’t ready to be here Instead of projecting a confident, capable vibe as she h the party, Elizabeth’s assistant had badgered a server in front of Bunny Cromwell, one of the city’s most prolific hostesses, and scolded a bartender for nota city councilman’s drink properly

“I can’t relax,” Brenda exclaiuests The wousted expressions “And you shouldn’t either”

Plastering on a serene sers pinching ever so delicately “I’ve got everything under control here The auction will be starting in a half an hour Why don’t you head home?”

“I can’t” Brenda resisted Elizabeth’s grip as she was hauled toward the screens set up at one end of the enoroers

“Sure, you can” Elizabeth used her soothing voice as she marched the older woman away from the party “You’ve put in so et out of here I can handle the rest”

“If you’re sure”

As if Elizabeth hadn’t handled larger parties in the three years since she’d graduated fro Granted, this was Elizabeth’s first A-list crowd The first event that had given her butterflies before the guests arrived and began to murmur their approval over the way she’d transformed a dull, empty loft s

pace into a sophisticated, elegant venue

“I’m positive,” Elizabeth said “Go hohter into bed”