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‘Urgent—need 2 talk 2 you,’ ran the text e that beeped on Tawny’s mobile phone and she hurried downstairs to take her break, wondering what on earth was going on with her friend, Julie

Julie worked as a receptionist in the sa wo, she had already proved herself to be a staunch and supportive friend Her approachability had eased Tawny’s first aard days as a new employee when she had quickly discovered that as a chaarded as the lowest of the low by rateful for Julie’s coone well beyond that level, Tawny acknowledged with an appreciative smile When, at short notice, Tawny had had to move out of her mother’s home, Julie had helped her to find an affordable bedsit and had even offered her car to facilitate the move

‘I’m in trouble,’ Julie, a very pretty brown-eyed blonde, said with a strong air of dray, almost empty staff room

‘What sort of trouble?’

Julie leant forwards to whisper conspiratorially, ‘I slept with one of the guests’

‘But you’ll be sacked if you’ve been caught out!’ Tawny exclaiing to her da work and even though she was already halfway through a glass of cooling water she still felt overheated

Julie rolled her eyes, uniht out’

Her porcelain-pale skin reddening, Taished she had been more tactful, for she did not want Julie to think that she was judging her for her behaviour

‘Who was the guy?’ she asked then, riven with curiosity for the blonde had not mentioned anyone, which could only mean that the relationship had been of sudden or short duration

‘It was Navarre Cazier’ Wearing a coy look of expectancy, Julie let the na there

‘Navarre Cazier?’ Taas shocked by that familiar name

She knew exactly who Julie was talking about because it was Tawny’s responsibility to keep the penthouse suites on the top floor of the hotel in pristine order The fabulously wealthy French industrialist stayed there at least twice a month and he always left her a massive tip He didn’t make unreasonable demands or leave his rooms in a mess either, which placed him head and shoulders above the other rich and invariably spoilt occupants of the most select accommodation offered by the hotel She had only seen hi of invisible service being one of the demands of her job But after Julie hadterh to limpse of him and had immediately understood why her friend was captivated Navarre Cazier was very tall, black-haired and even to her critical gaze, quite shockingly good-looking

He also walked, talked and behaved like a god who ruled the world, Tawny recalled abstractedly He had eed from the lift at the head of a phalanx of awe-inspiredto follow reaes His sheer power of personality, volcanic energy and presence had had the brilliance of a searchlight in darkness He had outshone everyone around hi unfortunate who didn’t react fast enough to an order She had got the i male with a mind that functioned at the speed of a coh expectations were rarely satisfied by reality

‘As you know I’ve had eous’ Julie sighed

Navarre and Julie … lovers? A little pang of distaste assailed Tawny as she pulled free of her meruous pairing between two people who could have nothing in coh of life to know that that was quite sufficient inducement for most men Evidently the sophisticated French billionaire was not averse to the temptation of casual sex

‘So what’s the problem?’ Tawny asked in the strained silence that now stretched, resisting a tasteless urge to ask how the encounter had co?’

‘Oh, don’t be daft!’ Julie fielded as if the very suggestion was a bad joke ‘But I did do so very stupid with him …’

Taas frowning ‘What?’ she pressed, unaccusto hesitant to talk about anything

‘I got so carried away I let hi in the nude They’re on his laptop!’