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She didn’t want to let the fantasies go, but whoever said life was easy? He was here today and gone tomorrow Not her kind of man She wanted more

“You wish He-Man Put ruff, but it came out a hoarse whisper

She felt his sigh ht rise of his chest ers into his T-shirt, take in a last whiff of his cologne She couldn’t place it, but it reminded her of dark rooms and unleashed desire

After a moment’s hesitation, he lowered her until she stood on the asphalt

A jolt of pain shot through her right foot She gasped Balancing on her left leg flaash on the ball of her right foot She flashed back to the hard thing she’d stepped on

“Great” She’d have to hobble on one foot back to Harvest

Chris scrambled up the embankment He stopped beside her

“That’s nasty God knohat you stepped on out here What kind of person runs in an alley barefoot?” He peered closer at her face “Oh, and your eye is starting to puff up Nice”

She flipped hi? Uh-huh

Hank stepped into the alley and held up a folded piece of paper “I found this near the railroad tracks”

They crowded around Hank He unfolded the griton She smiled shyly up at them It looked like a copy fro in a low ponytail She wore a strand of white pearls and a black, scoop-necked dress

“Why would the Voice of Doom kill her? She looks so sweet,” Claire said quietly

All three men turned to stare at her

“The Voice of Doom? Who the hell is the Voice of Doom? And what kind of dumb name is that?” Hank asked

“I had to call hi Whacked Out Killer Who du” Claire twisted a strand of hair around her fingers She had to tell them about the call and the threats This would not be fun Hank would be irate that she had held it back from him Who knehat Jake would think? She felt like crap already, best to get it over with