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“It’s time somebody did” His voice lifted

“Well, it isn’t going to be you!”

“I’ain

“No!” It was an angry refusal as she pivoted on her heel to stride away

“You haven’t proved anything! If you go on, all you’re going to do is get yourself into trouble!” Angered by her stubborn disregard for his w

arnings, Repp refused to trail after her

Cat paused long enough to hurl a salvo back at him “Then that’s my problem, isn’t it? I don’t need any help from you!”

Snatches of their argument were carried on the lazy stillness of the afternoon air, but only one person was listening closely to the content Dyson ca as Cathleen hurried to catch up with the others just cresting the knoll to the driveway

“A lovers’ spat,” Dyson murmured in an amused aside to his partner

“So it would seereed No more was said on the matter as the party reached thes and social banalities In a loose collection, they ed behind to follow Cat into the house “I hope the quarrel with your boyfriend wasn’t a serious one,” he murmured

She paused, briefly surveying hi eye “I wouldn’t let it concern you, Mr Stricklin,” she replied coldly, disliking his probing into her private affairs Instead of joining the others for the refreshht upstairs to her rooe at Repp’s criticism of her behavior

The silence of the house pressed into the room A pitch blackness outside made mirrors of the panes in the study Ty laid down his pen and wearily rested his elbows on the desktop to try to rub the tiredness out of his face and eyes Then he paused, a hand covering his mouth and mustache, to stare at the suue that was both mental and physical pulled at hi in on hi for the contentment of other times In his s, and Jessy—the strong beauty of her features and that waiting look in her eyes He ached to feel again that powerful, gentle e It ran deeper than that

“Ty?” The soft sound of his name was an intrusion He looked to the source of it with a hard frown Tara glided into the study, the thin silk of her cranberry robe and nightgownsounds as she walked “It’s after one o’clock I think you’ve worked late enough for one night”

He pushed his ar the lateness of the hour The tired lines in his face remained etched in a frown

“I don’t have