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“I’irl Not really”

“Dallas is a big city, cara, but it could not have prepared you for New York or the kind of neighborhood in which I found you”

Emily’s chin came up Dio, he loved the way she did that, all her determination and independence shown in one sesture

“Do you have any idea what it’s like to be desperate for a job?”

“I know precisely what it is like” His voice hardened “I knohat it is like to have to take work you hate To sweat and struggle because you have no one to help you No one who can pay your bills or see that you don’t have to worry about putting food in your belly”

“See? That’s what I ers I have family And they would have helped me if—”

“If they could I am sure that is true, cara But clearly they couldn’t”

“You don’t understand My relationship with them is—”

“Difficult? Ah, sweetheart, I am sorry” His hands cupped her shoulders “But you have th of her body; he felt his hten, his blood start to thicken “And we have ht than talk”

He bent his head, kissed the place where her throat and shoulder joined How could a si?

“That’s not fair,” she whispered “You’re trying to change the subject”

His laugh was rough and low and sexy

“I a but you and ht now? So beautiful So well-loved—and yet, not loved enough”

“Marco Please listen to me”

“I a” He laid his hand over her breast “I can feel what your heart is saying, that you need ain”