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"Why the hell not?" But she waswinding down and was appalled at the way she had behaved. "OhGod!" She leaned against the building weakly. "You'reright. What was I thinking? It's just that he brings out the worst inme. I saw him and just wanted to vent. Now I have probably madethings worse for the kid." Signaling for the valet, she gave himher ticket. "Please don't say anything to Zach, he'll hit theroof."

"I won't," her friend promised."But you cannot keep interfering in his life, honey. That's avery powerful family and you don't want to go around messing with aman like that."

"You're right of course. Me and mymouth." She shook her head and took the key fob from theadmiring valet.

*****

"You're still up."

Zach felt the familiar jolt to his sensesas she came into the kitchen. He had been sitting here, nursing aglass of scotch and brooding about his situation. The more he sawher, the more he was convinced that the feelings were not going away.

Forcing a smile, he rose and tried not tostare at the swell of flesh exposed by the clingy material of herlace nightgown. She had on a robe, but he could still see her flesh.Her face was scrubbed free of artifice and her long black hair wasbrushed back and still wet from her shower. She looked like a damnteenager.

"How was the show? Zoo went straightto her room before I could ask her about it."

"It was good." She slid onto thestool and linked her hands together.

"Would you like a drink?"

"I would like what you're having."She smiled slightly as he lifted his brows. "I think I canhandle it." She paused. "And I need it."

"Problems?" He went about pouringthe drink and sliding it over to her.

"It's nothing." She took a sipand put the glass down, a frown touching her brow. "I don't wantto bother you."

"You won't be. What is it?"

"He- he called me just a few minutesago." She spread her hands out and staring at them, missed theominous expression on Zach's face.

"Your dirtbag of a husband?"

She glanced at him swiftly, surprised andgratified to see the look on his face.

"Yes."

"What did he want?" He had toforce himself to take a step back. "If you don't want todiscuss-"

"No." She shook her head. "He'sgetting married." She hitched out a breath.

"That's why he called? To tell you hewas hooking up with some other woman? That son of a bitch." Hestarted to reach for her hand and pulled back, wondering if it wastoo soon. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and assure her thatnothing or no one would ever hurt her again. "Are you still inlove with him?" he asked abruptly, silently cursing himself foroverplaying his hands. He had told himself that he would stay awayfrom her. What she needed was time and space. What she did not needwas him breathing down her damn neck. "I'm sorry-"

"I thought I was." She whispered."I blamed myself for not seeing who he was from the beginning."The breath she sucked in felt like inhaling glass. "But Iignored them. I wanted someone to love me, you see." She shookher head. "It sounds pathetic, I sound pathetic-"

"No." This time, he reached forher tensed fingers, enveloping them in his large hands. "Don'tever let me hear you say that about yourself again. You're beautiful,kind and compassionate and were too good for that bastard."

Her eyes went wide as she continued tostare at him and belatedly he realized that he had just revealed whathe had been trying desperately to hide. Slowly, by degrees, hewithdrew. First his hands and then his entire body. "Pleaseexcuse me," he muttered and stumbled to his feet.

He was at the doorway when she called hisname. Bowing his head, he closed his eyes in despair. Steelinghimself to hear the rejection and scorn, he turned around slowly. Shewas standing up, tears glittering in her eyes. A groan escaped him,and it took an enormous amount of self-control not to rush towardsher.

"Please don't cry," he pleadedhoarsely. "It's tearing me up inside."

"Why?"

"What?" he gave her a puzzledlook.

"Why do you care so much?"

He cleared his throat and was about to giveher a trite response about being a friend, but the words would notcome.