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She felt his hands spread over her back. Felt the quick, exciting response of his erection against her belly.

The sounds of the restaurant—the tinkle of silverware, the chatter of conversation, the music—faded. All she could hear was the quick, indrawn sound of Chay’s breath.

And then it was over.

The world went back to spinning on its axis. The hum of conversation, the clink of china, the music… Everything was normal again.

Chay let go of her, stepped back, nodded politely and motioned her into the booth.

She searched for something intelligent to say, something that would erase whatever it was that had just happened, but her brain wouldn’t work properly.

“Close call,” was the best she could manage.

“Yeah.”

Yeah? That was it? Had she misread that look in his eyes? Imagined the sudden race of his heart? The sharpness of his breath? Evidently she had, because he’d picked up his menu and was reading it as if it was the latest best seller.

Bianca reached for her own menu.

That was fine with her.

In fact, it was

sensible, because her reactions as well as his hadn’t come from his catching her in his arms. It had come from almost ending up wearing platters of pasta as adornments.

Amazing what your head could do with a simple incident.

“B? You okay?”

She looked up. Alessandra was staring across the table at her.

“Yes,” she said quickly. “I’m fine. I’m just…What’s good here? The pasta? Pizza? Anybody have any suggestions?”

“The zabaglione is fantastic,” Tanner said, and Alessandra rolled her eyes and said that was just like him, to think of dessert first, and Tanner grinned, leaned in and kissed her, and said something about dessert always being the best part of anything.

Alessandra blushed and laughed.

And Chay… Chay made a sound, a muffled groan that seemed to imply distress. Or maybe not, because when Bianca looked at him, his gaze was still on the menu.

Which was where hers should be, she told herself firmly, and though the letters swam before her eyes, looking at the menu was exactly what she did.

• • •

They decided to order drinks while they thought about what to have for dinner. Tanner stayed with Stone ale. Alessandra named something that made her husband sigh.

“Fruit salad in a glass,” he said, “topped with a paper umbrella.”

She poked him, he grinned and opened his menu so they could lean in and share it.

The waiter looked expectantly at Bianca. “Would you like something to drink, miss?”

Chay put his hand lightly on her arm before she could respond. “What Malbecs do you have?”

Bianca looked at him in surprise as the waiter rattled off several names.

“That one,” Chay said. “The Noemia de Patagonia. The lady and I will have a bottle.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” Bianca said quietly when the waiter was gone.