Hai tong after, the two folerede parted ways, each driving oil

    chatted andughed authey walled out of the shop

    and all day Tomotion, and der

    chrading back inside the sling, Gerard made a split second decision and jumped out of the car.

    doned withabright, weing smille.

    "III, yes. A fitendimended this ce, and P''ye l?rand porst things. I''d love to try one of your specialty teen

    bu?" she gave him a one over, dearly unprised,

    "misonry, shi We only serve temale clientschere, Either your filejal''s ying a pranken you, or you''ve wandered into the wrong kind of shop."

    With that, she headed upstates, still

    back to the car and climbed in “Lasked. It''s not adessert shop. II''s, sli...a ce that sells women''s products. Probably skincare or something."

    sfacepletely unieable.

    Vespera pulled into her driveway and went fisde, carrying the bag spstales to let

    room

    She carefully took out the little toy and sat on the floor, Instinction manual in hand. She hadn''t dared ask the stone owner to exin anything earlier.

    The vibe in that shophad been...., well...aliit too blushingly but beate for questions like that.

    she was just figuring out fir buttons, checking the mines and settings, when the doorbell sang. She jumped so hard the mural flew out of her hands.

    Owhen one was doing something slightly moralry, maybe a little exciting, thest thing they needed was a scare.

    Tiran racing, the stuffed everything back into the bag and shoved 11 to the end of the bed before heading out of the room.

    She opened the front door, and there he was - Dominie, standing there with the kitten in his arms.

    That sinking feeling in her gui? Totally justified.

    Vespera held back the urge to explode. "Mr. Held, do you need something?"

    "Raymond''s out," Dominic said, handing her the kitten

    Vespera took it insilence

    The went quiet again. Mar was off the clock Could be not bother her after hours?

    Herinner rape was practically boiling, but to the erol, she just gave the kitten alittle head scratch and let him in

    "What do you want to cat?".

    "Whalevri posi''ve got is fior. Pinot picky," Dominic said as he wandered through the living room, casually ncing around like he was taking stock of the ce.

    Vesperia diupped the kittenondothei chand replied without mundi energy. "Tine. I''l cook something.''

    en way to the kitchen and opened the fidge to scan for ingredients. There was no way she was doing a full-course meal,

    She settled on strak, a quick pasta, and some craquf anst samp

    she worked, Dominic finished imperting the living room and went to sit out on the balcony.

    Thetter, lord of the counts, jumped down, did a fewps around the room, then darted into the bahoom-slipping easily though the barely open door,

    Vespera set down the strak anal pasta, then fumed back towand the kitchen to grab the soups

    she had kist turned around when-tock still untouched-Dominic suddenly heard a startled, high-pitched mewlinging from the bedroom. He put the fork down and headed toward the sound.