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The man didn’t help He was just a bit taller than the woeous this man was simplyshe couldn’t think of the word for it Unlike his co khakis and an open-neck shirt, the sleeves rolled up to reveal tanned forearhtly decadent Italian nobleant face, black hair that flowed around it in artful waves, and the kind of dark, liquid eyes you could drown in His mouth was th, and Evangeline was in love

She shook her head and laughed softly at the notion, and the sound caught their attention They’d been so deep in conversation they hadn’t noticed her sudden appearance, and they both jerked their heads in her direction with lightning speed,her feel even more conspicuous

She straightened her shoulders, gave theiorno,” and nore Corsini was still praying, bent low, and although she didn’t want to bother hio back the other way It would look extremely odd if she ilorious couple again She dipped her fingers in the holy water and crossed herself again, her back to them, and started up the aisle

She could feel their eyes on her, which was ridiculous There was no reason for them to watch her—she was obviously just an A around the hillsides, and she should be the last person to interest them

She was otten into her, to worry about what people thought of her? She didn’t want to look like that wo she was, no matter what kind of man she attracted

And she didn’t want a ant, too self-assured, and worse than that, there was a burning intensity behind those dark brown eyes that made her even more uncomfortable

When she dated she preferred ordinary htly offbeat She liked norhtly aard, slightly ruh she couldn’t stand academics, most of whom had theher parents’ example, was not particularly conducive to roeline was fine on her own most of the time She considered the fact that she even enjoyed sex to be aleft to prove

But this : one look at that decidedly dangerous man and she’d practically swooned at his feet She wasn’t sure why she thought he was dangerous—the only likely danger was to her heart No, he wouldn’t even get that far Maybe he was sier to her self-esteeet any closer

She approached the altar first, re at the last moment to do that sort of dip she’d seen others do, and then turned back When her parents had bothered to take her and her sister to church at all, it had been to the local Unitarian church, and she wasn’t that fah she did her best

She thought she heard the sound of a car, and soone She needed to start back to town if she was going to make it to her hotel in ti, she started back down the aisle, pausing to look at the man still bent in prayer She hid her smile—he’d probably fallen asleep as she had Sooner or later he’d wake up and drive hiuessed It was logical to assu to the hotel; ive her a ride down But who kne long the oldto return at all, but continue up over the hills

She wrinkled her nose There was an odd, al up here, just an open well, and soency bathroos happened—she only hoped the priest was alert enough to notice and get whoever looked after the place to clean But it wasn’t her concern

She turned back to the entrance of the church and halted Soht sun A man, and while she could hope it was a priest she knew fate wasn’t with her All right, she could handle it Handsome men usually had very little brains, and she could outthink al toward him

Ja he still s around the hills all day, and she was a dusty, dirt-streaked s—and she moved well In fact, if this were siood job with it She could almost convince him, if he could afford to be convinced

He couldn’t Claudia had been very clear