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“I thought ere done”

“We need to make another pass at the ranch and assure Neil that security won’t be a probleuard, was built like a brick house, completely immovable if he wanted to stay in place He smiled so seldom Eliza hadn’t known he had teeth until after she’d known him for six months

“Can’t Neil check it out hi for a cocktail in the hotel bar, followed by a hot bath in the penthouse suite While in Texas, she orking on finding new clients for Alliance Men and woht Eliza on as full partner after she married Blake In the past two years, Eliza had recruited over a dozen wo cooals, not for love or a happily ever after There were men out there anted a wife as a status symbol, or needed a temporary partner to obtain a job or promotion In Samantha’s case, she and Blake married because of a mandate in Blake’s father’s will As it turned out, the two fell recklessly in love with each other and had Eddie before their first anniversary

Eliza was always on the lookout for new clients What better place than Texas, where the men were often rich, and the women were perfectly polished and sometimes available

“You kno difficult Neil can be I’ll need to convince hiates”

The taste of that cocktail was drifting farther away Eliza reached into her purse and grasped a clip before piling her shoulder-length, hair high on her head The hu on their earlier excursion No use pretending her hair would cooperate afterheat

“Okay, let’s go But I’”

Gas used to having a hotel driver taking her wherever she wanted to go She said she didn’t like to drive in the States because of the cars being on the opposite side of the road Eliza didn’t care for the dependence on another driver to get her around so she’d opted to rent a car

Thirty hway in a co at full speed hardly made a dent in the oppressive heat Eliza clutched her fist and hit the top of the dashboard “I don’t think the air is working right”

Gwen sat quietly in her seat, using the folding fan she’d bought for the wedding “It’s not far We’ll survive”

Yeah, but the heat eighing on Eliza’s nerves, not toto the back of the seat Considering Gas from Europe, Eliza was surprised she wasn’t full of complaints

In fact, Gwen hadn’t stopped s since they’d left the hotel

Hmmm, she’d have to analyze that

There was a guard gate on the property When they approached, and Eliza gave theh “Mrs Hawthorn is waiting for y’all,” the cowboy said while tipping his hat

“I love the Texan accent, don’t you?” Gwen asked

“It grows on you after a while”

“I think it’s char Everyone seems so polite”

Eliza drove the car down the long tree-lined drive to the front of the sprawling ranch house “Aent We both know that isn’t true One night in a honky-tonk and you’d learn that not all cowboys are polite” For some reason Eliza felt it was her duty to keep an eye on Gwen, much like an older, more experienced sister would

“I’m not as naive as you think I am,” Gwen chided