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She couldn’t shoearing any of the dresses or peasant skirts her sister had selected, so Sera had appropriated Jehan’s white linen tunic fro pair of linen pants With the pant legs rolled up several times, the waist held around her by a makeshift red silk belt, and a pair of her own kid leather flats, her clothing wasn’t fashionable, but it was functional

It also had the added benefit that it carried Jehan’s deliciously spicy scent, which had been teasing her senses ever since she slipped the tunic over her head

She wasn’t sure how to explain what she earing, but then Karsten no longer seeaze flicked past Sera now, to where Jehan had just unloaded the last of the crates and supplies

His brow rankled in confusion "Who’s that?"

"A friend," she said, unsure why she should feel aard calling him that

"He’s Breed" Karsten’s eyes ca his lips as he lowered his voice "You brought one of theh it had been twenty years and counting since the Breed were outed to ered Even in her affable coworker, apparently

"It’s okay Jehan is, ahan old friend of my family" She waved her hand in dis We have to get back to the villa tonight"

"The villa?"

Shit She really didn’t want to explain the whole aard fa, it was none of Karsten’s business--even if she did consider him a friend after they had dated briefly once upon a time And maybe it was none of his business precisely because of the fact they had once dated

Whatever the reason, she felt strangely protective of the tied to the settled here in the camp, Jehan and I need to return We’re expected to be back as soon as possible" Which was about as close to the truth as she was going to get on that subject

Karsten shook his head "Well, you won’t be leaving tonight There’s a big dust stor fast, due here in the next hour or less No way you’ll be able to outrun it"

"Oh, no" A knot of anxiety tightened in her chest "That’s awful news"

"What’s awful news?"

Jehan’s deep voice awakened her nerve endings as sensually as a caress He’d closed up the Rover and strode up behind her before she even realized it When she pivoted to face hi blue eyes locked on Karsten

"You , Karsten’s fists balled on his hips "I’s, Sera’s partner"

"Coworker" Jehan subtly corrected him And as far as introductions went, his didn’t exactly project friendliness either His palm came down soft and warm--possessively--on her shoulder "What’s awful news?"

She tried to act as though his lingering touch was no big deal, as if it wasn’t waking up every cell in her body and flooding her with heat "There’s a dust stor Karsten says we et back soon, though Your brother’s waiting for us to return the Rover tonight--"