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When he walked off the dance floor and headed toward the bar, she was there, right there, picking up the wrap she’d left So fell from it and hit the floor

They both crouched low at the same time but Archer beat her to it When he realized what he held, he lifted his head and stared at her in shock

It was the so

Which ht

Chapter 3

TrainWreck

Elle ers but the bastard held fir that she no longer let anyone see her sweat and forced herself to go still

Not that Archer let go "You still have it," he said, a whisper of surprise in his voice

The equivalent of a full-on double take from the man as all but impossible to shock

And yes, of course she still had the knife Did he really think she wouldn’t? She didn’t blush very often but she felt heat rush to her face now Regret, partly

Mostly full-blown ht herself to be strong and confident and to never look back

Ever

Sentimentality didn’t have a place in her life Or so she told herself So why then had she been carrying the sht he’d saved her all those years ago? Especially since the thought of how she’d tried to repay him--and God, the hu she’d had, that being her body, which he’d turned down flat--still made her face flame The worst part had been when he’d vanished like it’d been nothing to hiht not knohy he’d done what he had but she still wasn’t leaving here without that knife It was a badge A reminder of who she’d been and who she was now

Neither of theht life in the pub went on Laughter, conversations, ht, little cocoon of just the two of theht as well have been completely alone for all the attention anyone paid them

Balanced with apparent ease on the balls of his feet, Archer leaned in even closer if that was possible, close enough that his knees touched hers Close enough that she could see every single gold spec in his hazel eyes Every single black-as-ink eyelash fra those eyes He was hours past a five o’clock shadow and a muscle ticked in his square jaw

A rare tell from a man who could be a stone when he wanted

The rest of hie body blocked out everything behind hily scary when he wanted to be, he never ith her With her he was careful Cautious

Distant

And she hated thatthe knife fro, she stared down at him "We done here?"