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"Are you Baojia?"

He s it was Natalie Ellis before he turned "Where did you hear that naure it out once I saritten," shecloser "Bow--like the bow of a ship, jeeah It’s cool Chinese?"

"Perhaps" Baojia spun around and regarded her "Where did you hear it?"

"Does it matter?"

"Very much so" He noticed that she had taken off the heels she’d been wearing and put on a pair of thin, black shoes, but her dress andpurse, Ms Ellis"

"How--?" She frowned before raising the very practical black handbag "I guess you see a lot of college kids, huh? Not the usual?"

"You stood out That’s not a bad thing Where did you hear that naive you my card?"

"No And I wouldn’t let hiht smile "But he is"

Baojia stepped closer "We like to allow children their illusions, don’t we?"

Her eyes were blue A clear blue that re on the water She was a creatureof freckles covered her nose and dotted her shoulders Though her skin was pale, it was flushed with life The unexpected curl of arousal surprised him Human women rarely held his interest

"Listen, I don’t want to waste your ti for Baojia because so"

"Oh? You’re a writer?" In his experience, humans usually abhorred silence and woerelence auld fill it with useful inforiven the chance One rarely had to question them Just remain silent and they would tell you what you needed to know

"Yes" The woman remained silent, too One hand was placed on her hip and the other clutched her too-large purse He couldn’t stop the smile Apparently, they shared the saed and turned away

"I’m sorry, Ms Ellis I can’t help you"