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She might as well have sent the text off to a black hole for all the response it got.
Had she left it too late?
It was entirely possible he was already winging his way back to Canada and he wasn t getting
any of her messages. Or it could be he just wasn t in the mood to put up with her shit anymore.
Only one way to find out, she thought grimly, heading to her car in killer black stilettos and a
full-skirted fifties-style halter dress in red and black. After she did her time at this art exhibit, she d
swing by Ivar s place to see if he was still in town. If not, she d call his assistant, Maceio. And if that
failed, she d park herself on Eliane s doorstep and play the guilt-trip card. She wasn t too proud to
point out that they owed her big time.
With her stomach in knots and wishing she could be anywhere else but at work on a Sunday
night, Scout was halfway out of her car parked in the House s back parking lot when she realized
someone was right outside her door. Alarmed and grabbing for her pepper spray even as she sucked
in a breath to scream, she almost choked on it when she saw a familiar face.
Maceio? Blinking hard to make sure that thinking about Ivar s assistant hadn t somehow
summoned a hallucination of him, she climbed out of the car to gape at his smiling face. What the
hell are you doing here?
I m here to escort you inside, of course. He offered his arm. One can t be too careful, now
can they?
Uh& yeah, I guess. Flabbergasted, she looked around and saw there were only a couple
cars in the otherwise-empty parking lot. It was early, certainly, but they always had more than this
before a big event. That s not what I meant, though. What are you doing here, at this specific
geographic location at this particular time?
I like the precision of your brain very much, he said without answering, his perfect smile
glowing in the gloom as night fell. Being around a purely artistic personality has made my brain soft,
I fear. I look forward to spending much time with you to hone my own organizational skills.
Much time? She d have to talk Ivar into staying to make anything like that happen. I don t
know if you ve noticed, but you re not answering me. And you re leading me around to the front, she
added as they hit the red carpet that was always rolled out for special events. I work here, Maceio, I
almost never enter from the front. I always come in from the back.
Tonight, you are the special guest, and the special guest walks in through the front door.
Her brows shot up as the door opened ahead of them. Wait, what? What do you mean, I m
the special guest?
That is what you are, my Scout.
Her head whipped around, and it felt like her jaw unhinged all the way to her knees when she
saw Ivar standing in the doorway. Dressed in black pants, a double-breasted tailored vest, crisp
white shirt and red silk tie, he looked magnificently formal and so devilishly handsome she thought
she d better go ahead and swoon now, just to get it over with.
If she was taking her time drinking him in, he was doing much the same with her. And if his
smile was any indication, he liked what he was seeing. As Maceio handed her off, Ivar lifted her
fingers to his lips before tucking them into the crook of his elbow, and all the while his gaze never left
her.
Red and black. His murmur was low, meant for her ears alone, though he needn t have
bothered. As far as she could tell, Maceio was the only other person around as they walked into the
House s silent lobby area. Somehow it does not surprise me that you and I are on the same
wavelength.
At last she was able to find her voice. You mean you didn t watch me get dressed?
He lifted a shoulder, his whole air unapologetic for his peeping ways. I was too busy putting
the finishing touches on the exhibit. Sad to say, I missed the show.
The exhibit. At last the stunned amazement wore off enough for her brain to kick in. Holy
crap. You and Payne set me up.
Do not be angry with Payne. He stopped them on the threshold of the open spaces of the
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