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other than a plain nearly-thirty woman when he looked at her.
The car horn sounded and she smiled at Simon. Slipping into the passenger seat beside him, she buckled
up and put her bag on her lap. She wondered what kind of car Erik drove.
It was probably black.
Black was sensual.
Judging by the way he acted and looked, the car was bound to be sleek, black and sexy, and have one
hell of a purr.
Simon started the car.
"Man, you're miles away today. He laughed across at her and turned the radio on.
She turned it down a little so she could hear herself think and then stared out of the window.
"Simon, she said as they pulled out into the main flow of traffic.
"Hmm?"
They stopped at a set of traffic lights. A taxi tried to squeeze up the inside, using the bus lane to hop the
queue. She hoped the traffic cameras would catch it.
"What is it you've heard about Erik Blackwell? She didn't dare look at him, but she knew he was
looking at her.
The light changed to green and he put his foot down on the accelerator.
"Just rumours, nasty idle speculation, that kind of dirty gossip. He was grinning when she looked at him.
Sometimes she didn't know why they were friends. He was always slipping between acting like some lad,
annoyingly snide and definitely conceited, and being just a nice guy.
She wished he'd be more of a nice guy and less of a lad. Since last summer, he'd been acting stranger
and stranger around her, as though he thought she'd be impressed by the new car and the new look, and
his new irritating attitude.
"Like what? she said nonchalantly, acting as though it was nothing more than a passing interest.
"Like women he's been going out with mysteriously getting hurt for one thing. There's always some kind
of accident. Mountaineering, hiking or riding ... always ... and it's not just your average statistics here. It
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seems like every girl who has visited the family home has been injured in some way or another. One of
them was even mauled."
She didn't like the glee with which Simon said that last sentence. She frowned at the dashboard.
"Are you sure it's him? Her heart was threatening to jump into her throat if Simon said he was definitely
sure all the stories were pinned to Erik.
"Well, Simon said, holding the word so long that she got the feeling before he even finished his sentence
that he couldn't prove any of what he'd heard. It could be his brother I suppose. I hadn't realised he had
one. Everyone just refers to the person as Blackwell."
Erik didn't strike her as the kind of man who would want to be referred to as just his last name. It
sounded rakish. Definitely the kind of thing Alistair would call himself.
"Erik seems nice enough, she said with a shrug, casual as anything.
Simon laughed. Erik now is it?"
She blushed and watched the little green arrow on the dashboard in front of Simon blinking as he
indicated and then turned right.
"He told me to call him it."
"Did he now? Simon turned the car again and then stopped at another set of traffic lights. He leaned
towards her. Listen, Kim, don't get involved. You'll only end up hurt too."
"I'm not so sure, she said and the car moved off again. She was glad Simon wasn't close to her any
more. She'd had quite enough of men invading her personal space uninvited today. She watched the car
in front of them. He asked me to dinner."
"He did what?"
The car jerked to a halt. Simon was suddenly very close to her. He looked mortified.
"I hope you said no. He's a client."
"I said no. I'm not a child. I know the rules, Simon. She looked out the passenger window and saw
they were only a few doors down from her apartment. She undid the seatbelt. Thanks for the lift."
His hand on her arm stopped her from getting out. She looked at it, and then up into his eyes, frowning.
"I'm sorry ... just a little concerned that this guy is out to seduce you or something. I don't want to see
you get hurt, he whispered, a smile teasing the corners of his mouth. His brows rose and he released her
arm. Can I come in?"
She rubbed her temples.
"Not tonight. I've got such a stinking headache. I just want a soak and some decent sleep. She smiled
and got out of the car.
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He managed a polite wave when she held her hand up, but he didn't look at all happy. She hoped he
wasn't going to go and tell Laura about what she'd said. She didn't need Laura getting on her case.
Slipping the strap of her bag over her shoulder, she took her keys out and walked up the steps to her
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