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“What we need is a break from all this,” Ryland said with a loud sigh.
“Are you insane? We just arrived.”
“Exactly. And you haven’t had a proper rest in a long time. We’ll go to the party at Lucia’s place tonight.”
“Lucia? Who? What? No! We need to bear down and get to work. No partying.”
He glanced at her and winked. “This is the most romantic city in the world. We have to dosomething fun.”
“What about the man in black? Back in New York, you wanted to keep me under lock and key in a safe house. Now you want me to take a break and go to a party at someone’s house?What changed?”
He chuckled. “Well, you did offer to be bait.”
“I did. But you don’t have to enjoy the prospect of my downfall with so much glee.”
“Oh, love, if you only knew.”
And that was the problem. Caroline didn’t know much of anything.
How to solve this mystery.
How she felt about Ryland.
Maybe a break was exactly what she needed to get her thoughts in order.
EIGHTEEN
RYLAND
“If anyone would know anything about the Bonettis and the rebellious Isadora, it would be Lucia. She’s an old family friend. Very close to my mother. We’ll go to her place tonight,” Ryland said. “But first, I want you to go take a nap.”
She crossed her arms and pursed her lips. “Would you stop treating me like a child? I know when I’m tired.”
“You haven’t stopped running around indays. You’re gonna nap, Caroline. I need some sleep too. Besides …” he chuckled and shook his head, “Lucia’s gatherings are always … and forever … black tie only.”
“I didn’t pack clothes for that kind of place,” she replied.
Ryland rolled his eyes. “You think I can’t get you the proper attire? You go sleep, and by the time we’re refreshed, you’ll have something suitable for one of Lucia’s nights.”
“I can’t afford a dress that is black-tie appropriate,” she said.
He waved her off. “Who said you were paying?”
“I don’t want to owe you. I already owe too much.”
It wasn’t the first time Caroline talked about debt in such a way, and it made him nervous. He wanted to tell her that if she were in any kind of trouble, he would help her, but it wasn’t his place to do so. She might be his mate, but she had no clue about that.
And he hadn’t changed his mind.
As soon as this was all resolved, he would send Caroline packing and never see her again.
“Well, seeing as howIwill be the one enjoying the view of you in a dress, I don’t see why I shouldn’t pay for it.” That didn’t mean he couldn’t shamelessly flirt with her while she was around. If he couldn’t touch her, the least he could do was make her blush.
Caroline crossed her arms and tapped her foot at him. “Do you have any idea how bad that sounded?”
“I was trying for playful.” He chuckled.
“And failed miserably. Seriously? Now I’m starting to understand why you never took a woman home to your mother. You’ve got no game.”
