LITMIR.BIZ

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second he spoke, she stopped dancing and looked up at him. “Did Leandros confide in you?” She sounded anxious.

      “He’s told me nothing, but it’s clear they’re having problems. I felt something was wrong from the start. Leandros isn’t the same man I’ve known in the past.”

      “Neither is Kellie,” she said in a tremulous voice.

      Unfortunately it was Nik’s fault the mood had been altered. “It’s eleven-thirty. I heard her warn you not to be late. Let’s go back for your cases. My driver will run us to their apartment. Are your bags packed?”

      “Yes. I put them outside the bedroom door.”

      “Then I’ll have them brought down.”

      As they moved through the crowds, he pulled out his phone to make the arrangements. When they reached his apartment building, the limo was waiting for them. He helped her in the back. Once he’d told his driver where to take them, he got in across from her so he could look at her. She had a glow about her he’d noticed while they were dancing.

      “You’re not really going to California.”

      She put the flat of her hands against the seat. “I don’t honestly know.”

      “So if I flew over to the States, too, would I find you home tomorrow evening, or not?”

      “Are you pursuing me?” she asked with refreshing bluntness.

      “Isn’t that obvious? I know you’re not indifferent to me.”

      She stirred in place. “No woman could be indifferent to you, Nik, and you know it.”

      “So you’re already branding me as a Romeo with no staying power.”

      Fran looked away. “You said it, I didn’t.”

      “The tabloids never print the truth, but the public will consume it.”

      She rolled her eyes. “Give me a little credit for not believing everything I read. As long as you’re still single, I guess it’s your lot to be labeled. But I haven’t done that.”

      “If this isn’t about me, then it’s personal where you’re concerned.”

      “Not at all. But we both know you won’t be making any trips to Pennsylvania.”

      “If you knew the real me, you wouldn’t make such a careless statement.”

      In the silence that followed, her cell phone rang. He checked his watch. “It’s five to twelve, Cinderella.”

      She eyed him almost guiltily before pulling it from her purse to check the caller ID. “It’s Leandros—” Her voice sounded shaky before she clicked on. Once she’d said hello, the color drained out of her face. She only said a few more words before hanging up.

      “What’s happened?”

      “It’s Kellie. This evening at the apartment she became ill and fainted. They’re in the E.R. at the Athens regional medical center. Will you please ask your driver to take us there?”

      Nik alerted him, then moved across to sit next to her. Without conscious thought he drew her into his arms. Whispering into her hair he said, “I’m sure whatever it is, she’s going to be all right.”

      If Nik just hadn’t joined her on the seat…

      If he hadn’t held her like some cherished possession…

      While they’d been dancing earlier, the contact had been wildly disturbing. But this comforting tenderness was too unexpected and welcome for her to move away from him. She’d been worried sick about Kellie. Now her worst fears were confirmed and he knew it.

      “Do you have any idea what could have brought on her fainting spell?” His lips grazed the side of her forehead before she buried her face in her hands.

      “You might as well know the truth. She’s going to file for a legal separation after she’s back in Philadelphia. They probably quarreled tonight. Kellie’s emotions have been so fragile, I was afraid the stress might be too much.”

      “I didn’t realize their problems had reached such a serious state. Otherwise I wouldn’t have suggested the four of us take a trip together.”

      His sincerity reached her. “Don’t feel guilty. In truth, I didn’t suspect anything was wrong until she called me several weeks ago and insisted I take my two-week vacation right now. She said Leandros would be away on business and it would be the perfect time.

      “They’ve been so happy, I couldn’t believe she didn’t want to travel with him the way she always does. That was my first warning all wasn’t well.”

      “I’m sorry for them—and you.” The limo pulled up near the doors of the E.R. “Let’s find Leandros.”

      To Fran it was déjà vu as they entered the emergency room. Nik must have been having similar thoughts because his hand tightened on her arm. “Hard to believe it was only a few days ago I was rushing into the hospital to find out if the baby you’d rescued was our little Demi.”

      “Thank heaven it was!”

      An ashen-faced Leandros came forward and put an arm around her. “Thanks for coming.”

      “As if I wouldn’t. Do you know why she fainted?”

      “The doctor couldn’t find anything wrong, but he’s still waiting for the blood-test results. Kellie doesn’t want me in there and is asking to see you. Maybe if you talk to her, she’ll settle down.”

      She’d never seen Leandros this frantic. “I’ll go to her now. Where is she?”

      “In the last cubicle.”

      “Try not to worry.” She turned to Nik. “I’ll be back out in a few minutes.”

      His compassion-filled eyes played over her features. “Take as long as she needs. I’ll keep Leandros company.”

      “Thank you.” She had an urge to kiss his cheek for being so understanding, but she held back. Without a minute to lose, she hurried through the E.R. and pulled the blue curtain aside.

      “Fran—I thought you’d never get here.”

      “I’m so sorry, Kellie.” She pulled up a chair. “How are you feeling right now?”

      “Foolish. The doctor just came in and said nothing showed up on the tests. He says I fainted because I hadn’t eaten all day. They gave me something to eat so I’m fine now. I’d like to get out of here and check into a hotel. The last thing I want is to go home with Leandros.”

      “He won’t allow you to go anywhere without him. At least not tonight. Kellie? What else aren’t you telling me? This is truth time. I can’t do anything to help you if I don’t know what’s going on.”

      She sat up. “Not ten minutes after we arrived back, Karmela let herself in the apartment carrying a stack of work for Leandros to look over. She looked positively shocked to find me there.”

      Fran’s eyebrows knitted together. “If she had plans to be alone with him, she should have been the one who fainted to realize you weren’t on vacation with me yet.”

      “She’s not the type to faint. That woman is as cool as the proverbial cucumber, treating me like I was the interloper and not his wife. No doubt she was allowed to use the security hand code to get in while her sister was alive and Leandros never deleted it.

      “Leandros disappeared into the study with her for a few minutes. When she came out again, she flashed me this satisfied smile and bade me a safe flight in the morning. Fran—how could she have known my plans if Leandros hadn’t discussed them with her? I don’t want her knowing my business. I tell you, that was the last straw.”

      She groaned. “It would have been for me, too.”

      “When

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