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[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Tough. Of course. He nodded and bent to brush his lips against hers. That is an admirable facet of your overall magnificence. And realistic. Another facet. Naturally suspicious. Ah, now that is a facet of your magnificence that I love. Let s hope so, she muttered, pulling away just far enough so that she could look him in the eye. Because I ve got a suspicion something s going on with you, and you re not telling me about it. His hold on her loosened. The only thing I have refused to tell you about today is your surprise. Sadly, it seems to be hiding at the moment. Hiding? Perplexed, she shook her head. What are you talking about? Just walk nice and slowly with me toward the kitchen area to see if anything chooses to cross our path. What the hell? Tell, me, ma fleur. Have you ever been to Paris before? Um, just once, and it was for work, not pleasure. More baffled by the moment, she let him thread his fingers through hers as he led her in a leisurely stroll toward the opposite end of the apartment. All I got was an impression of an ancient city that revered beauty in all its forms. I promised myself I d one day get back to see it. Then this is what we shall do. Breakfast at Claus, my favorite little shop in the morning, and dinner at Jules Verne inside the Tour, or Tower. There are unbelievable views of the city from there, especially at night. She gaped at him. The Tower? The Eiffel Tower? You mean there s a freaking restaurant in there? Of course. It caters to tourists, naturally, but the food is an experience. Be prepared for the meal to last at least a couple of hours, and they are not shy about slapping one s hand if your dining etiquette is off. Ah, he said, voice dropping as his attention sharpened. There she is. What& She broke off as a streak of fluid movement zoomed toward them. There we go. His tone was surprisingly gentle a low velvety purr that both coaxed and praised as he looked down at his feet. Did you miss me, little one? Or is it that you just missed me feeding you? Scout also looked down and saw a little calico cat looking up at him in obvious adoration, weaving around his ankles as if his shoes were made of catnip. It was scrawny, with a neck that looked too long and ears that were too big, clearly no more than a kitten. Just like the one at the pier& She came to a dead stop as she stared at the cat, her heart bounding up to take residence in her throat. The image of the hungry little stray trying to hide from the rain under the sandwich board and this cat converged, tearing a gasp from her. No way& Do you recognize her? His tone was still that low, lovely purr, as if he had a little bit of cat in his DNA as well. This is your little friend from Navy Pier. How& ? Now that he d confirmed that this was, indeed, the cat from the pier, she struggled to find her voice through layers of flabbergasted amazement. You& Are you seriously telling me you went back and caught this cat? Of course. And do not worry I have had her checked over by a vet. She is undernourished, of course, but she is working diligently on correcting that particular problem. But& She shook her head, unable to stop herself from gaping at the calico. Didn t he see that there was no of course about this? Why? I could not help myself. She reminded me so much of you. Me? Oh, I get it, she went on before he could answer. Because she s a stray, right? Not even close. Unlike so many of the smiles he d given her that day, this one was soft and genuine as he brushed the hair away from her face. She was wary of the world, certain that more harm than good would come to her if she came out of her hiding place. Yet she responded so sweetly to your kindness, and showed remarkable courage when she chose to come near you. Fate has been unkind to this little one from the very beginning of life, yet she chooses to believe in the goodness of people. That is a miraculous thing, I think. Both of you are miraculous, and so I wished for her to be [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
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