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gossip arising from his exit with Gina. It certainly wasn’t fair to have her reputation tainted in any way.
    Yet he couldn’t bring himself to rejoin the party, couldn’t bear the thought of being forced into small talk. It would be easy enough to explain away his actions, but he didn’t want to. He was deeply uncomfortable with the thought of skating over what he’d done with Gina. What he’d felt with her...
    The restraint he’d imposed upon himself was still a physical pain. Every muscle in his body seemed to be aching, wracked with a tension that hadn’t been released. Best choice was to walk it off, he decided. He needed time alone to think anyway.
    * * *
    “You can’t be wearing anything under that dress,” Peter remarked slyly, dropping her hand to hang his arm around her waist and feel the unbroken line of fabric curving over her hipline with his usual sensual expertise.
    “Stop it,” Michelle chided, though she did nothing to halt the wandering hand from sliding down under her buttocks to check the lack of underwear.
    It was typical of Peter’s outrageous little liberties with women and she secretly enjoyed the sexual kick of feeding his lust for her. Besides, there was no one else in this courtyard. Most people who wanted to smoke or get some fresh air chose to go out to the loggia on the other side of the ballroom.
    “Absolutely nothing,” Peter declared after his cursory examination. “Which means you’re all naked and ready for me.”
    “Hardly naked.”
    “Where it counts, sweetie. Where it counts.” He led her around a hedge of thickly leafed and flowered hibiscus trees to a garden bench behind it. “Now how spicy is this? You can lean against the back of the bench. The hedge hides us to above our waists. You can watch over my shoulder for anyone coming out of the ballroom while we have a lovely little...”
    “You really are incorrigible, Peter.” But it was a titillating scenario.
    “Mmm...and weddings make me so randy.”
    “I don’t need you for sex. Alex is very good at it,” she protested, though she stopped where he had suggested, leaning against the back rest of the wooden bench, her arms casually spread to rest her hands along the top plank. The cooler air—or the excitement of the game—had hardened her nipples and she was very aware of their obvious thrust.
    So was Peter who lightly fanned them with his palms as he seductively teased, “Nothing like a bit of stolen infidelity, is there?” He dropped his hands and started gathering up her skirt. “I bet you’re all hot and wet for me.”
    “I don’t think I should do this.”
    “Then you just stand there and chat to me. I’d like that. Quite a challenge operating on two levels.” He grinned wickedly as he slid his hand between her bare thighs. “Don’t know why you want to get saddled with Alex King. He’s a terribly worthy person.”
    Michelle had to catch her breath before she could speak. “That’s the problem with you, Peter. You’re terribly unworthy. Can’t count on you for any backing if I need it.”
    “Are we talking money here?” he lilted over the telltale unzipping of his fly.
    “Alex has solid wealth. And his family has the kind of prestigious status that adds more class to my standing as a designer. They’re assets you can’t give me, darling.”
    “But I can give you this...”
     
    Alex didn’t know how he made it through the rest of the wedding reception. It was a torturous length of time before the bride and groom finally took their leave. Maintaining a semblance of geniality in the face of Michelle’s high spirits had stretched his self-discipline to the absolute limit. The moment the honeymoon car drove off, he forcefully led his very soon-to-be ex-fiancée towards his own car.
    “The party isn’t over,” she protested.
    “We’re going,” he stated curtly.
    “What is the matter with you, Alex?” she cried in exasperation. “You haven’t been any fun all evening. Are