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Carla.”
    Guinevere smiled. “As I told you, she’s an organizer. She used to be an executive secretary, but lately she’s been working for me.”
    “Is she free?”
    “No, actually, she can be quite expensive,” Guinevere remarked, remembering certain incidents from her sister’s recent past.
    “Come on, Gwen, you know that’s not what I meant.”
    “All right. She’s not involved with anyone special at the moment. Does that answer your question?”
    “It does.”
    “There’s just one other thing, Mason,” Guinevere went on slowly. “Please excuse the big-sister spiel, but I’m afraid it comes with the territory. I
am
her big sister and I don’t want her hurt. She went through a bad experience a few months back. She’s over it now, but I wouldn’t want anyone undoing all the progress she’s made.” Carla’s “progress” had cost a bundle in therapy, Valium prescriptions, and patience. It had also led directly to Guinevere’s first meeting with Zachariah Justis. That first encounter had been very unnerving. It had taught her right from the start that Zac could be quite ruthless.
    Mason grinned. “You do sound like a big sister. But don’t worry. I’ll take good care of Carla. If she’ll let me.”
    “Be prepared to be organized.”
    “I can’t wait.” Mason stopped in front of Guinevere’s security door. “Here we are. I’ll walk you up the stairs like a good Boy Scout. I really appreciate you and Carla coming to the gallery tonight. I was not exactly cool and calm ahead of time, and it was good to know there were going to be some friends there.”
    “It was a very successful evening, Mason. You should be proud of yourself.” Guinevere dug her key out of her shoulder bag as she climbed the second flight of stairs.
    “
Relieved
is the word, I think.” He waited, lounging against the wall, while she slipped the key into her lock. “Well, good night, Gwen, and thanks again for showing up tonight.” Mason straightened and turned to start down the stairs.
    “There seems to be something wrong with the door.” Guinevere pushed tentatively against it. “I was sure I left it locked. I always lock it.”
    Mason paused, glancing curiously back over his shoulder. “Anything wrong?”
    Guinevere shoved open the door and stood looking into the living room. “Nothing you can do anything about, Mason. Good night.” She closed the door very gently in his face and turned to confront Zac.
    Zac put down the glass of tequila he had been holding and leaned his head back in the chair where he had been sitting for the past two long hours. The expression in his ghost-gray eyes made Guinevere think again of glaciers.
    “I think,” Zac said in a voice that showed all the rough edges, “that we have a communication gap here.” He got up out of the chair and came forward with grim deliberation. “You and I are supposed to be having an affair. That, for your information, implies exclusivity. What the hell do you mean by coming in at midnight with that goddamned artist?”

Chapter Three
    “I’m not an errant wife coming home late after a night on the town,” Guinevere managed to say in a surprisingly even voice. She wasn’t feeling at all even inside. She’d never seen Zac in quite this mood. There had been times when he’d been annoyed with her, and she’d seen him concerned and had been around him when his temper grew a little short. But she’d never seen such blatant anger and outrage.
    “No, you’re not an errant wife, are you? You’re a bored mistress coming in after a night on the town.”
    Guinevere’s head came up with a snap. Furiously she tossed her shoulder bag down onto a black leather chair. “Don’t you dare call me your
mistress
, Zac. A mistress, for your information, is a kept woman. And you don’t keep me, Zac Justis. Lately you haven’t even kept me company!”
    “So you decided to go out and find someone else to keep you company?”
    “It’s none of your business