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Show 188 "Actually I think I'm f i n e , " Lorin said, and extended his glass. His hatred of Simon was fed by the fact that he became tongue-tied a l l over the body whenever he talked with him. He withdrew his glass the next moment and pretended to scratch the inside of his elbow. Simon had withdrawn the bottle but recovered himself when he saw Lorin's glass extended, and held i t out again prepared to pour just as Lorin had caught his error and withdrawn his glass. "Perhaps you'd l i k e white instead?" Simon asked, holding the other bottle up for Lorin to see. Lorin had extended his glass again, t e n t a t i v e l y , his elbow bent in order to be scratched again i f necessary. "I didn't see that. I was actually hoping I'd prefer that, yes. Just a touch i f possible. No, no, t h a t ' s all right. Thank you, Simon." Simon murmured something gracious and went on to the kitchen to spread stories about him. Lorin sipped his white wine to dilute the red that was already dissolving the l i n i n g of his stomach and reflected that he would not have asked Simon where Gloriana was anyway. Where is your l i t t l e friend with the bangs and the round face, ha ha? I should think she'd at least be over to complain about the noise (wink). No, there was no way he could ask without seeming interested. It was just possible, of course, that Simon had not invited her, or that she had declined because Shannon would be there and he made her uncomfortable. Perhaps she had not known Lorin would be there. She might have had a prior engagement, for that matter. Just possibly she was taking o f f her clothes that very minute on some grassy moon-soaked h i l l s i de above one of the canyons and staring coldly at the oaf she was with, who would keep his distance i f he was smart though his seams burst. Lorin was preparing to continue this sequence when she turned around (Noel |