Show all those girls in the class what you keep hidden under that robe,” Tess said.“Tess,” Isabel warned.“Come on. If you two weren’t togeth...r there would be at least five girls just ready to snare him. He does have some damned nice attributes,” Tess said with a sly smile.“Well I can’t deny that,” Isabel said as she looked into her mate’s eyes.“Okay, I’ll do it,” Alex said as he went back to cooking. “I just know I’ll regret this.”“Alex, in case you hadn’t noticed, the people here don’t make. "I doubt my son and daughter willsee the offer as 'fair'. Today they're heirs to a dying billionaire. Ido this and they'll be...what?" Daniel and Darlene? Why, I'm sure they'll be whatever you want them tobe. Haven't they always been?"I looked out over the rolling hills of the estate, brown grasses dustedwith light windrows of snow. My chest hurt worse than this morning, likemore than half a breath would crack me open."So how much more would I have to pay you to get my body, like it was,healthy. I talked to Sherry and Marty about it the next day and I left it to them to sort out the details. As I told Gingrich, I couldn’t imagine how the price tag on this could get all that big, but I was prepared to be unpleasantly surprised. Was Sonny Montgomery going to be in favor or not? Was I wrong in thinking that the Viet Nam vets in Congress would remember Agent Orange and think this was a good idea, or would they think of the current vets as whiny brats? Would Gingrich go along? I was. "I couldn't let those guys get away with what they were doing."Vicky waited. "Is that the only reason?"Rob caught her eye, then dropped his gaze yet again. "No. I think...well...I think you stole a piece of my heart. I couldn't stand the thought of them doing something to you and getting away with it."Vicky's eyes fell, and tears started to form in the corners. "Rob..." she started to protest.Rob saw her reaction, and his heart fell. It had taken everything for him to admit that he was.