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whole way of thinking, her beliefs. He reconsidered: Perhaps he should only tell her the part about his loving her and wanting to marry her here at the hotel. She was staying at the penthouse tonight, since Kate would be off on her honeymoon. He would wait until he had her there, make slow passionate love to her, then explain about--

No, the penthouse was no good, Bastien realized suddenly. The entire family would be staying there, and Vincent hadn't been joking when he said that Terri was loud. The woman was as uninhibited in the bedroom as she was everywhere else. Though he sus¬pected she'd try to be quiet in the penthouse with his family there. Especially his mother. Bastien didn't want Terri feeling stifled. He liked her passion. Perhaps they could just stay at Kate's apartment.

By this time, Bastien had reached the exit to the Hilton. He pushed through the revolving door, then paused on the sidewalk, his eyes searching for Terri in her pale lavender dress. He frowned when he didn't see her. Where had she gone?

"Would you like a taxi, sir?"

"What?" Bastien glanced at the doorman distract¬edly. He started to shake his head, then paused to ask, "You haven't seen a woman out here in a long laven¬der gown, have you?"

The man hesitated. "Pretty? Long brown hair? Big green eyes?"

"That's her," Bastien said with relief. Finally, someone who had seen her.

"Yes, sir. I put her in a taxi about half an hour ago."

"A taxi?" Bastien echoed stupidly.

"Yes, sir."

Bastien stood for a moment, bewildered. Why would she have gone in a taxi? Why would she leave the wedding reception at all? He couldn't imagine any¬thing that would make Terri walk out of her cousin's wedding reception. Especially without telling anyone.

Unless she'd spilled something on her dress and needed to change, he thought suddenly. That thought took hold, and Bastien found himself relaxing again. Of course, that was it. Terri had said herself that she was a bit of a clutz. She'd probably spilled something on her dress and rushed off to change.

"Did you want a taxi, too, sir?" the man asked again, lifting his whistle in preparation for calling one.

"Oh, no, thanks." Bastien pulled his cell phone from his pocket and moved to the side to call for the car he'd reserved for the night. The driver had been waiting around the corner, and pulled up within mo¬ments. Bastien slid in, ordering the man to take him home. He was at the penthouse, inserting his key in the elevator, before it occurred to him that Terri didn't have a key. And her things weren't here yet. They'd planned to pick them up after the reception. He walked to the car that still sat waiting and got back in again.

"Where to now, sir?" his driver asked. Bastien just sat there.

It was a problem, Bastien thought; he didn't know where to go. His first instinct had been the pent-house, because she'd planned to stay there. But her things were all at Kate's. However, Terri didn't have the key to Kate's place--he had it in his tuxedo pocket. She didn't have a key, didn't have a purse, and didn't have money. Of course, she might not have thought of that when she'd set out, not if she was up¬set about a spill on her dress or something. Terri might have ridden all the way out to Kate's, only to have to turn around and return to the reception.

That was probably it, Bastien thought. Terri was probably already back at the hotel and looking for him to fetch the key. He suddenly grinned to himself. He'd pay the taxi and have his driver take them to Kate's so she could change. Then, if he had it his way, they wouldn't bother returning to the reception. At least not for a while.

"Back to the hotel," he instructed, relaxing back into his seat. Terri was probably in a tizzy right this moment. He'd have to calm her down. Bastien could think of lots of ways to do that. Most of them didn't include clothes.

Terri settled in her seat on the plane, and immediately felt some of the tension leave her. She hadn't been at all sure she'd make it. She'd half feared that Bastien would show up looking for her. Surely, the message she'd left earlier had been given to Kate? If not, then someone would have certainly noticed her missing by now. She hoped no one was too worried.

Terri glanced at the phone