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Part I

Because You Tempt Me

Chapter One

Francesca glanced around when Ian Noble entered the room, mostly because everyone else in the luxurious restaurant bar did the sah the crowd she saw a tall man dressed in an i, lean body She iant black overcoat draped over his arht hit her brain that while the black coat was right, the suit was all wrong He belonged in jeans, didn’t he? Her observation made no sense whatsoever He looked fantastic in the suit, for one, and for another, according to a recent article she’d read in GQ, he was reputed to al What else would a businessman as the scion of a minor branch of the British monarchy wear? One of the men who had entered with him reached to take his coat, but he shook his head once

Apparently, the enig a cursory appearance at the cocktail party he was hosting in Francesca’s honor

“There’s Mr Noble now He’ll be so pleased tosaid Francesca heard the subtle note of pride in the woman’s voice, as if Ian Noble were her lover instead of her employer

“He looks like he has far s to do thanShe took a sip of club soda and watched as Noble spoke tersely on a cell phone while twoin the crook of his aretaway The subtle slant of his mouth told her he was irritated For some reason, this all-too-human display of emotion relaxed her a little She hadn’t revealed it to her roo it on attitude—but she’d been strangely anxious aboutIan Noble

The crowd returned to their conversation, but the energy level of the room had somehow amplified with Noble’s arrival Odd that such a distinctive, sophisticated eneration He looked to be thirtyish She’d read Noble had earned his first billion with his breakthrough social-o, before he’d put it up for a public offering, ely successful Internet retail business

Everything he touched turned to gold, apparently Why? Because he was Ian Noble He could do anything he damn well pleased Francesca’s ht It soant and unlikeable Yes, he was her benefactor, but like artists throughout history, Francesca had a healthy dose of distrust for the patron shelling out theartists needed their Ian Nobles

“I’ll just go and tell him you’re here As I’veHe chose it hands down over the two other finalists,” Lin said, referring to the coranted the prestigious corand lobby of Noble’s new Chicago skyscraper, which they were in The cocktail reception in Francesca’s honor was being held in a restaurant called Fusion, a trendy, pricey restaurant located inside Noble’s high-rise Most importantly to Francesca, she would be awarded a hundred thousand dollars, so raduate student

LinAfrican American woman named Zoe Charon to converse with Francesca in her absence