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"Is the food not to your liking?"

She blinked and shook her head before staring down at her half-eaten entrée

"No," she said hastily "It’s excellent Sorry, was just collecting hts"

They ate the rest of theirit occasionally for idle chitchat When she was finished with the last bite, she checked her watch and grimaced

"Lunch was lovely, but I really do have to go"

Damon rose and nodded toward one of the waiters "I’ll have the car brought around at once Can I walk you out?"

She stood as he offered his arallantry

"Your mother must be proud," she said as they walked toward the door

"Well, she is, but why do you say so?" he asked in an amused tone

"You have ihed "Myot my manners, especially around a lady She is a southern belle from the tips of her toes to the top of her head"

When they reached the entrance, the maitre d’ opened the door, and Serena saw the Bentley parked a few feet away Da her into the backseat He leaned in, his hand holding the top of the door

"It was a pleasure, Serena I look forward to hearing from you"

She smiled as he withdrew and offered a s her for a longto the restaurant

Nervous little bubbles popped in her belly, and she wilted against the seat like a deflated balloon

It wasn’t so bad It wasn’t so bad

She’d survived, and he’d ly easy to talk to hiht occurred to her Damon owned The House, an established the question: What was his?

CHAPTER 3

Instead of returning to his don office, Damon drove into North Houston, where the private estate he’d turned into The House was situated He’d given Serena his e-mail address, and he found himself curious as to the details of her client’s request

Serena Jaed ide, exotic eyes and black hair that fell like silk around her shoulders His fingers positively itched to touch it, to stroke it and wrap it around his knuckles

What were her secrets? Her eyes shielded many, with a mysterious aura that enticed a man, beckoned him to come closer, to discover what lay beneath the cool exterior

Fantasy Incorporated Interesting business He wasn’t a big fan of role-playing and pretending, but it was a s-on at The House People liked to escape their reality Slip away and step outside theed it, but after a while, the façade wore on him

There were quite a few uide a wo to walk ahen it was all said and done Temporary An i in the world of sexual fantasies

Da stood back and watched and waited, thinking that if he were patient, the right woether He’d learned patience at a young age, but now he found hi a woman wasn’t the probleent woh his life He’d enjoyed their coiven pleasure and taken it in return, but in the end, they weren’t willing to give hi he wantedand care

He could have settled long before now, but that was the one thing he’d pro less than what he truly wanted

The security gate eased open when he inserted his card, and he drove up the winding drive to The House He parked and got out, blinking as the bright sun flashed over his face Squinting, he headed for the door He stepped into the cool, darker interior, enjoying the chill of the air-conditioning as it touched his skin

The house was empty None of the staff came in until later in the day He enjoyed the silence and the solitude that coave hi, and he was surrounded by things that gave him pleasure

It was decorated in an old-world style with variousthe surfaces of antique end tables An antique globe rested on his desk, and decorating his walls were paintings of ancient ships, fishing boats and yellowed treasure maps

He smiled, as he did every time he entered his office, because this here he felt at home On his desk were several pieces of mail, but on top was a pale yellow envelope that looked as delicate and feminine as the sender

He sat down and picked up the envelope, his s broader His mom Who refused to stride into the twenty-first century and use more modern e, God forbid No, she clung stubbornly to her snaila handwritten letter in the ht, because he looked forward to her letters They were always filled arh she were sitting across fro him a motherly lecture

He’d have to call her later They could sit and talk on the phone while they enjoyed a glass of wine The i on the wooden deck that overlooked the cypress-knobbed bayou in the Louisiana horown up in filled him with homesickness