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He squinted against the sun and mounted the steps He let himself in the front door and headed for the back deck When he got to the glass doors, though, he didn’t see her in the lounger

He opened the doors and stepped out, scanning the beach His pulse leaped when he saw her, standing in the distance, her back to him as she stared out over the water

He crossed the deck and made his way down the wooden ay over the dune and then stepped onto the beach As he neared her, he slowed his pace

There was a fragility to her stance Her arht around her body, and she was huddled in a jacket as though the wind blowing chilled her to the bone Her hair whipped like streaks of ht a hint of her profile, the softness of her face and the sad set of her lips

Faith was right She looked tired She looked worn out, but she was still beautiful

Serena mine

He didn’t knohether he should stay where he was or go to her or wait for her to turn and see hiony as he readied hiht a battle he wasn’t prepared to lose

And then she turned, and those beautiful, expressive eyes widened in shock

Serena stared in bewilderment at Damon, who stood just a few feet away He was dressed for a day in the sun Khaki shorts, polo shirt and brown sandals Sunglasses were shoved to the top of his head, eous, and he stood there watching her, his liquid brown eyes bright with concern But he was here

Joy, pure and unfettered, flooded her body until she feared she’d fall to her knees She swayed and threw her hand out only to catch air as she tried to steady herself

He stepped forward to catch her, but she righted herself and blinked away the shock of seeing hi here?" she asked faintly

"I came for you"

A shiver worked over her body

He frowned, concern brightening in his eyes "Are you cold?"

"I’ve been cold since the day I left your house," she whispered She wanted to cry But ain

He held out his arms, and she walked into them, unable to deny the comfort of his embrace He tucked her head under his chin, and she laid her cheek against his chest She closed her eyes as his waran to an, and sweet relief whispered delicately through her veins

He lowered the his body around her as he positioned her between his legs He kept fir the treradually eased, and she could feel the sun once again

"What happened, Serena ainst her hair "Why did you leave?"

She buried her face in his neck and tried to keep the tears at bay "She died, Dairl I told you about She died during the cruise I arranged for her"

Da her coency to his actions No question Just acceptance Did he have acceptance enough for both of them?

"I’m sorry," he said huskily "I’m so sorry, Serena Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you letmoment she lay there, unable to forhts weren’t logical Maybe she’d always known she was chasing a fantasy

Da her as she collected her courage

"I thought that if I could give her her dreaic for her, I could save her"

"Oh, sweetheart," Da as emotion throbbed in his throat

"When she died, I realized that nothing I’d done ot a few minutes to be a princess, and her parents have a lifetihter

"My clients still have to go back to their nor ive someone a taste of paradise only to yank it away? I can’t think of anything worse

"I never kneould have never known if I hadn’t tried to fulfill my own fantasy It was then that I realized that there are worse things than never living your dreaet a taste and know that it isn’t real, will never be real, and then go back to your regular life knohat it’s like to have perfection and that you’ll never have it again

"Sos are better left in the realm of fantasy," she said faintly

"I think I understand what you’re saying," he said

She pulled slightly away so she could look into his eyes "Do you? Then you knohy I can’te can’t"

He shook his head "I said I understood what you were saying, not that I agreed"

He lifted a hand to her face and trailed his fingers over her temple and to her cheekbone They shook as he moved them to her lips

"I have a lot I want to say to you, and I want you to listen to every word"

She nodded slowly

"Good Now, I understand that you’re afraid I understand that the volatility of our attraction, of our relationship, frightened you It scared the shit out of me as well"

Her eyes widened

"Don’t look so surprised, Serena in’ loop"