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In Blaine and Dainal concept for the portrait, I’d siossamer drapes set to flutter about e was sensual, but aloof, as if so for that wo, but soested that we contrast the free-flowing drapes that graze lightly over my skin with the constriction of a bloodred rope, and that we bind ree I wanted theto hie be unattainable Instead, the wooddess ta for clues to his assess This is his corporate expression, the unreadable ive away his secrets Da his secrets

"Well?" I ask, when I can stand it no longer "What do you think?"

For a moment, Damien reh only seconds pass, the air is thick with the weight of eternity I can almost taste Blaine’s frustration, and I understand the impulse when he finally blurts out, "Coht?"

Damien’s shoulders rise and fall as he draws in a deep breath then faces Blaine with respect "It’sto me "It’s her"

Blaine’s sotta say, I’ve never been shy about bragging on my oork, but this is … well, it’sReal Sensual Most of all, it’s honest"

Damien’s eyes never leave mine, and I draw a shaky breath My pulse pounds so loudly it’s a surprise I can hear anything else I’ of my chest must be visible, and I fear that Blaine can tell that I’ of desire that bubbles violently withinBlaine to leave the room, to cry out for Damien to kiss me To touch me

A sharp beep shatters the heavy silence, and Damien yanks the phone out of his pocket, then spits out a curse when he reads the text I see the shadows gather on his face as he slides the phone back, the ins to prickle with the first stirrings of worry

Blaine, his head tilted as he inspects the canvas, is oblivious "Nik, don’t ht here, and--"

The shrill ring of Danore the call as he had the text, but he surprisesout of the room with such swift, firm steps that I barely even hear the curt, "What?"

He does not hting a sudden wave of fear This is not a business call; Daet upset over business On the contrary, he thrives on the chase, on the conquest

No, this is so else, and I can’t help but think about the threats that have been ainst him, and the secrets that I know he still keeps Damien has seen me stripped bare in every way possible And yet it seelirip, Nikki Wanting privacy for a phone conversation isn’t the sarand conspiracy to hide either his past or soer

I know all of that Even more, I believe it But sane rationality doesn’t soothe the little pang in ht instock-still and naked and bound is not a straight path to well-adjusted thoughts Rather, it’s a twisting, winding road of angst, and I’myself, but my bound wrists make that impossible

The truth is that I’ve been on pins and needles since ainst Damien Carl’s coy, and when Damien declined, Carl blamed me He fired me, too, but he didn’t stop there, and the last ti has happened But Carl is deterh ground As far as he’s concerned, Damien squelched one of Carl’s most important business deals The projected loss of capital must be in the millions, and Carl isn’t the kind of ht to be water under the bridge

That fact that nothing has happened in over a week bothers ht about it and thought about it, and the only conclusion I can reach is that so has happened--and Da--I hope I a that although Daht onto all ray

"Well, hell, Nikki Now you’re frowning" Blaine’s gripe is laced with a chuckle "Sometimes I wish I could crawl into that "

I hts," I say "But not bad ones"

"Good," he says, but there’s a question mark in his eyes, and maybe even a hint of concern I wonder what Evelyn, Blaine’s lover who’s known Damien since childhood, has told him about Damien’s past For that matter, I wonder if Blaine knows more than I do about the ht only one only a few e to run to hi at you won’the doesn’t notice that the sound is hollow Once again, he is wearing the face he shows the public But I am not the public, and I know better I look hard at hi for his eyes to meet mine When they do, it is like a switch has been thrown The hard lines of his ht with the glow of Damien

He walks toward me, and my pulse increases with the tempo of his steps He stops only inches fro it very difficult to breathe After everything we’ve done together--after every hurt he’s soothed and every secret he’s seen--how is it that every moment with Damien can feel like the first one?