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Natalie shrugged ‘Lots of reasons’ He was one of them She forced a s on with my life?’

‘The result is stunning’

‘But you don’t like it’

‘I prefer to have ement’

He looked at her in a way he had never overtly looked at her before Raw, jungle hunger Natalie was stunned by the sudden blaze of uncloaked desire in his eyes It burnt into her,her feel naked and exposed It bore no relation whatsoever to the kind and supportive business friendship they were supposed to be having It sizzled with unrepressed sexuality

She felt her heart catch Her ht that Da hausfrau she had been And he was letting her know it Without hesitation, he was jettisoning all of their past The years of keeping his distance from her had just winked out

HeDamien as she did, Natalie realised she would have her hands full trying to stop hi fro like fire-crackers

He released her hands Natalie’s relief was short-lived He s her into the restaurant His eyes didn’t leave hers ‘Hungry?’ he asked

She wondered what type of hunger he had on hiseffect of his closeness

Taking her arh courtesy It was absurd to have this skittish feeling of wanting to shy away from him, to puthi herself with Brett all over again She wouldn’t consider it Not in a million years Damien had better put it out of his mind or this luncheon would come to a very abrupt end

He gestured their readiness to the maître d’, who smiled and set off to lead them to their table

Natalie registered that the smile was a typical female response to Damien Most wome

n would classify hiory Add to that the charisence, a charm of manner based on rock-solid self-assurance, and the attention he dreas perfectly reasonable

As they passed tables where women were seated, interested looks were cast his way Dalance fro soeneral run People noticed him, remembered him Such attributes were both social and business assets Objectively, Natalie had recognised this long ago

She would never have believed that the si different, but it did The looks directed at Da her against hi for Natalie’s self-confidence

All the sa to sweep her off her feet She didn’t care how many women fancied him or how fanciable he was She knew better than to lay her head on his chopping-block Easy coo She had seen it too many times to be even faintly interested That he could be turned on by her new i dees were

Damien would never marry Of that she felt certain He had done it once, in his mid-twenties before they had ever met From all accounts, it had been his ho had walked out on hie to Natalie

She was glad to reach their table and be seated She concentrated on laying her shoulder-bag beside the leg of her chair, sne cocktail, save her ti and purpose hich she had started out for this

She felt Dalanced up tonaturally ‘Hoas your trip?’ she asked

‘Successful’

That was nory and inspiration She s for the foreseeable future?’