LITMIR.BIZ

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out herself. “Who did he marry?” she asked.

      “A young woman from his country,” Blade said. “One chosen for him by his family. If I remember correctly, she’s the reason he had to unexpectedly leave Luke and Mac’s wedding. Rasheed wasn’t happy about that. But according to Uncle Jake, it ended up being a love match anyway, and I’m glad. I would have hated for him to have gotten tied down for the rest of his life, married to a woman he didn’t love,” Blade concluded.

      Sam took a sip of water and looked over the rim of her glass at him. “So when you marry, it will be for love, Blade?”

      She knew by the look in his eyes that he didn’t appreciate her question, and from the silence at the table it was evident that, like her, Mac and Luke were waiting for him to answer. Sam wasn’t exactly sure what had possessed her to ask such a question when she already had a pretty good idea what his response would be. But she had asked, and there was no doubt in her mind that he would make it crystal clear for her, so that there would never, ever be any misunderstanding. He enjoyed being a womanizer, and he proudly played the part.

      He took another sip of water before flashing a smile that revealed a pair of dimples she hadn’t noticed until now. His eyes locked on her face. “I don’t ever plan to marry, Sam—for love or any other reason. I enjoy my life just the way it is. I could never be a one-woman man. What’s the point?”

      “Yes, I agree with you one hundred percent. What’s the point? I don’t plan to marry, either. Like you, I like my life just the way it is, and I could never belong to one man exclusively.”

      She wasn’t quite sure what he had expected her to say, but from the look on his face she could tell that hadn’t been it. He evidently thought men were the only ones who could play the field.

      Sam was spared from saying anything else when the waitress returned to take their orders. But that didn’t stop her from glancing across the table at Mac and seeing the sly smile on her friend’s lips. Luke seemed inordinately preoccupied with his silverware.

      It was obvious she had stunned Blade, so everyone was giving him a chance to recover. From the way he was staring across the table at her, he had to be wondering why—since they had the same outlook on life when it came to commitment—she had refused to give him the time of day.

      Sam looked away as she ran a finger around the rim of her glass, then seductively touched the tip with her tongue, knowing Blade’s eyes followed her every movement. She tried to ignore the shudder that passed through her each time their eyes connected. When the waitress delivered their food, and she began eating, she tried to overlook the intense sexual chemistry between them even as they shared the table with others. She wasn’t sure whether Mac and Luke were aware of what was taking place between them or not, but both she and Blade knew it. Dinner was as enjoyable as it could have been under the circumstances, and at the end of the meal she thanked everyone for inviting her, and stood up to leave.

      “Where are you rushing off to?” Blade asked, quickly rising to his feet.

      The tone of his voice, to her way of thinking, sounded a lot throatier than it should have. It sent shivers up and down her body.

      She met his gaze. “I’m going home. I drove Mac over. But since Luke’s SUV is here, I’m sure all three of you will be riding back together and—”

      “No,” Blade said smoothly. “I’m staying at a hotel in town.”

      That surprised her. “You are?”

      His smile widened. “Yes. I didn’t want to impose on the newly weds. Would it be a bother to drop me off at the hotel?”

      “Drop you off?” she asked, as if she hadn’t heard him right. She inhaled deeply, silently telling herself to get a grip. Handle her business. So what if she had to drop him off at some hotel? She could do that. Put him off at the curb and keep going.

      “Yes, at the hotel.”

      Before she could answer, Luke spoke up, giving her an out. “No need to bother Sam. Mac and I can drop you off at the hotel, Blade. Besides, your luggage is in my truck.”

      She cast Luke an appreciative smile. “Then it’s all settled. Luke and Mac will make sure you get to the hotel,” she said, looking back at Blade. “It was good seeing you again, and thanks for dinner.”

      She was about to turn for a quick getaway when he said, “I’ll walk you to your car.”

      Sam forced herself not to tell him she preferred if he didn’t. She knew he hadn’t intended to let her go that easily, not until he found out what he wanted to know. “Fine.” She glanced at Luke and Mac. “It’s always good seeing you, Luke, and I’ll see you in the morning, Mac.”

      “Yes, bright and early,” she responded. “We have to go over our notes for the Penton’s case.”

      Sam nodded and gave her a thumbs-up before turning to leave, with Blade by her side.

      He didn’t say anything until they had walked out of the restaurant and were waiting as the valet attendant went to get her car. Then Blade faced her and said, “I think you owe me an explanation.”

      “About what?” she asked, deciding to play innocent as she tilted her head back. He held her gaze with an intense look in his eyes.

      “If you don’t have any problems with casual dating, then why have you been giving me the cold shoulder every time I approach you?”

      Before she could answer, the valet brought her car around. “The reason is rather simple,” she said, opening the door and tossing her purse on the passenger seat.

      “Is it?” Blade asked, watching as she slid into the driver’s side of her sporty red Mercedes two-seater.

      “Yes,” she replied, buckling her seat belt and rolling her window down.

      He gazed at her. “And what reason is that?”

      She turned the radio to a station that played soft music before looking back up at him, staring straight into his eyes and stating what she knew was the biggest lie of her life. “You, Blade Madaris, don’t interest me. Good night.”

      And before he could utter another word, she revved the engine and drove away.

      Chapter 2

      Blade tossed the hotel key on a table after settling into his suite. He couldn’t help the smile that touched his lips as he recalled Sam’s parting words. He didn’t for one minute believe she had been serious.

      Of course, what she’d said had sounded pretty damn convincing, like saying it would be the end of it. If those words had been spoken by any other woman, it would have been. He didn’t have time to waste on anyone who refused his advances. But Blade knew for a fact that he did interest Sam, just as she interested him. It had been obvious tonight, although she probably wanted to deny the truth. But he wouldn’t deny it. He didn’t intend to give up on her so easily, and evidently, she was counting on that fact.

      He was a man who knew women inside and out. He was thirty-four and knew the female gender a lot better than men with twice his experience. And for him to make that claim said a whole hell of a lot.

      From the time they were teenagers, it was clear that he and his twin brother, Slade, had a different take on women. Slade had been easygoing and had put his career first. Blade, on the other hand, had been able to juggle both. His sexual exploits rivaled those of his cousin Clayton, who ten years earlier had had the same reputation.

      At one time, the thought that Blade was following in Clayton’s footsteps had been cause for major concern in his family. They figured once Clayton had settled down and was married, that would be the end of the playboys in the Madaris family. He chuckled as he removed his jacket, thinking about how he had proven them wrong. He probably had more notches on his bedpost than his cousin Clayton ever thought of.

      Times were different now. Things had changed. He probably didn’t have to work as

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