her hand again, kissed the back and walked them out the door.
They reached the valet and she looked up at him. “I came in a limo, did you drive?”
“Yes. If you prefer the limo, I could meet you at your place,” he said, unsure what she would want to do.
“If you don’t mind, I would like to go with you.”
His smile returned. “Great, but what about the limo?”
“I’ll call Carlos and tell him he can take the rest of the night off.”
As she pulled her phone from her purse the valet pulled up with his car. Mark opened her door and waited for her to straighten her gown. Then he put Rizzo in the back and hustled as fast as he was able to the driver side.
It was only a short drive to Sharon’s palatial home. The glaring evidence that she was a very wealthy woman brought his insecurities roaring to the surface. He had nothing to offer a woman like Sharon. What was she doing with a man like him? Did she pick up guys from the wrong side of the tracks just to pass the time and have a little fun?
As he began to drown in his thoughts, he felt her hand squeeze his thigh.
“Don’t let the house fool you. I’m not a high-society snob. And you may not believe this, but I’ve never brought a man here before.”
Mark gaped at her. “Never?”
She smiled and shook her head. “There has never been anyone I wanted to share it with. Until I met you.”
Her words warmed his heart and reinstated his confidence. He placed his hand over hers and smiled back. “Then I’m honored you’re sharing it with me.”
His mind raced as he drove her winding driveway to the front of the house, imagining having her all to himself. No one watching them. No interruptions.
“Where should I park the car?”
“You can pull up to the door. It won’t be in the way. No one will be coming by tonight.”
Once parked, he hurried to unload Rizzo, open her door, and offered his hand.
She smiled up at him. “You have such lovely manners.”
“I learned everything from my father. He is a wonderful man, and I try everyday to emulate him.”
“I would love to meet him.”
“The next time I go home, I would love to take you with me and introduce you.” He prayed Sharon would still want to see him after tonight.
“I would love to.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely.”
He wanted to shout his joy to the heavens, but he contained himself.
Sharon opened the door and welcomed him in. “I’ve given my housekeeper the night off, so we have the place to ourselves.”
Mark took in the grand entrance in awe. He stood in the epitome of New Orleans opulence. “Your home is breathtaking.”
“Thank you. My parents built it and left it to me when they decided to travel. Mother fell in love with the Scottish highlands, so my father bought her a castle and they never came back.”
Mark chuckled, shaking his head. “I can’t imagine having that kind of money.”
“Having money buys ‘things,’ it doesn’t buy love or happiness.”
“That’s true. I know a lot of people living paycheck to paycheck who are very happy.” Then a thought crossed his mind and he frowned. “Are you unhappy, Sharon?”
She smiled over her shoulder as she led him to the parlor. “Not anymore.”
His heart skipped a beat. In that moment, he knew without a doubt, he would follow this woman anywhere, for as long as she would have him.
She motioned to a sitting area and then walked to a wet bar. “Would you like a drink?”
“I had my limit at the ball. Do you have soda?”
“I do. Is cola all right?”
“Perfect.”
She handed him the soda and then sat next to him on the couch with her own drink. He watched her every move as she placed a coaster on the coffee table and set her glass in place.
When she sat back he put his arms around her and pulled her close. Lowering his lips to hers, he kissed her. “I can’t get enough of you,” he growled, his voice gravelly with savage yearning.
His hand went to her hair, and he breathed across her
They reached the valet and she looked up at him. “I came in a limo, did you drive?”
“Yes. If you prefer the limo, I could meet you at your place,” he said, unsure what she would want to do.
“If you don’t mind, I would like to go with you.”
His smile returned. “Great, but what about the limo?”
“I’ll call Carlos and tell him he can take the rest of the night off.”
As she pulled her phone from her purse the valet pulled up with his car. Mark opened her door and waited for her to straighten her gown. Then he put Rizzo in the back and hustled as fast as he was able to the driver side.
It was only a short drive to Sharon’s palatial home. The glaring evidence that she was a very wealthy woman brought his insecurities roaring to the surface. He had nothing to offer a woman like Sharon. What was she doing with a man like him? Did she pick up guys from the wrong side of the tracks just to pass the time and have a little fun?
As he began to drown in his thoughts, he felt her hand squeeze his thigh.
“Don’t let the house fool you. I’m not a high-society snob. And you may not believe this, but I’ve never brought a man here before.”
Mark gaped at her. “Never?”
She smiled and shook her head. “There has never been anyone I wanted to share it with. Until I met you.”
Her words warmed his heart and reinstated his confidence. He placed his hand over hers and smiled back. “Then I’m honored you’re sharing it with me.”
His mind raced as he drove her winding driveway to the front of the house, imagining having her all to himself. No one watching them. No interruptions.
“Where should I park the car?”
“You can pull up to the door. It won’t be in the way. No one will be coming by tonight.”
Once parked, he hurried to unload Rizzo, open her door, and offered his hand.
She smiled up at him. “You have such lovely manners.”
“I learned everything from my father. He is a wonderful man, and I try everyday to emulate him.”
“I would love to meet him.”
“The next time I go home, I would love to take you with me and introduce you.” He prayed Sharon would still want to see him after tonight.
“I would love to.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely.”
He wanted to shout his joy to the heavens, but he contained himself.
Sharon opened the door and welcomed him in. “I’ve given my housekeeper the night off, so we have the place to ourselves.”
Mark took in the grand entrance in awe. He stood in the epitome of New Orleans opulence. “Your home is breathtaking.”
“Thank you. My parents built it and left it to me when they decided to travel. Mother fell in love with the Scottish highlands, so my father bought her a castle and they never came back.”
Mark chuckled, shaking his head. “I can’t imagine having that kind of money.”
“Having money buys ‘things,’ it doesn’t buy love or happiness.”
“That’s true. I know a lot of people living paycheck to paycheck who are very happy.” Then a thought crossed his mind and he frowned. “Are you unhappy, Sharon?”
She smiled over her shoulder as she led him to the parlor. “Not anymore.”
His heart skipped a beat. In that moment, he knew without a doubt, he would follow this woman anywhere, for as long as she would have him.
She motioned to a sitting area and then walked to a wet bar. “Would you like a drink?”
“I had my limit at the ball. Do you have soda?”
“I do. Is cola all right?”
“Perfect.”
She handed him the soda and then sat next to him on the couch with her own drink. He watched her every move as she placed a coaster on the coffee table and set her glass in place.
When she sat back he put his arms around her and pulled her close. Lowering his lips to hers, he kissed her. “I can’t get enough of you,” he growled, his voice gravelly with savage yearning.
His hand went to her hair, and he breathed across her
Similar Books
