Unfaded Glory by Sara Arden Page A

this woman had to offer him. She was beautiful, accomplished and he was sure from the way she moved she’d be great in bed.
    But she wasn’t Damara Petrakis.
    He had to get those thoughts out of his head—he didn’t know how, but it would be so much easier once he’d put some distance between them.
    â€œThe penthouse suite is available. Shall I charge it to the card you have on file?”
    â€œYes, thank you. Double the room service order from my last visit, please. And I’d like to access my box while I’m here, as well.”
    â€œI’ll let security and the kitchen know. Is there anything else I can help you with, Mr. Hale? Anything at all?” She smiled and leaned over the desk, emphasizing her ample and lovely cleavage.
    â€œNot at the moment.” He accepted the key and winked at her.
    â€œIs there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Hale?” Damara said in a sickly sweet voice as he took her up to the penthouse.
    Byron laughed. “Are you jealous?”
    â€œNo, of course not. But that was just pathetic.” She rolled her eyes. “Even I know that a man won’t buy the cow if he can get the milk for free.”
    â€œI don’t want to buy the cow.” He snorted.
    â€œGlad you see it my way.” She harrumphed.
    He laughed again. “Call me Brian while we’re here. It’ll most likely be for only a few hours, but just in case, okay?”
    â€œYes, Brian.”
    â€œAnd what’s your name?”
    â€œI get to play, too?” Her pique seemed forgotten. “I want to be Holly Golightly, like
Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
”
    â€œYou know she was a prostitute, right?” He raised a brow.
    â€œIt’s not a bad profession. It’s not unlike being royalty.”
    â€œHow’s that?” He couldn’t wait to hear how she’d managed to work that out in her head. Byron opened the door to the suite.
    â€œPay to play, right? I have to trade myself to my husband for his resources. It’s basically the same thing. He gets to sleep with me, but he has to pay for it.”
    â€œI think that’s just being married.”
    â€œSo she gets to be married to a lot of men, doesn’t have to stay with any one of them and still gets to utilize their resources. I like this idea. Maybe instead of freeing my country, I should just go home and have a harem?”
    â€œI’m not calling you Holly Golightly.”
    â€œI’m surprised you even know who I was talking about. My brother said it was a movie for women to make themselves feel better about being powerless.”
    â€œWe’ve established that your brother is an asshole.” He studied her for a moment and tried to imagine any scenario where he’d ever think of Damara as powerless. There wasn’t one.
    â€œDid you order food?”
    â€œYes, Highness.”
    â€œDon’t call me that.” She bristled.
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œI already told you why not. I’m a woman, the same as any other.”
    â€œWho talks about having harems of men to do her bidding.” He could admit, the thought was like rubbing sandpaper on his face. Byron didn’t want anyone to touch her but him. It was good that he needled her. Maybe she’d get tired of him and stop engaging. Maybe she’d want to get away from him as much as he needed to get away from her.
    He had a burner phone in the deposit box, and he hoped he could make contact with Renner and work out an end to this soon.
    If he had to spend more than one more night with her, and she offered herself to him, he didn’t think he’d be able to turn her away.

CHAPTER FOUR
    T REPIDATION AND EXCITEMENT were tangled up like vines in Damara’s belly.
    This wasn’t what she’d expected at all. It was definitely better than a lifeboat or being chased by men with guns.
    When he left to access his security box, Damara took stock of the room. It was a