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“Why is that?”
“Because you have balls. Few women do.”
I wasn’t certain whether to take that as a compliment or not. He stared at me again before making another turn.
“Cruz is a good man.” He made the comment at least three minutes later and I was surprised at what he’d said.
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“And he likes you.” After making the statement, he pulled into a gated driveway, rolling down his window. While the darkness prevented me from seeing much of anything, I scooted forward until I was within inches of the hulking mass. There was no doubt it made him ill at ease. If I heard correctly, he’d issued a low growl in response as he pressed his thumb against a keypad.
As the gates swung open, I found myself holding my breath until the headlights provided a stunning view of the mansion I was going to.
While I’d grown up in a gorgeous house near the Great Lakes, then forced to live in a mansion with my brooding uncle, the insanely gorgeous old Victorian was exactly the kind of house I’d want to live in. Only smaller. I couldn’t care less about money, even if I’d left millions behind. I adored the gingerbread details and sweeping porches, gothic arches that had stood the test of weather and time. I couldn’t imagine what the estate looked like in the bright sun.
As sick as it sounded, I hoped I’d be able to find out one day.
When Jameson pulled to a stop in front of the house, a shudder kept me on edge. What would happen from here?
Jameson opened the door for me, waiting as I headed up the stairs to the front porch. But as soon as I knocked on the door, he disappeared. I’d never felt this nervous going on a date in my life, not even because of the secrets I was keeping. I wasn’t certain why until Cruz opened the door.
Seeing the handsome man in a white shirt, several buttons unbuttoned with both sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and dark jeans surprised me. He was model perfect, his more casual appearance driving away some of the edges. What I couldn’t help but notice was that the times I’d seen him, he’d been in all black or black and white, as if colors didn’t exist in his world. That’s why the house surprised me. I envisioned every room painted a different color, the vibrant hues giving testimony to the era.
He took a deep breath, studying me with his hooded eyes. As his gaze slowly fell, I couldn’t help but feel like he was determining whether I’d passed a test or not.
“You look stunning.” He opened the door wider, allowing me in. As he closed the door, all the air was sucked out of my lungs.
“I didn’t know we were coming to your house for dinner.”
“Would that have mattered?”
“Maybe. I don’t know you very well.”
“Ah, yes. You’ve been asking yourself if I’m a crazed killer, preparing to drag you into the basement where I’ll carve you up for dinner.”
“There are no basements in New Orleans.”
He chuckled then pressed his palm against the small of my back, instantly igniting the fire I’d felt before. “Of course there aren’t. Then I supposed you don’t need to worry about whether my intentions are less than admirable. Do you?”
His voice was as commanding as the night before, but I sensed he was more relaxed being in his own space. He said nothing else as he led me into a stunning living room, the floor-to-ceiling fireplace so artistically created it should be in a showing itself.
“No, I guess not.”Oh, great, Eden. Now you’re tongue tied.
“If you would prefer, we can go out, but I thought you’d enjoy spending our time together in a private location.”
While the words were nothing more than polite conversation, my mind went elsewhere. “This is fine.”
“I’m glad to hear that since I took the liberty of hiring a chef for the evening.”
“You hired a chef?” As he guided me further into the interior of his house, I heard the soft strains of classical music.
His lip curled as he took my purse without asking, placing it on one of the chairs. “You’ll need to trust me in that the only qualifications I have for being inside a kitchen is opening a bottle of wine.”
I laughed, he’d managed to make me feel more at ease. “Takeout would have been just fine. There’s nothing like Kung Pao chicken.”
Now he was the one who seemed amused. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. I’ve never had takeout Chinese food before.”
“You’re kidding me.”
