Page 26

DAMIAN HAD A LIMOUSINE waiting for them, and she forced herself to act casual as the billionaire joined her in the backseat.

In the past, she usually had to badger him to sit next to her, so having him do so right away was more than a little disconcerting.

It also put Sarah on her guard, and her unease only grew when Damian told her they'd have lunch first before joining Naomi and Josiah.

"You must be hungry after the flight."

"Actually—-"

"I've already booked a table at Le Petit Prince, and I'll be meeting with my assistant there."

Sarah breathed a sigh of relief. This was just his usual efficiency at work, apparently, and she settled back against her seat, no longer as bothered.

"I hope you don't mind?"

"It's fine," she assured him. "Let Petit Prince's my favorite, after all."

Damian blinked. "Is it?"

She threw her shoulder bag at him, but he caught this handedly, and the billionaire was smirking when he handed it back to her.

"So did you remember or not?" she asked in a mock growl.

"I remember everything about you," Damian said silkily. "Happy now?"

"It's nothing to be happy about," she retorted, "since I remember everything about you, too.

" She flashed him a smile. "We're siblings, after all.

" She saw the billionaire's lips tighten but told herself it was just his dog-in-the-manger personality asserting itself.

Over the years, she had done her best to analyze his attitude with painstaking objectivity, and her eventual conclusion was that Damian was just like all other big boys with their toys.

He only remembered to want her either because of nostalgia.

..or when another big boy (Colton being a good example) appeared to want what was his.

The rest of the ride elapsed in silence, with Sarah doing her best to ignore the way Damian kept staring at her. Had she gained weight? Did she look different? Less attractive?

Her thoughts ran to all sorts of directions, but all of them completely missed the mark since what the billionaire was busy grimly evaluating was her words and actions.

In the past, Sarah's face would've glowed like sunshine if he told her they'd be eating out, and she'd act as if she had won the lottery if she subsequently learned it would be only the two of them.

This time, however, the thought of being alone with him appeared to make her skin crawl, and he had been forced to throw his pride away and offer up a stupid excuse just to keep her from leaving.

More unwanted changes became evident when they arrived at the restaurant, with Damian doing his best not to feel antagonistic at the way Sarah was giving everyone hugs while saying 'I missed you guys' over and over. She certainly hadn't been as warm and enthusiastic with him earlier.

"Welcome back, Mr. Fox, Ms. Clarke."

In response to the dignified greeting from the restaurant's silver-haired manager, Sarah, being her usual impish self, overrode all rules of formality by blowing the older man a kiss. "Thanks, Brucie!"

"It's been so long since we've last seen you together," April, the restaurant's assistant manager, remarked.

"I'm glad to see you two have finally worked things out.

" And since the sexual tension between the two was pretty much palpable, April flashed them a mischievous smile, asking, "Are wedding bells imminent? "

Sarah didn't even miss a beat, saying with a laugh, "Unfortunately, no.

We're not back that way." She tossed a wry look at the billionaire over her shoulder, adding, "My dear big brother was very patient with me.

" Turning back to April, she explained, "He rightfully waited for me to grow out of my infatuation, which I eventually did. "

How very juicy, April thought, and how very inaccurate, too, considering the way Sarah's dear big brother had started sporting a granite-hard expression at the younger woman's words. "Does that mean you've started dating other guys—-"

"We should head to our table now," Damian interrupted before Sarah could answer.

"Of course, sir." April hid her smile as she had one of their waiters escort the "siblings" to their usual spot.

The tables had obviously turned now, and as Damian and Sarah were both considered as local celebrities of sorts, exciting gossip about the two was likely forthcoming in the next few days.

Sarah's face glowed with pleasure when Damian pulled her chair out and she saw the bouquet of roses lying in wait. "Is that mine?"

"A belated gift for your college graduation," he answered gruffly.

"You also missed several birthdays and Christmases," she reminded him while reaching for the bouquet. "Is this bouquet for all those occasions..." Her voice drifted off. With the bouquet in her hand, it was only now that she saw the small velvet box hidden underneath it.

She glanced at him questioningly, and Damian nodded.

Wow.

He had never given her jewelry before, and she had always thought the reason for that was because he hadn't wanted her to attach any special meaning to it. So what did this mean then , she couldn't help wondering. Did he want her to see this as symbolic of something—-

Here we go again, Sarah Jeanne!

Damian Fox was only giving her this because he obviously believed the years they had spent apart had made Sarah get over him. Just that , she told herself firmly. Just that and nothing else!

But even as she tried hard to convince herself of this, she still couldn't help trembling as he reached for the box and opened it to reveal a pair of diamond earrings.

"May I?" Damian asked.

All Sarah could do was nod and found herself biting her lip hard as his fingers frequently brushed against her ears. Just the slightest touch had her fighting off the shivers, and she closed her eyes and prayed for control. You can do this!

Damian stepped back, ostensibly to see how the earrings looked on her, but what he actually wanted to see was her reaction...which turned out to be nothing but a look of childish pleasure. The kind , he thought grimly, that one would get from little sisters.

"I love it, Damian. Thank you." And as soon as they took their seats, she gave her head a little shake to make the earrings dangle. "How does it look? Do I look prettier now?"

"It looks too elegant on you."

Sarah made a face. "Will it kill you to give me a compliment?"

"Don't be greedy," he chided. "I don't buy just any woman earrings. That should be enough."

"True." She looked around, asking, "Is Tommy still your assistant?"

"He is, and he just texted. There's an issue at Foxtown. I'll be meeting him there instead."

"Oh." Did that mean it would really just be the two of them then? "I see."

"Don't tell me you're nervous to be alone with me," he mocked.

Abso-freaking-lutely, Sarah thought, but because she was a changed woman now, she knew how to play the game and hid her feelings in plain sight, saying with a rueful shake of her head, "I just feel bad for you.

Being alone like this...I can't help remembering the times I shamelessly went after you.

" She sent him a look of apology, saying sheepishly, "Sorry for that. "

"It's nothing."

Damian's brusque voice threw her off, and she asked with genuine confusion, "Are you mad?"

What else could he fucking be, with the way her every word was unintentionally confirming his worst fears? She was truly over him , he thought bitterly, and he only had himself to blame for it.

"Damian?"

"Apologies." This time, he made an effort to keep the edge off his voice. "I just have a lot on my plate these days."

"Because of Foxtown?" she asked worriedly.

"It's nothing bad," he swiftly assured her. "We're only months away from opening, so having to iron out a few little hiccups along the way is normal."

"So it's really happening then, the launch?" Sarah asked excitedly. Foxtown was Damian's most ambitious project to date, and one that had been five years in the making.

"We can tour it this afternoon if you like," he offered.

"I'd love that, thank you," she said with a beaming smile. "How does it feel, now that Foxtown's about to be unveiled to the world? Are you excited? Nervous?"

"I'm looking forward to its launch."

She couldn't help laughing at his matter-of-fact tone. "You so don't sound like it."

"Not everyone has to squeal and giggle like you used to do," the billionaire retorted, "to show excitement." A pause. "Or are you still like that now?"

"Mm." She gave him a mysterious look. "That's a secret."

"Careful, little Sarah," he murmured. "You know how I am with secrets."

Her heartbeat spiked up. Was it just her imagination or did he sound like he was flirting with her back there?

The billionaire arched a brow. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

And there it was again: a rich, velvety tone that was slowly and sinuously working to make her years-dormant body ache and swell back into life.

"Don't worry," she managed to say. "Everything's different now. I'm not going to jump on you the first chance I get—-"

"I won't stop you if you would."

"Ha. Ha. Ha." Oh God, why was he saying these things?

"It wasn't a joke."

She really did laugh this time, but it sounded so awkward to her ears that she quickly cut it off and reached for her water instead.

Her discomfort was more than obvious, and his lips tightened at the sight of it.

Sarah used to die for the chance to speak about the two of them, but obviously that, too, had changed.

Damian made no further attempt to engage her in conversation, and although she tried to convince herself it was what she wanted, she still found herself close to tears by the time the billionaire asked for the check.

She took her phone out and sent an SOS. A moment later, her phone rang just as Damian returned to their table, and when she was done with the call, she gave him a smile of apology, saying, "Connor's coming over to pick me up.

Can I take a rain check on the Foxtown tour? "