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rest of her life made her gag. She was only five feet six, but he was an inch or two shorter. He’d combed his pale blond hair sideways to cover the round, shiny spot on top of his head. He wasn’t ugly. He was just boring. No imagination, no passion, no fire, nothing—but he was supposed to be the pinnacle of her accomplishments in life.
    The anger and bitterness she usually kept so carefully contained bubbled up, and she had to grind her teeth to keep quiet. It was 100 percent stupid that a grown woman in the twenty-first century couldn’t make basic decisions about what she wanted to do with her life. She’d had four semesters of college only to drop out when her mother refused to allow her to study interior design because it was a waste of her time and talents. Now she spent her days shopping and redecorating because she had nothing else to do.
    Is that really true, or is it just a more palatable excuse?
    “Desiree?”
    Oops, she hoped Harmon hadn’t been waiting for an answer to some complicated business question. “I’m sorry, Harmon. I was just wondering why my brother never arrived this evening.”
    He patted her hand. “You’re a good sister to him. I can tell.”
    Good sister? She was ready to rip Erik’s balls off at the moment. How he managed to play hooky from a boring dinner and still come off looking like a squeaky-clean, perfect son, she’d never know. The man had even managed to convince their mother it was better for him to maintain a primary residence in New York City. So now he and his wife lived out of state, and Desiree got to manage their mother.
    Her gaze drifted to the head of the table where her mother was having a tête-à-tête with a handsome man only a handful of years older than Desiree. Not that Mama would ever admit it, but she had had more than a few little nips and tucks over the years. The result was a woman who often passed for their older sister instead of their mother. Annaline Aasen also had her daughter Selena’s svelte dancer’s body instead of Desiree’s fuller figure. The pair of them had naturally blonde hair, sexy green bedroom eyes, and husky voices that made men drop at their feet. It was disgusting.
    The memory of Nicolai’s beautiful brown eyes ghosted through her mind. Something told her a man like him would be utterly immune to her sister’s and her mother’s charms. He wouldn’t put up with their ridiculous flirting games. He was too real.
    Her body tingled, a zing whizzing down her spine until it came to rest at her core. Nothing in life had prepared her for Nicolai, for the way he made her feel. Alive, as if she were beautiful and powerful. She’d known beyond a doubt that, to him, she was perfect. His touch alone made her body melt, even after he’d walked away. Nicolai’s last words about the nature of one-night stands burned like a wound that wouldn’t close.
    Harmon cleared his throat. “I was wondering, since dinner seems to be more or less over, if you’d like to go out for a drink. I know a fabulous martini bar not far from here.”
    She wondered what he’d say if she told him the truth. With her luck, he’d be some closet BDSM freak who would offer to show her how to be submissive. Her mind flashed back to what it felt like to ride Nicolai’s thick cock. Even with her on top, he was a dominating force.
    “Desiree?”
    If nothing else, an impromptu date with Harmon got her out of this restaurant while momentarily satisfying her mother. “Sure, that’d be great.”
    * * * *
    “What can I get you?” The bartender leaned over to give Harmon a clear view of her artificial cleavage.
    “Two appletinis, please.”
    Desiree hid a grimace. The only thing she detested more than a man who ordered for her was an appletini. On the other hand, she had to give Harmon credit for not trying to leap into the bartender’s low-cut shirt, though he’d been enthusiastically offered the chance.
    “So, Desiree, are you excited about the upcoming