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hurriedly the one time she ’ d worn it at home.
    But only Noah was going to see it now. Hurriedly, she slipped it on and ran to her vanity, then dug in a drawer for her mostly unused makeup. A little powder, lipstick, and a dash of mascara were all she applied. She didn ’ t need blush. Her cheeks still had a lot of color in them from her and Noah ’ s earlier encounter.
    As she primped, her inner voice interjected periodically, telling her she was behaving like a crazy person.
    Her first taste of pleasure, and she had fallen hard, succumbed to a desire so intense she could barely function. The fact that she had just met Noah wasn ’ t even enough to make her blink. All she knew was what he had told her.
    She was his now.
    Charlie hoped Noah knew that he was hers now, too.
    ****
    When she knocked, he wasn ’ t in his room. She went downstairs and found him in the dining room, sitting at the formally set mahogany table. He was talking on the phone, but he rose when she entered.
    “ Yes, Sergei. I ’ ll come in first thing Monday. Stop that. I should be thanking you. All right, see you Monday, man. ”
    Charlie tensed. Today was Saturday. Was Noah going to leave in a few days?
    “ Where are you going? ” she asked, unable to hide the disappointment in her voice.
    Noah smiled. “ Only to the city for a meeting. Business. I ’ ll be back in time for dinner. ”
    Charlie nodded, the tightness in her chest loosening fractionally, but she still felt a little anxious. She had only been alone with him twice, and both times passion had literally swept her off her feet.
    She didn ’ t know how to act around him.
    He beckoned her to a chair. “ You look beautiful. Come sit. Cook said she knows what your favorite dinner is, and I asked her to make you a cake. Devil ’ s food. I hope you like it. ”
    Charlie beamed at him. “ I love it, thank you. ”
    Noah gave her a small frown. “ Why didn ’ t you tell anyone it was your birthday? ”
    She shrugged and looked down at the table. “ I didn ’ t want them to get the wrong idea. ”
    “ What might that be? ”
    Charlie met his eyes and then waved her hands lightly. “ It ’ s complicated. I do miss my sister today, but believe me, I would rather spend my birthday alone than go through the circus she would organize to celebrate it. She ’ d invite half the county and my entire school, which is awkward since I don ’ t know anyone very well yet. I have made some friends, but not close ones and I didn ’ t invite them over because...well it ’ s weird to spring that on someone — hey, come on over. We ’ ll swim and have cake ‘ cause it ’ s my birthday. ”
    “ It ’ s not weird, ” he protested as the cook brought out the meal — stuffed mushrooms followed by shrimp and scallops baked in cream with breadcrumbs.
    Charlie grinned wryly. “ It ’ s a little weird, ” she continued after the cook left. “ I was going to reread my favorite book instead. I ’ d rather do that than —” She cut herself off and blushed. “ I take that back. There are some things I ’ d rather be doing than rereading Persuasion again. ”
    Noah gave her a warm and intensively private smile. A little thrill raced up her spine.
    “ That ’ s Austen right? ” he asked between bites of the delicious meal.
    “ Yes, ” she said pleased he knew one of the author ’ s lesser known works.
    “ We forgot your gift outside, ” he reminded her. “ We should go get it after dinner. I think you ’ ll like it. ”
    She gave a guilty start and then laughed. “ I would apologize, but it ’ s your fault I forgot all about it. ”
    He chuckled and agreed. The rest of the meal passed in eager conversation. They told each other their life stories, although Charlie tried to gloss over the unpleasant parts. But inevitably, some surfaced anyway.
    They had blown out the candles on her cake together at her request and were enjoying seconds when he pointed out that Darla hadn ’ t