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Hawthorne-Hayes jewelry empire.
    Would Carter do the same?
    Although, after what she’d learned about the Drayson family while searching the web last night, she knew that Carter also came from significant wealth himself. She’d discovered that the Draysons who owned and operated Lillian’s were the same Draysons who played a major role in Chicago real estate. In fact, they owned this entire building. Carter would have no reason to be intimidated by her wealth, as some men were. Or, even worse—and what she encountered more frequently—be on the lookout for ways to cash in.
    Yet something still stopped her from revealing her full identity. Maybe it was because she didn’t know how he’d react, and she wanted to keep things the way they were for as long as possible. Just in case he turned out to be like all the others.
    Please don’t be like all the others.
    Carter took her hand in his. “If you won’t let me take you to Antigua, would you consider dinner?”
    Her shoulders stiffened in surprise. Had he just asked her out on a date?
    A customer walked up to the display table, giving her a chance to process Carter’s question.
    “So?” he continued when they were alone again in their little corner of the bakery.
    Lorraine’s first instinct was to decline. Years of being cautious made her want to take a step back. After the incident that had happened five years ago, she didn’t have much faith in her ability to judge people, especially men.
    Yet something told her that things would be different with Carter. She was unsure whether it was her good sense talking or whether the feeling was based on her body’s overpowering reaction to him, but she wanted to say yes.
    So she did.
    “I’d love to,” Lorraine answered.
    His eyes widened, as if he had thought she would be harder to convince. That smidgen of vulnerability exposed by his shocked expression went a long way in relieving her anxiety. Maybe he wasn’t the all-confident player he’d first appeared to be.
    And maybe she was just a bit out of her mind. She’d met him less than twenty-four hours ago. What was she doing agreeing to dinner?
    But she refused to take it back. It had been so long since she’d allowed herself the simple luxury of sharing a meal with a man she felt a connection to. She needed this. If accepting Carter’s dinner invitation turned out to be a mistake, she could always leave. She was older now, wiser. She wouldn’t allow what happened before to happen a second time.
    “Great,” Carter said, that note of disbelief she’d seen in his eyes coming through in his voice. “How about tonight? Is eight okay? Where can I pick you up?”
    “Eight o’clock is perfect,” Lorraine answered, even though her heart was pounding. “But why don’t I meet you at the restaurant?”
    He was shaking his head, but Lorraine stood her ground. She wasn’t ready to step from behind the curtain of anonymity just yet.
    “Fine,” he relented. “Meet me at Les Nomades at eight.”
    “Les Nomades?”
    “Yes, have you ever been? Their food is amazing.”
    Yes, she’d been, and she loved it. But Les Nomades was one of Chicago’s most expensive restaurants.
    “I have,” she said. “But it’s been years. I’ll meet you there tonight.”
    The grin that spread across his face warranted a new word in the English language: naughty-sexy. Lorraine sensed that her first instinct had been spot-on. Carter Drayson was dangerous...in the absolute best way.
    * * *
    The sounds of glasses tinkling, silverware clanking and muted conversation faded into the background as Carter sat across the table from Lorraine. The understated elegance of his favorite restaurant set the perfect mood for tonight. It felt as if they were the only two people here.
    “How is the duck confit?” Carter asked.
    “As usual, it is delicious.”
    “As usual?” His fork stopped in midair. “I thought you said you haven’t been here in years.”
    She looked at him over the rim of