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first.”
    “I'd like to freshen up if that's all right?”
    “Of course.”
     
    When Sarah had eventually given way and accepted his invitation to visit the estate, she hadn't been sure what to expect. More to the point, she hadn't been sure what he would expect of her. So, when he had referred to ' her room ', she wasn't sure how she felt. Relieved? Disappointed?
     
    Andrew accompanied her to the bedroom, but then left her to freshen up. They were to meet back in the main hall in thirty minutes. The room looked out over the rear of the building. Huge, well kept gardens stretched down towards a wooded area. To the right was what appeared to be stables. Her room reminded her of costume dramas she had watched on TV. At first, she hadn't been able to locate the shower. It was only by chance she stumbled upon it hidden behind what appeared from the outside to be a wardrobe door. Inside the large bathroom, a rolltop bath occupied the centre of the room. Beyond that was a large enclosed shower.
    Her overnight bag was already in her room; the driver had brought it up while she had been in the main hall. What did one pack to visit a country estate? She had spent hours deliberating, and in the end had decided to travel light. After all, she was only going to be there for the one night. She had brought the new lingerie she'd purchased yesterday – just in case.
     
    The tour of the house took just over an hour. Sarah was impressed by Andrew's knowledge of the history of the building.
    “If you ever give up your day job, you could always get work as a tour guide.”
    “Thanks. I hope I didn't bore you to death.”
    “Not at all. The house is amazing.” She could have listened to his deep, sexy voice all day long. “The history brings it to life.”
    “Shall we go outside?” Andrew led the way.
    “This is beautiful.” Sarah said.
    “I can't take credit for the gardens.”
    “Don't tell me. Your sister is a landscape gardener as well as an interior designer.”
    “No.” He laughed. “I do have gardeners though.”
    “More than one?”
    “Three – I think?”
    “You don't know?”
    “I have an estate manager who looks after that type of thing.”
    “Of course you do.”
    “Are you teasing me?”
    “It's so easy.”
     
    “Do you ride?” he asked as they walked passed the stables.
    “No.”
    “I will have to teach you.”
    “I'm not sure about that.”
    “You will love it – trust me.”
     
*******
     
    Dinner was served in a small dining room furnished in a style much more modern than the rest of the house.
    “Can I ask you a question?” Sarah said, once the meal was over.
    “Shoot.”
    “Why did you ask me to come here?”
    “Don't you like it here?”
    “That's not what I meant. Why me?”
    “I enjoy your company, and I felt as though we had made a connection. That doesn't happen very often – hardly ever. Not to mention I find you incredibly sexy.”
    “I just feel...”
    “What?”
    “Nothing.”
    “Come on Sarah.” He got up, walked around the table, and stood next to her chair. “What do you feel?”
    She turned to look at him.
    “I feel like this might be some kind of game for you.”
    He bent down and kissed her on the lips.
    “Does that feel like a game? I don't know what I can do to make you believe me. Do you think I have a different woman here every week? Is that it?”
    “I don't know anything about you.”
    He pulled up a chair and sat next to her.
    “I was married for six years, but that ended two years ago”
    “Ended.”
    “She... Susan left me for someone else. We're divorced now. I don't blame her – I was never around. We're still friends.”
    “Children?”
    “No, thank goodness. Since the split, I have seen a couple of other women, but neither went anywhere. That's it. That's everything.”
    Sarah stood up, and they kissed again. When he pulled her to him, she didn't resist.
     
    “I'm sorry I gave you the third degree,” she said later as they shared a