Damon stopped his car in front of the wrought iron gate and handed his invitation to the guard.
"Welcome to the Rolland residence, sir. Have a nice time," said the guard and signaled for the gate to open.
Damon smiled to himself, accelerated and went through. After two unbearable months his quest finally came to an end. The woman he was looking for lived in the house of Eric Rolland. And he didn't need an excuse to meet her; he was invited by Eric's son, Alex, to his homecoming party. This was his chance. He would find the woman responsible for his brother's death and he was going to make her pay dearly...
Catherine decided to wear the black strapless cocktail dress. "Never underestimate the power of the little black dress," she thought. The dress was perfect. It molded itself to the curves of her body. She brushed her golden brown mane and resolved to smoke her eyes with black pencil, even if her aunt claimed that it made her look like a tramp.
As soon as she finished her make up, Cynthia stormed into her room without warning. Catherine pretended to look in the mirror.
"So, my dear cousin, you are determined to use all your charms on Alex tonight," said Cynthia, not bothering to hide her sarcasm, stung by her beauty.
"What is it you want, Cynthia?" Catherine asked softly, long used to her cousin's bitter comments.
"I want your brooch. I....I, I seem to have forgotten mine at the ranch and I would like to wear it tonight. It always pleases Aunt Elisa, you know," Cynthia made her request.
'You should be more careful with your stuff. This brooch is heirloom," Catherine pointed out.
"And you should be more careful with your behavior," Cynthia bit back." Or do you think that you and Alex missing all day went unnoticed?"
"Here's the brooch, Cyn," Catherine handed it over, smiling slightly. "Now go get dressed like a good girl, you wouldn't want to be late for Alex, when I am on time, would you?"
"I am dressed," Cynthia protested.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I thought that was your night gown," Catherine chuckled, watching with amusement the irritated expression on her face.
"Fuck you!" Cynthia slammed the door behind her.
Catherine looked herself in the mirror one final time and left her room.
Damon looked around the house. How would he be sure? He just found out that in this house lived two women who bore the name C.Rolland, the same name that signed the last letter his brother ever received... "Johnny, I'm sorry, but the money you gave me is gone. I never loved you. I lied to you. I didn't suffer a miscarriage, I had an abortion. Did you think I would keep the child of penniless fool? Get on with your life and forget everything about us."
This letter, these words would be imprinted in his memory forever. All he had was this letter, a jewelled brooch with the letter C, and a photo of this woman wearing the brooch, all things that she had given to his brother. Unfortunately, the photo was torn and he couldn't see the woman's face. God, he would avenge his brother's death... He had arrived late, only to find his brother lying dead on the floor holding a gun in one hand, and this damn letter in the other...
He thought he heard his name and turned around. He smiled when he saw Alex and the two men shook hands.
" Damon! Damon Bradley! I can't believe you've made it! Welcome! I'm so glad you're here, it's been such a long time!" Alex greeted him warmly.
"I wouldn't have missed it for the world," Damon smiled. "So, how was Europe?" he forced himself to act interested.
"Europe was great "Alex said impatiently. "Sorry to leave you Damon, but I'm looking for someone special, if you know what I mean," he smiled. "Someone from the family will show you around. Tell them you're a friend. We'll catch later!" Alex almost ran away from Damon.
Damon nodded and began to make his way to the veranda. Preoccupied with his thoughts as he was he didn't notice the woman on his right. She seemed to be running away from something and didn't notice him either. She bumped on his shoulder spilling her drink allover his shirt.
"Oh God, I'm so sorry," Catherine said, her voice filled with dread.
"Don't be, I was the careless one," Damon made an effort to sound polite.
He lifted his eyes and his gaze locked with hers. "God, she's a fallen angel," he thought to himself. Long golden brown hair, all tousled, as if she had just got up from bed after wild lovemaking. Deep set green almond shaped eyes that look straight into his soul. A little proud, straight nose and full lips in the most seductive shade of pink he could ever imagine existed. He saw her breast heaving, and he was sure he could see her nipples hardening through the flimsy material of her dress.
Catherine raised her head and found out that before stood the handsomest man she had ever seen. His silk blond hair made her ache to run her fingers through it. His intense burning brown eyes made her want to look away, yet she could not. She could only follow the line of his strong cheekbones and rest her gaze on a smile that made her go limp.
"I' m going to get a towel," she said backing away from him, trying no to look at his broad chest.
Damon grabbed her wrist. "Don't." Looking at her confused expression he continued, "I mean, this shirt is ruined. A towel will be of no use."
"I'll see if I can get a clean shirt for you," she said trying in vain to free herself from his grasp. "But you have to let me go so I can do that," she smiled looking up at him.
"No I don't," Damon stated. "I'll go with you. Even if you find a shirt for me, I can't change here in front of everyone."
"I wish you'd change in front of me," Catherine thought to herself.
"Unless you would like me to perform a private show for you," he smiled mischievously.
"No, I'm not that selfish," she returned his mischievous smile. "I wouldn't want the other girls to miss this once in a lifetime opportunity."
Damon was stun by her reply. No other girl had played him that way before. He slowly released her wrist from his grasp.
Catherine guided him upstairs. As he was admiring the straight column of her back and her round firm buttocks something occurred to him. "You are allowed a lot of freedom in this house, taking me to the family bedrooms."
"I am. I am a family member, otherwise I wouldn't run around the family rooms. And the bedroom we are heading to is mine," she said, waiting to hear his reply.
"Could it be her?" Damon thought to himself. She was beautiful, sexy and she was flirting with him as blatantly as he had flirted before with her. It would be hard for his brother who not to have fallen for her. It had to be her.
When she reached her bedroom door she stopped for a minute as if she was hesitating. "But I wouldn't let a man whose name I don't even know enter my bedroom," she looked straight into his eyes.
"Damon Bradley."
"I'm Catherine Rolland. Pleased to make your acquaintance Mr. Bradley." She felt his eyes roaming allover her body and shivers run through her. "Now, we may go inside," she said, regretting almost immediately, as his eyes were fixed on hers.
Catherine softly closed the door behind her and unwrapped the elegant box that lay on her bed. She had no idea why she was giving Alex's present to a stranger. She handed an exquisite white cotton shirt to Damon. "Here," she smiled awkwardly at Damon. "It was not originally for you, but you are in need, and I have to make up for ruining yours. I hope it fits". God, he looked absolutely dashing in his suit...
Before she could reach the door, Damon grabbed her wrist. "Where are you going?" he asked her harshly.
"I will be waiting for you outside, while you are changing. Then I'll show you to your table," she said holding her breath.
"I thought I was going to put up a private show for you. Isn't this why you brought me here?" he asked her gazing deep into her green eyes. "Oh, no little slut, you do not fuck with me this way, the way you fucked with my brother," he thought to himself.
"No. I already told you I wouldn't mind sharing you," she smiled wickedly, looking straight into his eyes. What devil made her say that?
She turned to leave, trying to free her wrist, but she felt herself spun around and slammed against the door. Before she could protest, Damon's mouth slanted over hers in a hot demanding kiss. She felt his tongue gaining entry into her mouth and tried to struggle against him, her fists beating his broad chest. She whimpered into his mouth when she felt his fingers clenching her buttocks, dragging her closer to him, sending shivers through her body, until she felt his hard, pulsing cock pressed intimately against her belly, burning her. She felt an excitement unfurl low in her pussy and trickles of moisture dripping down her thighs. That was it! Now she had to fight back for real.
Damon was unprepared for the fierce blow that landed on his cheek. He let her immediately and stepped back away from her. Catherine saw his cheek redden and her finger imprinted on it. The same devil that made her provoke him now made her regret.
"I'm so sorry. Forgive me," she managed to say through her ragged breathing.
His eyes were reduced to two burning slits as he gazed upon her, until she could no longer look at him.
"I will be waiting outside," was all she could say and she slowly opened the door, leaving him alone.
"She is truly amazing," Damon thought to himself as he was changing into the clean shirt. She had flirted with him, and he believed she had lured him into her room with every intention of seducing him. But the way she shivered when he kissed her hard up against the door... She wasn't as experienced and cool as she seemed. Maybe she wasn't the one he was looking for. Or maybe this was all part of an act, inflaming men only to laugh at them afterwards...
