"Oh, here they come."

Carolyn glanced around at Genie's warning.

"They're all coming, not just Julius and Marguerite," Genie pointed out.

As if she could have missed that fact, Carolyn thought dryly. Cripes, the men were a wall of male flesh that pretty much engulfed the two smaller females. They were all so tall it was like watching a walking forest.

"Do you think Gia got the chance to tell him you agreed to be his beard?"

"I don't know," Carolyn muttered, suddenly nervous.

"I guess we'll find out soon enough. Gad, you're so lucky. I wouldn't mind being his beard. Getting to hang on his arm, and cuddle up to him and stuff."

"What?" Carolyn blinked at the words.

"Well, you'll have to make it convincing," Genie pointed out. "You can't just sit there like a bump on a log.

Brent used to put his arm around you all the time. He held your hand and kissed your forehead too when you were doing it for him."

Yes, he had, Carolyn realized with dismay. Good lord, she'd forgotten about that part of it. It had just seemed natural with Brent, brotherly affection rather than anything untoward, but then she hadn't been lusting after Brent, and despite the fact that she knew Christian was gay, she still found him damned attractive.

"I'm sure Christian will expect the same," Genie pointed out. "I mean you're supposed to convince them all that you're having an affair."

Carolyn was just beginning to hyperventilate at that thought, when Genie added, "Of course, you're not supposed to be having the affair yet, so tonight will probably just be exchanging glances and smiles and stuff. But don't forget to do it."

"Right," Carolyn muttered, calming a little. She could do glances and smiles. Tomorrow she'd worry about hand-holding and that other business. Maybe once she got to know him, her feelings would shift to the more sisterly affection she had for Brent... Right, she thought as her eyes slid over Christian in his tight black T-shirt and even tighter black jeans. He was a beautiful man.

Gay, gay, gay, she reminded herself grimly. It wasn't nice to lust after young gay men, no matter how studly they were. Hell, she shouldn't be lusting after anyone his age to begin with.

"You're on," Genie whispered just before the group reached the table, and then noting the look on Carolyn's face, muttered, "I'll wave down the waitress and order you a drink. A nice stiff one."

"Thanks." Carolyn suspected she'd need it as she pasted a smile on her lips.

Christian was at the head of the group, his eyes locked on hers again, and the moment she smiled, his lips quirked into a responding one. He also moved around the table, his fingers brushing along her back above the chair as he passed behind her to claim the chair on her left.

Carolyn's smile became strained as she fought off the shiver that tried to ride up her back at the light-no doubt unintentional-touch.

"Two slushy lime margaritas," Genie said as a waitress appeared at their table. Glancing around, she asked, "What else?"

"I'll have the same." Christian's deep voice sounded by Carolyn's ear, and she turned with a start to see that he'd turned sideways and pulled his seat closer. He'd also placed one hand on the back of her chair and the other on the table in front of her. It made her feel surrounded.

She started to glance nervously away, but paused when he leaned forward to whisper in her ear.

"Gia told me. Thank you."

Carolyn couldn't stop the shiver that claimed her this time when his breath brushed her ear. She tried to cover her reaction with a nod, but thought, Cripes,, what have I gotten myself into here?

"I know I told you before, but you guys were great," Genie announced suddenly and Carolyn turned to her gratefully.

"Yes, you were all very good," she agreed, frowning when her voice came out huskier than usual. Maybe she was getting Bethany's bug, Carolyn lied to herself desperately.

"What's your favorite song?" Christian asked, drawing her gaze again. His eyes were sleepy as he added, "I'll play it just for you tomorrow night."

Carolyn's eyes widened, but all she managed to get out was a weak, "Er."

"Christian can play anything from the sixteenth century on," Gia announced, drawing her attention next.

"He's very talented."

"The rest of us are no slouches either, but Christian is the family prodigy," Zanipolo said in an extremely deep voice she didn't recall from the bus. Perhaps he was getting a cold too, she thought.

"Do you play an instrument?" Christian asked, drawing her reluctant gaze back to find he'd leaned in closer, his face just inches away.

Carolyn couldn't even manage an "Er" this time and simply shook her head.

"But she loves music. She loves to dance," Genie announced cheerfully.

"Christian loves to dance too," Gia said at once. "We should find a nightclub in town after the show tomorrow night and go dancing."

"Oh, that's a brilliant idea, Gia," Marguerite said at once. "I'd love to go dancing. You two will come, won't you, Carolyn? Genie?"

"Sure we will," Genie said for both of them.

"I'll look forward to it," Christian murmured in her ear.

Carolyn swiveled her head to glance at him and nearly kissed the man he was leaning so close. She felt his breath on her lips and swallowed.

"Oh, good. Here are our drinks," Genie announced brightly.

Carolyn turned with relief.

The waitress had returned with a tray of drinks. As the woman distributed the other drinks, Genie took a margarita off the tray and handed it to Carolyn saying, "Pass it along."

Carolyn automatically took it and turned toward Christian, but froze when his hand closed over hers, his fingers caressing hers briefly before they shifted to take the glass.

"Thank you."

"Er," Carolyn muttered and quickly turned back to take the second margarita Genie was now holding out.

Lifting it to her mouth, she took a big gulp. Sharp pain immediately shot through her head.

"What's the matter?" Christian asked with concern when she set the glass down and raised her fingers to the bridge of her nose.

"Brain freeze?" Genie asked. When Carolyn nodded, she said, "Rub your tongue across the top of your mouth and cup your hand over your mouth and nose then blow hot air into it. That always helps me."

"Here." Christian caught her chin and turned her face to his, then cupped his own hands around either side of her mouth and nose and blew his warm breath into the cave he'd made. He had nice breath, she thought vaguely, wide eyes staring into his as he blew again.

"Don't forget to rub the top of her mouth with your tongue too, cousin," Zanipolo laughed.

Flushing, Carolyn pulled back to turn abruptly to her drink. She nearly took another swig, but caught herself.

Slow sips, she told herself firmly. Brain freezes were painful, and her brain was useless enough already. Damn he was good at this. She herself almost believed he was interested. Gay men shouldn't be this sexy.

Genie suddenly muttered by her ear, "Damn he's good at this. I'm almost believing he's hot for you myself and I know he's gay."

Since she'd just had the very same thought herself, Genie's words shouldn't have affected her, but for some reason they depressed the hell out of Carolyn and her shoulders slumped a little as she lifted her drink to her lips for another swallow.

A sudden reduction in the heat along her side made Carolyn glance around, and she watched Christian lean toward Marguerite as she whispered something in his ear. When he started to straighten, she turned her gaze quickly back to her drink and took another sip. But now she was aware of the heat he was radiating. It seemed to prickle along her side like an electrical current.

"The moonlight on the water is beautiful at night," Christian said huskily. "Would you take a walk with me?"

Carolyn blinked at the request, her eyes shooting to his face. When she didn't respond other than to stare at him wide-eyed, he took her free hand and started to stand.

"Come. We won't go far and I'll bring you right back."

Carolyn reluctantly released her glass as he tugged her to her feet, then moved in front of him at his urging to weave her way through the tables to the opening in the railing where they could step down onto the sand. She was very aware of his hand at her back as they walked, aware too that the table had gone silent behind them. Carolyn was pretty sure everyone was watching them, even people at tables they were passing were looking, and she suddenly felt self-conscious as their eyes slid from her to the man behind her... an obviously younger man.

Christian moved up beside her and took her hand once they hit the sand.

"What's wrong?" he asked quietly when she stopped.

"Nothing, I'm just getting sand in my sandals. I thought I'd take them off," she said, which wasn't a complete lie, but also allowed her to pull her hand free. Relief immediately rushed through her, but it turned to dismay when he knelt at her feet and began to undo her sandals before she could bend to the task herself. Good lord, he was playing Prince Charming to her Cinderella!

"You fixed your shoe," he said with surprise.

"Not really. Genie took it to her office and stapled the strap back into place. It's a temporary fix, but it's working for now." She bit her lip as his fingers brushed against the bare flesh of her feet as he worked. Cripes! Since when had her feet been an erogenous zone? Carolyn wondered with dismay as his touch sent little tingles skating up her leg. She had definitely been too long without the touch of a man if his undoing her shoe could affect her like this, she thought, gritting her teeth and just refraining from grabbing his shoulders to steady herself as her knees went weak.

Carolyn managed to hold herself upright until he finished, but it was a close call, and she couldn't help releasing a relieved little sigh when he straightened.

When she held out her hand for the shoes, he took it in his instead and drew her forward, her shoes caught in his other hand. Carolyn fell into step, but she was thinking that this had been a really bad idea and that maybe she couldn't do this after all. She was trying to think of a way to say so when he suddenly said, "Thank you."

Carolyn glanced at him uncertainly. "For what?"

"For agreeing to help me," he said as if that should be obvious, and she supposed it would have been had she not just been trying to figure out a way to wiggle free of the promise. When she remained silent, he added, "I really appreciate it. My family wouldn't understand."

"They all seem like lovely people," she murmured, and then added almost hopefully, "I'm sure they would be more accepting than you think."

Christian shook his head firmly. "No. They're very old fashioned. I wouldn't just be disinherited, I'd basically be cut from the family if they found out."

Carolyn frowned. It was hard to believe that Marguerite and Gia would turn their backs on him. She was less sure about Julius and the others though.

"So I really appreciate your willingness to help me with this," Christian continued. "I'll try to make it as easy as I can for you."

Well, that put paid to her backing out now, Carolyn supposed. She'd feel a complete heel if she did. It wouldn't be so bad, she assured herself. They'd hold hands once in a while, maybe he'd put his arm around her a time or two and look at her all sexy and sloe eyed while he talked to her. She could handle it, she assured herself. It wasn't like they were going to be around his family all the time, and when they weren't they could both relax and just be natural... whatever that was.

"It's beautiful here," Christian said suddenly, pausing at the edge of the surf and peering out over the moonlight dappled water.

"Yes," she agreed, taking it all in herself. It really was the perfect place for a honeymoon. Which just made her wish she was here with someone who was actually interested in her and not-"

May I kiss you?"

Carolyn turned to peer up at him sharply. "What?"

"The whole table's watching us. They'll expect it," he explained wryly, his gaze sliding to the side as if looking toward the table.

Carolyn started to turn her head, but he caught her chin and slid his hand into her hair to stop her.

"You'll give away that we know they're watching," he warned quietly. "And Julius is very sharp. He's also suspicious at the moment. I think someone's been carrying tales to him."

Carolyn frowned.

"It's okay if you don't want me to kiss you," he said with understanding. "It would be helpful, but I know it's a lot to ask." He hesitated and then added, "I could just kiss your ear. That would be enough to satisfy Julius. I-"

"The ear," she said quickly, thinking that would surely have less effect than his kissing her lips. It certainly carried less chance of her doing something stupid like kissing him back and giving away her attraction to him.

Carolyn thought he smiled, though she wasn't sure in this light, and then his head lowered. He slid his hand into her hair, drawing it back from her face and ear, using the hold to tilt her head up and slightly to the side. Then his mouth was there and her eyes widened as a whole new world of erogenous zones opened up and swallowed her whole.

Dear God, her stomach actually jumped. Or something moved inside her, and then she was nothing but a mass of sensation as his lips, teeth and tongue explored her ear.

Carolyn was hardly aware of reaching for his arms to steady herself, or that her body moved instinctively closer to his, and when he whispered, "Thank you," by her ear and slowly straightened, she was more disappointed than she'd ever been over anything in her life.

"Christ, I need to get laid." The words slid out before she'd realized she was going to say them, and Carolyn slapped a hand to her mouth and stared at him with horror.

She couldn't believe she'd said that. She couldn't even believe she'd thought it. She just wasn't all that sexual.

Robert had always said she was frigid. She'd never-Seeing how wide Christian's eyes had gone, she pulled her hand away from her mouth and said quickly, "Not by you, of course. I just mean, I-it's been a long time since-I can't believe I even said that," she muttered on a groan. "It's been seven years since I had sex and I haven't even wanted to or anything. I-"

She stopped trying to stammer her way out of that one when he pulled her into his arm and patted her back soothingly.

* * *

"It's all right. I understand. It's been a long time for me too," Christian growled, but was thinking, It had been seven years since she'd had sex? He was sure Marguerite had said Carolyn and her husband had split only two years ago. But she hadn't had sex in seven years?

"Really? It's been a long time for you too?" she asked, pulling back with surprise. "Is that because you have to be so careful? I mean, Brent seemed to be forever flitting off with a new lover before he met Stanley."

Christian released her and stepped back, both regretting that he had to do so and relieved to be able to at the same time. That brief nuzzling had affected him much more than he'd expected. It was the shared pleasure. There was definitely no question that Carolyn was his lifemate.

Only lifemates shared pleasure as he'd just experienced.

Every scrape of his teeth, and every lave of his tongue along her ear had sent pleasure cascading through his own body as if she were actually doing it to him. It was something Christian had never experienced before, so he hadn't realized how powerful a punch it would carry.

Christian had only stopped when he had because he'd been a heartbeat away from bearing her down onto the sand and completely blowing his cover story of being gay.

He'd actually had to argue himself out of doing it. But when she'd blurted out those words about needing to get laid... well, that was when the real struggle had taken place. He'd pulled her into his arms to keep from following through on the first urge. He was definitely going to have to be more careful in future. He would have to keep some distance between them, or at least not breach that distance unless they were around the others, whose presence would help to rein him in.

"Brent," Christian murmured the man's name as he stepped back to give them both a little space. He couldn't resist catching her hand in his as he urged her to walk again, but it was better to keep moving. There was less temptation to kiss her if he wasn't looking at her. "Brent is the friend Gia was telling me about?"

"Yes." He felt some of her tension slip away. Whether it was because they were walking again, or just because she was thinking of her friend he wasn't sure.

"Tell me about him," he urged.

"Well, he's my age," she said slowly.

"What's he like?"

A fond smile came to her lips and-despite himself-Christian felt jealousy slither through him. He didn't like the fact that someone else was the recipient of an affection he couldn't yet lay claim to.

"Well, you'd probably like him actually," Carolyn said, her smile widening. "He's smart, funny, and certainly not lacking in looks. He's about as tall as you, with dark hair and a nice smile too." Carolyn grinned and then teased, "If he were still single I'd call and suggest he fly out so I could introduce the two of you. He likes redheads."

"I'm not a redhead," Christian muttered, trying not to show his horror at the thought that his lifemate, a woman he'd waited more than five hundred years for, wanted to set him up with her gay school chum. Dear God! He hadn't expected this when he'd gotten the call that Marguerite wanted him in St. Lucia.

"You do have red in your hair," Carolyn said, drawing his attention again. "It's a lovely dark chestnut with red highlights. Dark auburn I guess."

Christian grunted. It was hair. He'd never thought much about it other than the fact that he'd obviously inherited it from his mother. Most Nottes had black hair, unless they dyed it like Gia.

"Anyway, Brent and I were both majoring in business when we met, but both wanted business law. We had a couple of classes together, found we had a lot in common, and started hanging out." She shrugged. "We became best friends."

"Gia said you were his beard?" Christian asked curiously, wondering how that had come about.

"Yes. That just kind of happened. As I said, he was good-looking and not effeminate at all, so naturally drew a lot of attention from girls at uni. But when we started studying and hanging around together, they backed off."

Carolyn smiled wryly. "It took us a while, but then we realized that because we were always together, people assumed we were a couple.

Then when we moved into an apartment together in our second year, they really thought we were a couple," she said with amusement.

"Which worked out nicely. It kept the she-wolves away."

"It would have kept the men away from you too, though."

Carolyn shrugged. "I didn't have time for them anyway.

I was on a scholarship. I had to keep my grades up."

"Your parents couldn't afford to put you through school?"

"Parent," Carolyn corrected quietly. "My mother was the only family I ever had, and as a single parent she worked two jobs to make ends meet. There was always lots of love, but not much money. I knew quite young that I'd have to earn a scholarship to go to university, so worked hard through high school. I was a complete geek," she admitted wryly. "Always studying, always working for extra credit. But Mom was proud of me for that."

"And where is your mother now?" Christian asked, worry sliding through him. If there had just been the two of them, they were probably very close. He could easily see that she loved her mother dearly. Carolyn might resist turning to avoid leaving her mother behind.

Carolyn blew her breath out, sadness sliding across her face. "She worked herself sick to raise me, and then died just before I graduated."

Christian was silent for a moment, considering everything he'd learned. It sounded like-thanks to all her studying and hard work in high school and university-she'd missed out on a lot of the sexual experimentation mortals now indulged in during their late teens and early twenties.

"So you spent your university years working hard and hanging out with Brent?" he asked finally, trying to figure out just how much she'd missed out on and what made her tick.

Carolyn smiled faintly. "And Genie and Bethany. We were all housemates."

"And you're still friends with all of them," Christian murmured, somewhat surprised. From what he understood, university friends tended to drift apart as life took them down different paths, but Carolyn nodded.

"Genie's major was travel and tourism, and after graduation she got a job at a resort in Puerto Vallarta. But she and I were pretty close and kept in touch through letters and e-mails.

We've kept writing all this time as she's moved from job to job."

"And Bethany?" he asked.

"Bethany and I kind of drifted apart after graduation.

We only reconnected three years ago when my husband and I sold one house for another. She's a realtor now," Carolyn explained. "And when I started to search for one and saw her name, I called her on impulse. We had coffee a time or two then, but Robert-well, he discouraged my having outside friends," she admitted with discomfort and rushed on, "But when we split and put the house up for sale for the divorce, she handled that one as well and she was a rock, very supportive. We've grown close again since then."

Christian was silent as he absorbed her words. That little bit told him a lot about her marriage. The only kind of man who discouraged outside friends was an abusive one. They liked to isolate their victims so they had no support and were less likely to leave. Letting it go for now, he asked, "And Brent?"

"Oh, so you are interested in him," she teased.

Christian forced a smile, but didn't comment. He was interested, but not in the way she meant. If Genie and Bethany and her mother were all gone by the end of university, then Carolyn had been on her own except for Brent.

"Brent and I both got jobs in the city. Junior positions, of course, both underpaid and overworked to start. But we pooled our money and took an apartment together."

Carolyn chuckled. "It's amazing how much fun you can have on little money. It helped that both our companies were big on family gatherings and had numerous dinners and parties where a date or a spouse was encouraged to attend. I'd go as his date and we'd stuff ourselves and-"

"Still his beard?" Christian asked with a frown.

"The law firm he got a position with was kind of conservative," she explained. "He was worried about getting a partnership if they knew he was gay. It was just easier to take me." She shrugged. "I didn't mind though, because it meant he had to be my date for my firm's functions. It worked out well."

"And neither your boyfriends nor his minded?"

Carolyn shifted uncomfortably. "His didn't mind."

"And yours?" Christian asked, eyes narrowing as her discomfort grew.

Finally, she admitted, "I didn't date much. We both worked long hours and when we did have spare time there wasn't much money. We might go to a bar for a drink once in a while, sometimes a gay bar, sometimes straight, but... " She looked uncomfortable. "There aren't a lot of straight men in gay bars, and in straight bars people thought we were together. Not that I'd have picked up a guy from a bar anyway," Carolyn added wryly. "I guess I'm old fashioned."

They were both silent, and then she admitted quietly, "Or maybe it's more that I'm socially backward or something.

I'm not all that comfortable around new people most of the time, at least not in social situations. I'm a whiz at dealing with people at work, but put me in a social situation and I turn into this brainless twit. I lose the ability to speak with any kind of intelligence and-Frankly, I often start to feel like I'm drowning."

"You didn't get much chance to practice," he said gently when she fell silent. "You were busy earning your scholarship when most kids learn to socialize."

Carolyn bobbed her head, but didn't comment and Christian watched her silently. She'd eschewed any kind of social life in high school and worked her butt off to get her scholarship, then had continued to avoid social entanglements in university to keep it. No doubt with her mother, Genie, and Bethany gone after graduation, she'd clung to Brent as her only friend, and probably the closest thing to family she had. But it had hampered any chance of a social life for her.

"How long did the two of you share an apartment?" he asked abruptly.

She raised her head and peered along the beach, her eyes narrowing. "Let's see, it was four years to get my undergrad degree, then three for the law degree, so we moved into the apartment when I was twenty-five and he moved out west when I was thirty-one, so six years I guess."

"He moved out west?" Christian asked, thinking that would have left her completely alone.

Carolyn nodded. "He got offered a position with the promise of a junior partnership in two years if it worked out so he moved out to British Columbia. It all turned out for the best though. The head of the firm there was openly gay, which made things easier for him, and he eventually met Stanley there. They got married and have been together for... wow, it's ten years now," she said with surprise and then muttered, "Time flies when you're busy."

"And what did you do when he left?" Christian asked quietly, imagining her alone in the big city.

"Well, fortunately, by that time I was making more money and could afford the rent on our apartment on my own, so I just stayed there."

"I meant socially," Christian said patiently. "It sounds like Brent was both family and friend to you until then.

How did you cope with losing him?"

"Oh." Carolyn shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I missed him, of course."

That was undoubtedly the understatement of the century, Christian thought grimly.

"My phone bills were crazy huge the first year and so were his... But then he met Stanley and I met Robert and..." She shook her head and said wryly, "Marriage is not an antidote for loneliness."

Christian turned to look up the beach. He suspected her husband had been her only lover, or at least one of a very few... and apparently he hadn't been her lover long. If she was thirty-two when they met, was forty-two now and hadn't had sex for seven years-And the sex wouldn't have stopped abruptly, but would have slowed to a trickle and then dribbles-Good lord, he thought, it was no wonder she was horrified by the prospect of an affair with what she thought was a younger man. The idea of an affair at all probably gave her palpitations with the little bit of experience she'd had.

Gia's plan probably had been the only way for him to get to know her, he realized. Now he just had to try to keep his hands to himself, he thought grimly. Which definitely wasn't going to be easy. Life mates weren't known to have a lot of control around each other, but he suspected it was vital to keep them out of the bedroom for a while if he wanted to earn her trust and win her.

Sighing, he said, "Tell me about your husband."

"No." The word was sharp and Christian glanced over to see that her expression was closed. He felt as if a door had just shut in his face, and was more disappointed than surprised when she stopped walking and said, "We should go back. We've walked quite a distance and they'll be wondering where we are."

Carolyn turned back without waiting to see if he would follow, and wasn't very responsive to his comments and questions after that even though he avoided the subject of her marriage. Obviously, it was a subject to stay away from in future if he wished to spend time with her.