Sweet Persuasion

He smiled. “If I was still with her, you and I would have never embarked on our own odyssey.”

“True. I guess I’m not so sorry after all. I do regret that you were hurt.”

He reached over and touched her cheek. “Thank you for that, Serena mine.”

“Did you call her that too?” she asked in a sudden flash of irritation.

Damon gave her a puzzled look. “Call her what?”

“Mine.”

He slowly shook his head. “No. I’ve never used that particular endearment with anyone before. Does it bother you?”

“Only if you used it for all your women,” she said honestly.

“No, just with you.”

It was ridiculous that it gratified her to hear it, but she wouldn’t lie outright and say it wouldn’t have a

“What about you, Serena? Why did you seek me out? Did your previous lovers not satisfy your hunger?”

She leaned back against the head rest and sighed. “It’s hard to explain, really. I won’t say my lovers were bad. They were all different. Some better than others, but they all satisfied my needs at the time. It was only later that I felt like something was missing, that I wanted something more but couldn’t articulate what it was exactly.

“My lovers were everything I could ask for. Kind, generous. Willing to please. I guess we just didn’t click long-term. One of them proposed, but the idea of spending the rest of my life with him turned me cold.”

“I know how the poor bastard feels,” Damon said ruefully.

Serena winced. “That probably sounded pretty close to home and not very tactful of me.”

“No, at least you were honest, just like Tonya was honest with me. I can’t fault either of you for that. It would have been worse if you had lied. In the long run, it would have been harder for everyone.”

“I know,” she said softly. “But part of me also wonders what might have been. If I made a mistake. If right now I wouldn’t be happy in a marriage with children and someone I could grow old with.”

“It’s easy to play the what-if game, but if you had enough reservations to end the relationship early on, you were probably right. Settling is something I swore never to do. It’s not fair to me or to the woman I’m involved with.”

“I think you have some pretty solid views on relationships,” she complimented.

He winced. “If that was so, I’d have a committed relationship of my own with maybe one or two rug rats underfoot. Although, I’m not in a hurry for children. I want time with my wife. I want her to myself, as selfish as that may sound.”

“If you’re selfish, then so am I. I’ll make a confession, one I’ve never given anyone else.”

“Oh, now I’m intrigued.”

She laughed softly. “A bit ago, when I said that part about maybe now I’d have a husband and children. Well, the truth is, I’ve never been in a hurry for kids either. It’s easy to say what I might have when there’s no possibility of it, you know?”

“Yeah, I do know. So you’re saying you don’t want children?”

“Maybe? I don’t really know. I guess I haven’t met a man who made me think seriously about settling down and bearing offspring. I’m not convinced I’ll be terribly good at it. And like you, I’d like some time with my lover. Just the two of us. I have such dreams about going places together. Seeing new and exciting things . . .”

She trailed off and looked self-consciously over at Damon. He smiled warmly at her.

“I think we have a lot in common, Serena mine.”

Her body hummed with pleasure, and she squeezed his fingers. They did have a lot in common except the one looming obstacle. And it was a biggie.

She wanted a fantasy. He wanted the real thing.

With a resigned sigh, she turned to look out her window at the passing cypress swamp. It wouldn’t do any good to allow herself to become too emotionally invested in Damon. They wanted different things. And she could never give herself so unreservedly to a man on a permanent basis.

CHAPTER 25

Damon’s mother was sitting in a porch swing waiting for them when they drove up in the late afternoon. Serena wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting, maybe a sweet, silver-haired lady with an apron. Now she felt pretty silly when confronted with the gorgeous, young-looking woman who stood and beamed as Damon got out of the car.

She was wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt, and her hair hung to her shoulders. Not a single silver hair marred the deep chestnut color, so close to Damon’s own. Where his eyes were a chocolate brown, his mother’s were a sparkling green.

Damon walked around and helped Serena from the car then slipped his hand in hers as they walked toward his mother. She greeted them at the steps, opening her arms to Damon.

Her eyes glittered with tears as she hugged her son, and Serena felt her own throat tighten at the emotional reunion.

“It’s so good to have you home, son,” she said as she pulled away. Then she turned her gaze to Serena and smiled warmly. “I’m Josephine Roche, Damon’s mother.”

Serena smiled in return but before she could open her mouth, Damon put an arm around her shoulders and drew her close.

“Mom, this is Serena James.”

“I’m so glad to meet you, Serena.”

“I’m very glad to meet you as well, Mrs. Roche.”

“Please call me Jo. It’s what I’m used to.”

“Mom, if you’ll take Serena inside, I’ll get our bags.”

“I’d be glad to. Serena? If you’ll come with me. I have tea made, and supper will be ready in half an hour. I made Damon’s favorite. Sausage gumbo.”

“So what will you and Serena eat?” Damon asked i

Jo laughed then planted both her hands on Damon’s cheeks and kissed him soundly. “I’m so glad you’re here. You’ve been away too long.”

“I know, Mom. I’m sorry,” he said softly.

She smiled a little sadly and patted him on the cheek. “I know how hard it is for you.”

He kissed her palm then pulled her hand away and squeezed before letting it go. “You two go on in. I’ll be right behind you.”

Serena followed Jo inside the sprawling southern home. The porch completely wrapped around and butted into a wooden deck in the back of the house. Serena stood at the window looking out over the bayou that snaked its way through the Roches’ property.

“Great view, isn’t it?” Jo asked beside her.

Serena turned to take the glass of tea that Jo offered and nodded. “Do you have alligators?”

Jo gri

“You’re not telling all my secrets are you, Mom?” Damon asked as he came to stand behind Serena.

He put his arm around her waist and dropped a kiss on top of her head. Serena tensed, not entirely comfortable with the display of affection in front of a woman she’d just met, but Jo smiled openly in delight.

“I thought we could eat out on the deck this evening. We can watch the sun go down and look for fireflies over the bayou,” Jo said.

Damon stilled against her and she turned around to see a sad smile crossing his face. “Just like old times.”

Serena glanced back at Jo, whose face reflected a sad poignancy even though she too smiled. She reached out and squeezed Damon’s hand. “Yes, just like old times.”

Then she turned and reached to squeeze Serena’s hand. “Why don’t you let Damon show you around while I set the gumbo back on to warm. I’ll call you two when it’s time to set the table.”

“Still a slave driver, I see,” Damon said.

“Damn right. I cook it. You can at least set the table and clear up afterward.”

He leaned over and brushed a kiss across his mother’s forehead. “With the way you cook, I’m getting the best end of the bargain.”