Page 177 of Awakened by Sin

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Carmen stepped backfrom the vanity and posed in black lingerie and high heels. All she had to do was slip into her slinky black dress and she would be ready for the business dinner with Marcus. It had been a long week, and she was in the mood to let loose. Maybe she could seduce him in his suite after this business dinner. The fact that Lyla wasn’t in town niggled at the back of her mind. She would have visited her mother, but she was on her cabin trip in the woods. Maddie was elbow deep in college homework, and Marcus had been busy all week. She kept herself busy by working out, visiting Cormac at a gym, having dinner with Janice and Alice, and volunteering at the dog shelter. These things distracted her but didn’t cancel out her growing anxiety.

The beginning strains of her restlessness were coming back. Ever since her confrontation with Angel, she couldn’t get his words out of her mind. It was almost as if he was deliberately summoning her old demons to wreak hell on her. The best remedy was to go on a trip. She made a reservation at a gorgeous resort in Laguna Beach. She and Marcus were going to sit in the sun, get massages, and swim in the ocean. She couldn’t wait.

“If you wear that, no one will be able to concentrate.”

She jumped and saw Marcus standing in the bathroom doorway.

“I didn’t know you were coming by!” she shouted as she rushed to him and lifted her face for a kiss. He planted a deep one on her with enough heat to make her nails dig into his back.

“You’re almost ready?” he asked gruffly when he raised his head.

“Yup! Just need to put on my dress.”

“Great.” He gave her another kiss and stepped back. “I have a surprise for you. I wanted to make sure you wear it tonight.”

Her heart skipped. “Surprise?”

“You’re always surprising me with gifts.” He reached down and picked up a gift bag she hadn’t noticed and handed it to her. “I think you’ll like it.”

She pulled a large velvet box out of the bag and stared at him. “What’s this?”

He took it from her and opened it. Nestled on black velvet was the magnificent diamond necklace fit for a royal. She backed up with her hands over her mouth. She stared at him, astounded and slightly horrified.

“You bought this for me?” she whispered.

“Of course.”

She shook her head. “You can’t!”

“But I did.” He pulled the necklace from the box and came toward her.

She backed up until the mermaid statue forced her to stop. “You must have paid a fortune.”

“I’m a rich man, Carmen.”

She put her hands on her hips. “And I’m a rich woman. I could have bought this for myself.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

Her mouth opened and closed without uttering a word. He reached her, and despite her bid to avoid him, he slid the necklace around her throat. The heavy weight of it immobilized her. He fastened it and stepped back with a smile.

“You look beautiful.”

She was afraid to look in the mirror. She stared at him. “Why?”

“Because you wanted it.”

“I wanted this house, and you didn’t sell it to me!”

He laughed and wrapped her close. “Still harping on that, Carmen?”

“It’s true! And this necklace cost more than the house! You can’t—”

“What are friends for?”

“Friends don’t buy friends expensive jewelry!” she snapped and tried to push him away.

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