*vroom*
The car rolled smoothly along the winding coastal highway as the late-afternoon sun hung low.
Brandon kept one hand loose on the wheel, the other resting on the gear shift, fingers tapping idly in time with the soft track playing through the speaker.
He was humming along with the song when the GPS chimed softly "In 200 meters, turn right."
The mansion appeared at the crest of the next rise, and Brandon eased the car to a stop just beyond the gates.
A few seconds passed and the double front doors swung inward.
Esmery stepped out.
She wore a deep emerald-green dress with an off-the-shoulder neckline dipping low enough to reveal the elegant swell of her cleavage.
The skirt fell in soft layers to mid-calf, slit high on one thigh so that each step flashed a long, toned leg.
Brandon forgot to breathe for half a second.
She crossed the flagstones, her heels clicking softly until she reached the passenger side.
