By the time she walked outside, a man was waiting by the car. The blond hair and smiling face gave away the fact that this wasn't Ben. As she approached, he gave her a wide smile. She'd never been able to resist Matt's charm. She couldn't help but relax a bit until she saw his gaze flick to her purse. Not like Matt to be quite so paranoid.

"Jenna, Jenna, Jenna. I didn't think I'd get to see you again," he said and winked.

Jenna's heart began to pound. Matt had been one of her few allies all those years ago. She loved his easy manner and the way she instinctively trusted him.

"Hi, Matt. How have you been? Still keeping Mr. Perfect safe and sound?"

He smiled. "I'm trying. You still bringing the high and mighty down a few pegs when they need it?"

She smiled back, "No one else seems to want to do it. So they're stuck with me."

"I hate to do this right before your date, Miss Robins-"

"Gods, that sounds weird coming from you," she said as she crinkled her nose.

Matt chuckled. "But I need to look in your purse."

"My purse?"

"Yes, ma'am. I need to check for concealed weapons."

Jenna looked down at the tiny square that was nothing more than a holder for her six-inch-long PCD and smiled. "No worries. If you happen to find anything of interest, please let me know. I've lost a lot of strange items in this beast."

Matt chuckled again and opened the tiny opening to her purse. With nothing else to do, Jenna's gaze drifted to the blackened windows of the car. She couldn't see in and had to wonder if Ben was inside or if Matt was here to drive her.

In a very official-sounding voice Matt handed the purse back to her. "Looks fine.

Sorry about that, Miss Robins. If you would allow me."

"Is he inside?" she whispered when Matt got close enough.

"Yes," Matt smirked. "I haven't seen him this excited in a while."

"Ben? Excited?" To see her? Maybe there was hope for this date after all.

"Have a good time, Jenna."

She took a step backward so Matt could open the door for her. She still couldn't see the interior very well, but that wasn't going to stop her now. With great care to keep from showing too much of her leg, she stepped into the limo and sat down on the closest seat. Matt closed the door and the darkness of the limo surrounded her like a blanket. After a few seconds of silence she began to tug at a strand of her hair that had escaped her updo.

"Hello?"

A noise across from her announced the presence of another person. Even squinting she couldn't make out where Ben was sitting. Instead, the bubble of nerves started to 17 build deep inside her, which kick-started her mouth.

"Nice to see you again, Ben. Well, not that I can actually see anything yet, but you know." She tried to swallow. Stupid mouth is dry again. "You have a beautiful car. I don't remember seeing this one before. Does it run on electricity, or do you have an alternate fuel cell?"

His chuckle was deep and rich. Mentally, she kicked her own ass.

"Sorry. I ramble when I get nervous," she muttered.

"I remember," his deep, rich voice floated across the small space.

Her eyes were finally beginning to adjust to the darkness. She could now see where he sat, but wasn't able to clearly make out his features. It wasn't until Matt started the limo and the soft glow of the LED lighting turned on that she saw his face.

Benjamin Hawthorn was as stunningly handsome a man as she remembered. His dark brown hair held a slight curl and was beginning to show faint signs of graying.

His rich hazel eyes didn't reveal much emotion, but he still had a slight smile on his full lips. She couldn't tell from his position if he was in the same amazing shape he'd been in seven years ago, but a small part of her really wanted to find out. Damn, she'd thought she was over him.

He wore a black jacket over a white linen shirt buttoned up to his neck. She suddenly got a mental picture of striping him from his jacket and yanking his white linen shirt from his pants. Damn.

She refocused in time and realized he was checking her out too. Jenna blushed.

"I'm sorry we kept you waiting. The streets of old Mars weren't designed for a vehicle this large."

"You should get a smaller car, or use a public transport car. It would make traveling around much easier and you would conserve energy at the same time." As the words left her, Jenna slapped her hand over her mouth, mortified. "I'm sorry. That was very rude of me."

He chuckled again. "Since when did you ever apologize for speaking your mind?

And you're right. But I don't think I could convince Matt to give up his baby. He reconstructed it from parts he had shipped from Earth."

He ran his hand gently back and forth over the seat cushion. Jenna couldn't tear her eyes away from the movement, amazed that she'd forgotten the size of his hands. Too many times she'd imagined what it would feel like to have them caressing her skin. She blushed again.

Ben reached over and picked up one of the large bottles that sat secured to the bar.

"Can I offer you a drink?"

Jenna's insides did a small flip-flop. She was going to need some courage if she was going to survive this date. He'd always been able to do this to her. Send her into an emotional tailspin with as much as a single look. It pissed her off to no end that he never once lost his cool. He never appeared to come unglued by anything or anyone at 18 all. Ben always came across as more than just a mere man, and that was the one thing that had always irked and attracted her. He had absolute control over everything in his universe. She'd always wondered what it would be like to give control to a man like that in the bedroom. Maybe it was time to find out. Looking back up to his eyes, she shivered at the predatory grin she saw there.

Or maybe not.

Realizing she hadn't answered his question, Jenna nodded weakly, managing to swallow past the lump in her throat. "Yes please."

He filled two glasses with a bubbly honey-colored liquid and did something that surprised Jenna. He picked it up and carefully made his way over to beside her. He sat just in time as the limo turned a corner. Jenna took her drink, but a small portion of it sloshed over the side. Without thinking, she licked the trickle from her hand to avoid it dripping onto her new dress. When she finished she realized Ben was staring at the spot where her tongue had been moments ago. He then brought his gaze to hers, and she forgot to breathe. Her heart was pounding loudly in her chest and ears as a shiver of sexual awakening ripped through her body.

"Do you like the champagne?" he asked in a voice that barely rose above a whisper.

He took a sip from his glass and waited for her answer. Jenna's body betrayed her mind's resolve to keep her distance on this date. She was here out of curiosity, to see why Ben had agreed to this date in the first place. It had nothing to do with the secret obsession she'd had for him seven years ago.

Fuck, he'd barely spoken to her and she was ready to pop, she was so turned-on.

Who was she kidding? All the old feelings she'd had for him had resurfaced with a vengeance. And those weren't going to lead anywhere-except maybe his bedroom.

Jenna dragged herself away from her thoughts and took a gulp of the drink and waited for the bubbles to travel the distance from her mouth to her stomach before she answered.

"It's very nice. Tickles my nose, but I love it."

"I'm glad," he said simply.

With their bodies this close together, Jenna could smell the light scent of his cologne. The musk seemed to suit him, different from what he wore the last time she'd been near him. She was also close enough now to see a light scar on his cheek.

Interesting.

Ben didn't say anything. This was probably some sort of tactic on his part. His way of putting her off guard so he could play one of his famous mind games with her. She swallowed a large gulp of the champagne and let the bubbles sting as they forced their way down her throat.

Jenna wiggled around in her seat, trying to get comfortable. Her dress tightened, constricting her movement. The neckline was too damn low, the cool air from the car chilling the tops of her breasts. Images of his large hands warming them up, caressing her through the fabric were pushing her arousal higher. She'd been without a man for 19 so long any man could have satisfied her. But Ben was more than simply any man, and he was very much her type.

He leaned in and kept his eyes firmly fixed on her. "I hope you don't mind, but I'd like to take you to a special place for dinner," he said with a knowing smile.

"Oh? I hope you don't intend to try and win me over with by showing off one of your secret millionaire hideaways," she said in what she hoped was a teasing tone.

Jenna already found herself second-guessing her actions.

He kept his gaze steady, locked to hers. "Still suspicious of everyone, I see."

"Not everyone. Just you."

They sat in silence for a minute, Jenna's mind reeling over the implications that this date would have for her. She wanted him badly. Not that she was into vengeance sex, but it would be amazing to finally satisfy her long-imagined and insatiable curiosity.

However, she wasn't willing to throw out her integrity for a good lay.

"There's something I want to ask you," she blurted out.

Ben frowned for a brief second before nodding.

She took mouthful of the drink. Time to lay things out in the open. "You know I've been assigned to lead the Rebuild project. So you know, I have no intention of letting you or your corporation have any undue influence on the project. I wanted to make that perfectly clear before this date goes too far and you need to kick me out."

Ben leaned forward a fraction of an inch and kept his eyes locked on Jenna's. "I wouldn't dream of interfering with your project. Or kicking you out for that matter."

The words didn't quite register with her. "You wouldn't?"

"You're a very interesting, attractive woman, Jenna."

She shook her head, "So why the hell did you agree to this date if it wasn't to woo me to your way of thinking?"

"Despite your popular perceptions, I happen to like to spend time with interesting, attractive women."

Jenna's mouth opened to respond, but nothing came out. Not that it stopped Ben.

"To be honest, I was curious to see if time had changed you into a kowtowing scientist, tempered your spirit any," he said and reached up to tuck the loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "I'm glad it hasn't."

With a snap she shut her mouth. That was the last thing she was expecting him to say. Hard to come up with a snappy comeback when he'd basically paid her a compliment. So she did what she always did when she was nervous, she laughed.

"I'm surprised you just didn't run a background check on me. Who knows, I could have changed into a crazy woman since you last saw me."

"I did."

Jenna blinked. "Pardon?"

Ben cleared his throat and moved his hand out of biting distance. "I ran a 20 background check. I wanted to make sure you were the same Jenna Robins."

Unbelievable. "Did you find out anything interesting about me?"

He looked steadily into her eyes and smirked. "A few things."

Jenna had to force her lungs to work. She should be outraged that he would look into her life like you would check on a criminal. But when the logical side caught up with the rest of her brain, she realized that a man in Ben's position would have to check out her background thoroughly. Especially after their history and the fact that they were now sitting thigh to thigh in the back of his limo.

"Anything I should be aware of?" her voice was shaky as she spoke.

He inched closer to her, "You're still obsessed with work. You haven't seriously dated for the past five years. And you like seafood."

Without thinking, Jenna reached up and brushed a piece of lint from Ben's jacket. "I think that was all in my profile. Learn anything else?"

Ben captured her hand as she brought it down, turned it over so the palm was facing up and brought her wrist to his mouth. Jenna's heart pounded and her nipples hardened when his lips made contact with her sensitive skin. But when his tongue licked a slow circle over her pulse point, she thought she would burst.

"I learned that you like that," he said against her wrist, his breath heating and cooling the damp skin.

He licked once more before pulling back. Her heart pounded in her chest, throat and ears from the intensity of his touch. The skin tingled long past the warmth of contact.

"Well, that definitely wasn't in my profile," she managed to squeak out. Had she been thinking straight she would have read his information.

Heat from his body warmed her and she had to fight against the temptation to lean in and get close. Without pulling back or releasing her hand, Ben moved his face to within inches of her. "Our destination is a short distance away. But would you like something to eat?"

From seemingly out of nowhere, Ben produced a strawberry and brought it to her lips. She gasped, fleeting thoughts about the cost of the berry quickly disappearing when he placed the juicy flesh of the berry to her lips. She closed her eyes as her mouth exploded with flavor.

"I've haven't had one of those since I was a kid," she managed between bites.

"The university hydroponics lab sent me a pint shortly after we partnered with them. It seems only fitting that you get to share them with me."

Ben finally released her hand and brought the small bowl of berries to rest between them. Jenna stared at them and couldn't stop the grin that slowly spread across her lips.

"I forgive you. For whatever past transgressions you did to me, totally forgiven."

Jenna pulled back slightly to give her head time to clear. Things were moving so quickly, she'd almost forgotten that this was Ben-the man who'd tried to put an end to 21 her research and her plans to help Mars.

"Would you like another?"

He held the bowl out to her. Jenna really looked at him then, trying to read any hidden meaning behind this date. All she saw was a handsome man holding a bowl of strawberries. Maybe there wasn't anything more to this date than what he said. Take a chance, Jen. She nodded and they slowly ate the berries in silence until there were none left.

The alcohol started to make her head spin. Jenna had to give it a shake to help her focus. The silence and movement of the car started to act like a sedative. Conversation.

She needed to get him talking.

"Okay," she said as she shifted in her seat, "I have a question and I'd like you to answer honestly. Why are you, Ben-the-richest-man-on-Mars-Hawthorn subscribed to a dating service?"

"For the same reason as you, I imagine."

Jenna laughed at the thought of Ben shoved in the room with her friends. "I doubt that. I was set up as a birthday present."

"Ah."