It had been the first time in her life that Bijou had experienced true friendship. She’d been leery at first, not trusting Saria’s motives, but Saria had been so laid back, disappearing for days on end into the swamp. She had never pursued the friendship, never tried to push herself on Bijou. Bijou found herself drawn to the girl who seemed the exact opposite of her. Saria was a wild child, defiant and independent. Bijou always tried to fit in and not be noticed. Saria couldn’t care less what others thought of her, while Bijou seemed to be easily hurt by the things her classmates, teachers and the press said.

“You two ladies ready?” Drake asked and then stopped, whistling. “I get to take out the two most beautiful women in New Orleans.”

Saria beamed at him. She slipped her hand into the crook of his arm. “You clean up nice, Drake Donovan.”

Bijou took his other proffered arm. “I have to agree with Saria. You look amazin’, Drake.”

He flashed her a smile. He looked very different than the man who yesterday had been pacing and snarling and raking claws over Robert Lanoux’s face. No one would ever suspect that Drake was anything but a gentleman. When he looked at Saria, his features softened, his eyes held the light of love and there seemed to be no trace of that dangerous, lethal animal.

Bijou was caught spellbound by that look. She recognized it on Drake’s face, in his eyes, his expression, so why hadn’t she recognized it on Remy’s face? She memorized every bone, his strong jaw, all that luxurious dark hair spilling so carelessly into his amazing green eyes. Sometimes just looking at him made her feel as if she was free-falling off a cliff, and too far gone to save herself.

But that look she was seeing on Drake’s face, the intensity when he looked at Saria, was there on Remy’s face when he looked at her. For a moment the breath rushed out of her lungs and she just stood there, frozen, unable to move, shocked at the miracle that had been in front of her all along.

“Bijou?” Saria’s voice sounded far away. “Are you all right?”

Remy really was in new territory. He didn’t have a clue any more than she did—well, that wasn’t strictly true. He had a lot of experience, obviously, in areas she didn’t, but the emotions were as new to him as they were to her.

“I’m fine,” she answered. Her heart felt lighter than it had in years.

“Is Remy going to try to join us tonight?” Drake asked.