Having recovered from the disappointment he felt regarding the damaged Dodge; and with the striking beauty of the man sitting opposite him; Noah found himself entertaining an idea that only a few hours ago had seemed insane.

Luke Snyder was a gigantic distraction!

He possessed a strange old-fashioned grace and an earthiness Noah couldn't quite match with the wealthy playboy lifestyle Luke seemed to live. Intriguing to say the least.

Noah hadn't been able to get the guy out of his head all that day. These days, when he wanted something, Noah didn't have any problem going out to get it. But this 'something' had some seriously bad timing.

At this juncture in his career, Noah should have been stepping carefully. But there was nothing careful, delicate or discrete about Luke Snyder.

In just a few weeks, Noah's picture would be splashed on the front cover of entertainment sections of major newspapers from Los Angeles to New York along with the announcement he was forming his own production company. Reporters would turn into a pack of wolves scrambling for any tidbit of information about him; especially information of a personal nature.

Everything he did or said, everywhere he went, would be scrutinized. Crazy drama-queen blondes were not really a good ingredient to add to the soup. Any man Noah saw needed to be low key and preferably without his own media circus. With Luke, Noah knew for certain the press would dig up the Grimaldis' sordid past.

But as his gaze lingered on Luke's enticingly bowed lips, all thought of caution was once again forgotten. There was just something about Luke.

"Are you planning a long dinner?" Luke inquired sweetly before delicately tasting his well-done Delmonico steak.

"Does it matter?" he asked with amusement. "I would think you'd be used to it."

"Are you trying to imply I'm easy, Noah?"

It was the first time Luke properly used his name; and Noah couldn't deny he liked the way it sounded on those lips.

"I'm implying, that convincing people to part with their cash in exchange for nothing at all, must keep you busy." Noah clarified.

"Well," Luke replied, "that isn't technically my job. I mean I don't earn a salary from the foundation."

Noah leaned back in his chair, just enjoying the view. He studied the strong cheek bones of the man's face, trying to read something deeper than could be seen on the surface.

"It's done great work," Noah complimented. "Your charity..."

"Yeah, my grandmother helped me set it up a few years back when my father tried to buy my love with an early inheritance." There was a lot of bitterness behind the words Luke used.

Not for the first time, Noah glanced down at Luke's hands that were anything but those of a boy who grew up with money. The juxtaposition was a bit of a mystery.

"About this morning..." Luke sheepishly began, changing the subject.

Noah shook his head. "Somehow I think we've moved past all of that."

Luke seemed to study him closely for a moment. "I heard a little about you from my friend."

"You did?"

"It seems you have quite a reputation..," he said causing Noah to shift in his chair. Luke quirked a smile. "...for directing."

Noah leaned forward. "I like to work hard... Do things right..."

"Ah, anal! I bet you're difficult to live with."

Noah smiled. "Wouldn't know. I've never lived with someone." He realized before Luke spoke his next sentence. His dinner companion was fishing.

"I guess it's a question to ask your boyfriend? Or husband?"

"There isn't a man in my life," Noah quickly answered.

"I find that hard to believe."

"Why?"

Luke shrugged. "Famous, rich, good looking..."

Noah smiled. "So, you think I'm good looking?"

Luke blushed and it was just about the most adorable thing Noah had ever seen. His heart did an unexpected leap at the sight that surprised him; and filled him somehow.

"It's just..." Luke shyly said. "It's just that my friend seems to think you've played the field a little..."

Noah ran a thumb over the stem of his wine glass. He realized that Luke was watching the gesture as though afraid to look Noah in the eye.

"Some, " Noah simply replied. "What about you? Would you say you're easy to live with?"

"Me?" Luke asked, clearly unsure or uncomfortable with where the conversation was headed. "I'm not sure. I know I come across as all confident and
brash but... I'm not really like that..."

"Is this according to your boyfriend? Husband?" Noah lifted his lips into a cocky smile, knowing he'd turned Luke's question around on the blonde.

"None." Luke took a sip of wine as their eyes gently met across the table.

..

Luke took another sip, reminding himself that getting drunk at a moment like this would be the worst possible thing he could do.

Despite Noah saying he wasn't currently seeing anybody, Luke knew better than to just jump right on in. A man in Noah's position could have anybody he wanted. If he wasn't seeing somebody now, it was only a matter of time before he would be.

Do I really want to risk being just another notch on his bedpost?

Luke had watched how his father jumped from one woman to the next; sometimes with more than one on the go.

He frowned at the memory. It was another side to Damian Luke despised. Damian had an image of himself; charming, lavish with affection, available; that he wanted Luke to believe. And Luke so wished that image was a true reflection of his father. He wanted his father to be...normal.

"Luke?"

"Yes?" he blinked. Took a breath. Thinking about Damian always brought him down.

Noah was watching him with sharp intensity.

"Sorry," Luke apologized, making a throw away gesture with his hand. "You were saying?"

"Nothing serious."

Noah continued to watch him with a quiet smile that conveyed so much more than words. It was right then that Luke realized he was in trouble.

"We've actually got a lot in common," Noah suddenly said. He settled back, angling his shoulders with muscular grace.

Luke laughed. "Oh yeah? You also a pro at crashing cars?"

Noah smiled again. "I like to win awards and you're one serious trophy."

Luke knew he should be insulted by that remark, but somehow he felt a long tingling stroke down his ego.

"Excuse me?" he gasped.

"You're smart, kind, sexy and I haven't been bored for one second since we sat down. I'd say that's one hell of a trophy. Better than any Oscar."

Luke drew a sharp breath. He knew there were men who looked for this in their other half. He'd just never met one brazen enough to say it out loud.

"Noah," he replied. "You realize, don't you, that a trophy is an inanimate object you sit on a shelf?"

Noah sat forward, "In some cases. Depends how you see things. In my case, I see a trophy as something to win. I don't bother directing a script, Luke, unless I'm fairly sure there's an award at the end of it."

The usual Luke - the one who could hold men off with one stare - would have stood up and punched Noah. But the Luke Noah reduced him to, seemed unable to do anything but cling to his wine glass like a life preserver; breathing in the rich cologne of him like air.

"Is that usually an issue for you?" He found himself asking. "Men boring you?"

Noah's eyes twinkled. He was enjoying himself; and Luke wasn't sure how true Noah's words were.

"All the time," Noah replied.

Luke couldn't help smiling at him. "You're actually one arrogant son of a bitch you know that?"

Noah simply remained smiling with a look of self-satisfaction. He leaned back with a relaxed stance and teasing air.

"But you've missed the most important question of all," Luke countered.

"And what's that?" he asked, eyebrow raising with interest.

"Do you think you're boring me?"

"Am I?"

Luke paused long enough to take another sip of wine. "Oh, I think you've started production, Mr Director."