One sardonic eyebrow went up. ‘Are you really so blind that you can’t see the bigger picture?’ He stabbed a thumb in the direction of the adjacent conference room. ‘In your burning need to make a point you’ve turned an unfortunate event into an opportunity. Are you going to cut off your nose to spite your face by walking away now?’ He was almost taunting her.
She folded her arms. ‘Whatever was going on in there is none of my business. If they’ve mistaken me for the actress you wanted to cast then you can explain their error to them. I’m leaving.’
He laughed. ‘After going to all this effort to create a buzz for yourself?’
‘Careful, there, or that apology you uttered a few minutes ago will seem like something out of a past lifetime and I’ll resume detesting you.’
He shrugged. ‘I state things as I see them. You came here to make a point. You’ve made it. Don’t let the effort you’ve put in go to waste.’
‘Are you seriously trying to tell me to capitalise on you treating me like a prostitute?’
A look crossed his face. ‘Don’t make this emotional, Goldie.’
‘Wow. I’m sorry if I’m not as cut-throat as you.’ She shook her head. ‘Why are you even pursuing this? Your note was quite clear. You woke up this morning and decided you didn’t want me after all.’ She thought it best to ignore the telling gleam that reflected briefly in his eyes. ‘So what’s changed?’
The jaw already clenched tight hardened. Silence ticked by until she was sure he wouldn’t answer.
Leave, her hammering heart urged. Before things get any weirder.
‘Are you going to answer me, Gael?’ she blurted.
Eyes raked her from head to toe before meeting hers full-on. ‘You were a virgin. And you didn’t think to tell me.’
Goldie swallowed. Fought the heat and trembling that had begun in her lower limbs. Suddenly she wished she’d stayed by the window, not been standing on her own two legs for this unexpected turn in the conversation. Thankfully, her legs held her up. And her chin rose when she commanded.
‘I don’t remember any instance during the night when we were obliged to exchange sexual histories. Perhaps you thought we’d be there all night while you recounted yours?’
The barb struck home, made his nostrils flare in pure Latin temper before he reined it in. ‘Are you saying being divested of your innocence meant nothing to you?’
The harsh, condemning tone was back. But she wasn’t about to stand for it any longer.
‘What I choose to do with my virginity is my business. Tell me the experience was ruined for you because of it and I’ll apologise.’
His eyes gleamed with pure carnal memory before he blinked, but that look singed her very skin.
‘It wasn’t ruined. Far from it,’ he returned gutturally.
That blush she was fighting won the round. Heat surged into her face and she averted her gaze for a second. ‘So what was the problem?’
‘The problem is why me? Why now? Innocence at your age is rare. I can’t help but draw certain conclusions.’
She stared at him, her brain firing wildly at her. It took a heartbeat or three for her to realise where he was coming from. Horror made her hand fly to her mouth. ‘You think I hung on to my virgin status just in case a guy like you came along so I could hawk it for a huge payday?’ Shock made her voice squeak.
He had the grace to look momentarily confused before his inscrutable expression returned. ‘That scenario isn’t a foreign concept and I’m sure you’re aware of that.’
‘I’m aware of no such thing! I’m not sure what circles you move in... Wait—scratch that. After my run-in with your conscience-free ex I can hazard a guess as to the depths your ilk are prepared to sink to for your sick pleasures. But think about this for a second. If I were that avaricious, don’t you think I’d have negotiated my price before I slept with you?’ she demanded.
He levelled a hard gaze at her, in no way swayed by her argument. ‘That sort of innocence isn’t always easy to prove before the event.’
Her mouth dropped open for several heartbeats before she managed to shake her head. ‘My God, why...? How did you get like this?’ she whispered, sheets of ice dredging her stomach at his blatant accusation.
His face closed completely and his every feature was devoid of emotion. ‘I’m a bastard, literally—and, I’m told, figuratively. I’ve learned to accept that nothing that feels that good comes without a price.’
Goldie held her breath, unwilling to admit in any way that the newest emotion which had risen to join the riot of feelings inside her was sympathy for him. He was the bad guy here. He was the one causing her pain.
‘Please take it from me that what I gave last night had no strings attached whatsoever. And then please let me go.’
Again a touch of confusion clouded his forehead. ‘I don’t think you understand why I brought you in here. Regardless of what I thought last night—and I’m prepared to concede that I may have got the wrong end of the stick with you—your performance in there has guaranteed you the part.’