She returned his gaze, her eyes wide. ‘No. Why would it?’
‘Because you’re biting your lip again. That tells me something’s bothering you. Are you worried that the moment we’re alone we’ll be tempted to do dirty little things to each other?’
‘Of course not. We’re perfectly capable of restraining ourselves.’
His smile felt tight. ‘If you say so.’
CHAPTER SIX
ANA PRETENDED INTEREST in the scenery until darkness limited her view to the tall trees lining the road leading to Bastien’s château.
Château D’Or, he’d called it. The golden castle.
The place where they might be tempted to ‘do dirty little things to each other...’
Her fingers dug into her seat in a futile attempt to stop wondering what those dirty little things would entail, but her pulse continued to race, and that insistent throbbing between her legs was growing by the minute.
Shaking herself out of the weakening sensation, she turned to him, carefully averting her gaze from his confident hands gripping the steering wheel.
‘How much longer?’ she asked, thankful when her voice came out steady.
‘Another ten minutes should see us there. Tired?’
His genuine concern made her relax slightly.
‘It’s been a long day.’
She dragged a hand through her hair, lifted its heavy weight off her neck. Twirling it into a thick rope, she coiled it around her fingers. When he followed the movement she paused, but his gaze returned to the road in the next instant.
Releasing her breath, she continued playing with the strands. ‘I called around to find out if anyone knew more about what happened at the nightclub.’
Silver eyes briefly speared hers. ‘And?’
‘No one knows anything.’
His brows lifted. ‘Does that surprise you?’
‘Frankly, yes. Normally gossip like that spreads like wildfire.’
He didn’t reply for several minutes, his gaze glued to the dark, winding road. Finally, he nodded. ‘I have a firm of investigators I use for due diligence. I’ll have them look into it.’
The unexpected offer made her breath catch. ‘Really? Thank you, Bastien.’ On pure impulse she reached for his arm. ‘I really appreciate it.’
Packed muscle flexed beneath her touch, his cotton shirt and dark sweater no barrier against the warmth that seeped through to her fingers. Instant fiery desire made her fingers curl, and the irrational urge to keep touching him unfurled inside her like a driving, persistent hunger.
She didn’t know how long she stayed like that. Seconds. Minutes. Time lost meaning and rational thought fled as she stared at his profile—his gorgeous face, his taut cheekbones, those unspeakably long, golden lashes and the lush mouth that had taken such powerful control of hers. His strong throat...
And his tense jaw...within which a muscle flicked.
Dirty little things...dirty little things...
Ana snatched back her hand, certain she was sliding into madness. ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have... I didn’t mean to—’
/> ‘Don’t apologise, cherie. Believe it or not, I don’t hate it when you touch me. If anything, I like it a little too much.’
His husky rasp cut through her words. She gasped, but before she could reply he continued.
‘We’re here.’