“I think I know who it was.”
He chuckled. “But you’re not sure so leave it alone.”
“I can’t. I want to know who told you I was coming here.”
“Why?”
“So I can deal with him.”
Cameron chuckled. “Are you sure it’s a he?”
She glanced over at him. “Pretty much.”
“You’re only guessing, Vanessa, and I’m not telling you. Now back to my earlier question of how you want to spend dinner?”
She wondered why he was asking. Did he have an idea? She decided to play her hunch. “I don’t know. Any suggestions?”
“Yes. There’s a concert tonight on the beach of the Half Moon Royal Villas. I think you might like it since I understand you enjoy reggae music.”
Irritation stiffened her spine. Someone had again given him information about her. He evidently felt her displeasure and glanced down at her. “Why does it bother you that someone mentioned that to me?”
She stopped walking and turned to him. “Because that meant I was the topic of your conversation, and I’m not sure I like that.”
Cameron stared at Vanessa, resisting the urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her. He wanted to indulge in the taste he’d sampled. Instead he said, “I think we need to clear the air about something. I’ve wanted you from the first moment I saw you, but I’m sure you know that already. And because I wanted you, I became fixated on knowing all there was about you, so I asked questions. Trust me, if my sources thought I was asking for the wrong reasons, they would not have told me anything.”
“And you think wanting to know everything about me for the mere reason of sleeping with me is the right reason?”
Cameron smiled blandly. He had decided after talking to Morgan on the phone yesterday that he would modify his sneak-attack plan. When possible, he intended to be as honest as he could with her. Because of that, it would only be fair that she knew how much he’d wanted her initially.
“Yes, I think so. I’m a private person. I don’t bring a lot of people into my life and I have established a certain standard for the women I date.”
He saw the frown that appeared on Vanessa’s face. Evidently she didn’t like the thought of being grouped with the other women he dated. In the past he had always enjoyed a pretty healthy sex life, making sure no woman got close. But with Vanessa he had wanted more than a toss between the sheets. He had wanted a whole hell of a lot more and he still did.
“I saw my relationship with you as different,” he said honestly. “With someone else it might not have mattered what was her favorite food, her taste in music or her favorite sports, but when it came to you, it mattered.”
“Why?”
“Because, like I said earlier, and I’ve been saying now, I wanted you, and the depth of that want went beyond anything I’ve ever known. I’ve never been attracted to a woman this much before.”
Vanessa shrugged. “It was probably the challenge. You didn’t get the Steele Corporation so you decided to go after a Steele.”
Cameron shook his head. “First you accuse me of seeking revenge. Now it’s the thrill of a challenge. It’s neither of the two. You’re a very desirable woman, Vanessa. Why is it so hard for you to believe that?”
Morgan had mentioned something about the possibility of a man screwing up her life one summer a few years ago and since that time she hadn’t dated much. Had the man done or said something to make her question her appeal, her femininity? If that was the case, he would make sure in the coming days that he did the opposite. The last thing Vanessa Steele needed to worry about was whether a man actually found her desirable.
“It’s hard for me to believe because I know how men are. I have four older male cousins, remember.”
“Yes, but three of them are happily married, so what’s your point?”
She evidently took offense at his question. Her frown deepened. “My point is that while they’re happy now, there was a time they dated frequently with no thought of settling down.”
“And are you saying that women don’t date frequently? I know some women who are just as bad as men when it comes to getting what they want, using whatever means possible.”