Grievous (Wanted Men #5) - Nancy Haviland Page 0,14

care what changed your mind. Just, thank you. You don’t know how relieved I am. My job is everything to me. It’s all I have, and I don’t know what I’d do if I lost it.” She drew back and placed a hand on his jaw. Her look took in his entire face, and the kiss she pressed to the corner of his lips was as unexpected as her next words. “I knew you had to be in there somewhere.”

She turned away, leaving him wondering about that remark.

“Now, maybe I can enjoy my remaining time on the other side of the world. Are we really in Romania? Is this a real castle? That freaks me out. But in a good way. Kind of. It’s not haunted, is it? Why is it so warm? Is there a dungeon?”

She took her coat off and hung it over her arm. He watched the movement of her body as she wandered. It was too bad her dress would be in ribbons soon as it hugged her curves to perfection. She gazed with interest at the carved wooden pillars polished to a dark shine, the gleaming marble tile, and the grand staircase leading to the upper floors. There were minimal furnishings but for the art and light fixtures. There were two tables, but they were bare. Clutter was distracting, and he avoided it at all times.

Her hair shimmered as she tipped her head to look straight up at the thirty-foot ceiling. She was so relaxed, the change in her marked now that she thought she was getting her way. He hated to ruin that, but did anyway by going over and getting her moving with a hand on her back. He guided her onto the dark red carpet that ran through the center of the foyer and carried on up the stairs.

“Where are we going?” She spoke absently, and paused, once more putting off the inevitable. “This place is ridiculous; you know that right? Are you aware that just because you have the money to afford this, it doesn’t mean you have to play the part of eccentric billionaire by purchasing a freaking castle in…oh. Was this your family’s home? Are you this arrogant because you’re royalty of some sort? That’s probably why you always look so uptight; you feel naked without your crown and scepter.”

An amused grunt sounded from the direction of the front sitting room, signifying Sorin was openly eavesdropping. He was entertained by Yasmeen’s nonsense.

“This was not my family’s home; we are not royalty—that I am aware of—and if I appear uptight, it is because my suits are not always as comfortable as the designer claims.” Was he feeling insulted? “Come. I am currently feeling uptight because I have not been out of a three-piece in the last few days.” His tone said yes.

Her face softened as she slid a finger under the length of his tie. She patted it into place on his chest, twice, then blinked and stepped back as if realizing the intimacy of her actions. “Sorry. Your suits, as sexy as they are, must be pretty awful to wear for any length of time. Please don’t let me keep you from going up to change. I don’t mind waiting a few extra minutes.”

Heat spread through his groin. “You think my suits are sexy, Yasmeen?”

She didn’t blush but offered him a droll look. “Like you don’t know that. Why else would you wear them? Because you enjoy lack of movement and sweating?”

She drifted away to trail her fingers over the corner of a framed painting he’d won at a Christie’s auction a few years ago. He still occasionally saw the Arab prince he outbid.

“So beautiful. Some people are so adept at capturing what the original artist was going for.” She came back to him. Now her cheeks were flushed. “Did you buy it local? Replica art is a huge business.”

“That is the original.”

She looked at the massive canvas and laughed. The musical sound brushed over him like a thousand open-mouthed kisses. “Uh-huh. You’d have to have some bankroll to be able…” Her humor drained and her gaze danced away. “Right. Forgot who I was talking to for a second.”

“I would rather you do not make that a habit.”

“I’m sure. I bet it doesn’t happen often.”

“No.”

“Because you forbid it?” Her smile was gently baiting and unintentionally alluring.

“If I forbid it, it would not happen at all.”

Tiny sparks of pleasure entered her eyes. When her lips parted, he knew for certain