The Best Of The Year - Modern Romance. Annie West

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СКАЧАТЬ interpretation of that question. The images that bombarded him made him suck in a strained breath. He looked down at the plate her hand, at the spoon poised over the rosti and grilled lamb.

      Reeling his thoughts in under fierce guard, he sat down next to her and put her inhaler on the table.

      ‘I owe you an apology.’

      The spoon wavered in her hand. Reaching across, he gently removed it from her grasp.

      ‘Let me.’ He spooned several helpings onto her plate, set it down in front of her and served himself. ‘I had no right to question you about the package. Je suis désolé.’

      Her eyes widened and she nodded. ‘Apology accepted.’ She gave a short laugh. ‘The last two days have been little...challenging—although I can’t say I would’ve done the same in your shoes.’

      Bastien grimaced. Knowing he deserved the barbed accusation, he picked up and held out the wine bottle. At her nod, he uncorked it and poured the rich burgundy into her glass. Filling his own glass, he drank deep.

      She took a mouthful of food and groaned. ‘This is seriously good!’ Her gaze dropped to his plate. ‘You haven’t tasted yours yet.’

      ‘No,’ he replied, and drank more wine. Mon Dieu, he was turning into a raging alcoholic—and all because of the woman sitting across from him. The woman who challenged him, made him question himself and the presence of the ache deep inside he’d thought he’d smothered for good.

      ‘Well, don’t blame me if I eat all of it.’

      ‘Go ahead. A woman who doesn’t complain about piling on the pounds at the mere sight of food makes a refreshing change.’

      Her husky self-conscious laugh played havoc with his equilibrium. ‘I didn’t actually mean that. I’m not that much of a pig.’

      ‘Trust me, a pig is the last thing I think of when I look at you.’

      Her eyes rounded.

      Advising himself that it was best not to keep looking into those captivating brown depths, he resolutely picked up his fork. ‘What’s likely to trigger an attack?’

      ‘My asthma?’

      He nodded.

      ‘I’ve only suffered one serious attack, so I’d say I’m generally risk-free.’ She shrugged, causing one sleeve to slip off her shoulder. ‘But sometimes in the spring, if the pollen count is high, it gets a bit uncomfortable. Heavy smoke isn’t great for me either.’

      Bastien frowned. ‘So you don’t know how susceptible you are?’

      ‘I know what to stay away from and what situations I’ll be okay in.’

      ‘Yet that didn’t stop you from putting yourself in danger by attending your friend’s party?’

      ‘I can’t live my life in fear of an attack,’ she said, after swallowing another mouthful.

      Bastien abandoned his meal and picked up his glass. ‘No, but—’

      ‘I took my inhaler with me,’ she interrupted, glaring at him.

      He was being heavy-handed again. He looked into his glass, slowly swirling his drink, and forced himself to calm down. ‘And we all know how that turned out.’

      When she didn’t reply immediately, he looked up. Her lips were pursed into a firm line and she’d paled a little. One hand absently toyed with the stem of her glass as she stonily examined the contents of her plate.

      ‘We’re having a nice meal, Bastien. Don’t ruin it.’

      Bastien cursed under his breath and set his glass down. ‘Have you packed yet?’

      Her gaze returned warily to his. ‘I didn’t unpack because I didn’t think I’d be staying beyond today.’

      ‘Then we can leave directly after dinner.’

      She nodded. ‘Fine by me. Where’s your château?’

      ‘It’s in Vaud—on the shores of Lac Léman.’

      ‘Will anyone else be there?’

      ‘My estate staff live on the grounds, but otherwise we’ll be alone. Does that concern you?’ Part of him wished that it would—that the notion would unsettle her the way he’d felt unsettled all day long.

      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 СКАЧАТЬ