Page 25 of Signed, Sealed, Married

He watched her wrestle with that, surprised at her vehemence. And her naïveté. The only explanation he could think of was that she was frightened. Frightened of him? Not likely when her laser stare threatened to vivisect him.

Frightened of herself?

It was a curious thought, but appealing. If Gisèle worried she was too responsive, seducing her would be so much easier.

‘At the least I need to be able to hold your hand or arm. Even that—’

‘Okay, we’ll go with that.’ She nodded as if he’d agreed. ‘No touching except on the arm or hand.’

She drew herself up, and despite his superior height looked at him down the length of her superb, aristocratic nose.

He’d like to tell her how her Ice Queen act turned him on. How, the cooler she grew, the hotter he felt at the prospect of melting her reserve. Of claiming her beautiful body for himself. But she’d find out soon enough. He sensed she struggled to maintain that admirable poise and for once he didn’t want to smash straight through his opponent’s defences.

Gisèle was far more than an opponent. And it would be so much better whenshecame tohim, instead of fighting every step of the way.

‘You drive a hard bargain, Gisèle. It will be tough, convincing the press based on so little. But I enjoy a challenge.’

Her eyes rounded. ‘It wasn’t meant to be a challenge.’

‘Too late, sweetheart.’ Adam felt his smile unfurl. ‘That’s exactly what it is.’

He paused for her to digest that. ‘I solemnly promise not to touch you except on the hand or arm. And definitely not to kiss you.’ Her high shoulders dropped and her flattened mouth eased. ‘Until you ask me.’

‘Until you ask me...’

Gisèle shook her head. Words failed her.

As if she’d ever ask him to touch her, much less kiss her! She’d never met anyone so supremely confident. It infuriated her.

But you like it too. It attracts you, doesn’t it? The thought of him kissing you, properly, makes you wet between the legs. You were disappointed when he gave you a peck on the forehead.

The truth was shocking. She tried to deny it but she never lied to herself. Better to face facts, no matter how unpalatable, and deal with them.

And it was a fact that, despite the glowing invitation in Adam’s glance, he wasn’t really attracted. Otherwise he’d have kissed her properly.

She knew some men liked to prove their dominance. Others liked a challenge and still more saw women as trophies to be won, or stepping stones to wealth or business opportunities.

Skeletal fingers rippled down her spine but she ignored the sensation. The past couldn’t hurt her any more. She’d turned pain into a learning experience that made her stronger.

Gisèle was silent as she followed Adam to the other end of the yacht. Catching sight of the speedboat, she stifled stupid embarrassment that their chaste kiss was fodder for the public.

Because for a moment she’d felt a rush of emotion at Adam’s caress.

She didn’t understand it. She should have hated it. Yet hate had been the last thing she felt.

She’d wanted him to kiss her!

How could that be? She didn’t like him.

His unshakable confidence reminded her of her father. Except her father had been a warm, caring man, reckless in the chances he took, but never bombastic or egotistical.

Adam Wilde wasn’t like her father.

Yet something about him drew her.

He challenged her. Forced her onto her mettle, not giving any quarter. Perversely she almost enjoyed that. She’d definitely enjoyed seeing his blink of surprise when he discovered she wasn’t the airhead he’d initially thought.

But that couldn’t explain how he consistently managed to get under her skin and make herfeel.

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