"Women generally don't challenge you." She arched her elegant brows, her marvelous dark eyes twinkling. "I am no mountain to beconquered."
"Most women want something from me. You want nothing from me and a part of you even dislikesme."
The raw honesty of his remark made her flinch. "I dislike you less everyminute."
His fingers twitched.Victory could be had here."Then I must extend the moments until you dislike me not atall."
She tossed her head andgrinned.
"I want to enjoy your company. Have you not had any relationships with men based onthat?"
"Never."
That told him he was right to pursue her. "Then now is thetime."
"And you are that man?" she asked as if she considered itpossible.
"Name what you want," he rushed to secure the deal. "Anything fromme."
She took her time thinking on that, her mouth pursing, her gaze tracing his mouth. "I would not want our relationship to appear more thanfriendship."
I thought not."Whatever we become to each other, no one would findfault."
"I would never ask for things that were...risqué."
More's the pity."I have onecondition."
"I should have expected a bargain." She clasped her hands in her lap and considered them a long moment. "What isit?"
"That you tell me thetruth."
She sank into the squabs. Her manner careful. "And if I say yes, will I regretit?"
"Never."
Her lashes fluttered. "How do youknow?"
"Because I will never ask anything of you that you do not wish togive."
She studied him. And if he were right to wager, he'd say she did not breathe. "We areagreed."
"What would you have first?" he asked her, his body mad with raging heat to have her in his lap, in his arms, in his bed. But at the pace they went, that would take eons. He'd be eighty or dead in hisgrave.
Her eyes twinkled. "Would you walk with me along theSeine?"
"Now?" He took her hand inhis.
She grinned at the sight of their entwined fingers, then looked up at him. "Yes, providedthat..."
"What?"
She got a devilish smile on her lips. "That you wouldn't take it as aninvitation."
"Oh? To dowhat?"
"Kissme."
Tempting woman."I doubt Ishould."
"Exactly."
"A shame," he said, suppressing a laugh. "What else might be on yourlist?"
