Innocent in His Diamonds by Maya Blake Page A

And she was wearing a bra this time.
    With a deep breath that failed to replenish her oxygen-deprived lungs, she pulled the door open.
    He stood tall and imposing, his face impassive as he surveyed her. She’d expected another disparaging comment about her state of dress, but his gaze merely skimmed over her loose hair and unmade-up face.
    â€˜Have you eaten?’ he asked.
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜Dinner is being delivered to my suite in ten minutes. Will you join me?’
    â€˜I was just about to order Room Service.’ She didn’t want to risk going head to head with him again; their last exchange was still very vivid in her mind.
    A smile flashed on and off. ‘I’ve saved you the trouble, then. We have things to discuss. I’ll see you in five minutes.’ Without waiting for a reply, he sauntered off.
    Knowing it was pointless to argue, she returned to her bedroom, applied a coat of lip-gloss, slipped on high-heeled sandals and brushed her hair. Tucking her key card into her pocket, she left her suite.
    His was the only other suite on this floor, and when she pushed the open door wider he motioned for her to enter.
    Decorated in identical tones of gold and blue, his suite was much grander than hers. Gilt-edged mirrors adorned the walls and an impressive fireplace rested beneath an ornate mantelpiece. Gold velvet curtains had been caught back with blue velvet rope, and beyond the window the lights on the lake twinkled in the falling dusk. But what caught her eye, as it had earlier in the day, was the plume of water, now backlit with a stunning array of lights.
    â€˜What
is
that fountain?’
    â€˜The Jet d’Eau. The highest water fountain in the world.’ He spoke in a clipped staccato, as if he had other things on his mind.
    About to comment on the jet’s beauty, Ana stopped and turned. The intensity of his stare made the hairs twitch on her nape.
    â€˜This was left downstairs for you.’ He held a square brown envelope in his hand.
    Ana’s mind blanked for a second, then she remembered. ‘Why do
you
have it?’
    â€˜The concierge said it was delivered moments before I came. I told him I’d deliver it to you.’
    â€˜How kind of you.’ She held out her hand. ‘Can I have it?’
    â€˜What’s in the envelope, Ana?’ he asked tersely.
    Shock battled with a sensation curiously similar to a delicious thrill of pleasure. A second later she realised Bastien hadn’t even noticed that he’d used her first name. Out of nowhere came a deep yearning to hear him call her Ana again. But not like that. She wanted him to say her name and mean it. She wanted him to say her name with pleasure.
    Ruthlessly, she pushed the fanciful thought away. That was never going to happen. Desolation settled deep within her.
    â€˜You open it,’ she prompted softly.
    A flicker of surprise lit his eyes. Perhaps he’d been expecting her to fight him. But some time in the last few hours Ana had decided that if they were to spend the next three weeks together she couldn’t keep locking horns with him. Her control wouldn’t sustain the battering.
    â€˜If you want to know what’s in the envelope, open it.’
    He ripped it open immediately. Ana watched his eyes widen as he encountered the cold plastic. His gaze shot down and he stared at the object in his hand.
    â€˜I asked your company doctor this morning if he could replace my inhaler. He promised to have it delivered here this afternoon.’
    The doorbell rang. Bastien didn’t seem to hear it. He continued to stare at the inhaler.
    Ana went to walk past him to get the door. His hand shot out and grabbed her arm. A frown creased his brow.
    â€˜Ana...’
    She sighed. ‘I’m sorry if that disappoints you. But it really is just an inhaler.’
    The bell rang again. She pulled at her arm.
    He let her go.
    With a cold lump of despair lodged in her chest, Ana answered