She nodded. “It is. He was everything a big brother should be. Fun, teasing, caring, and kind.”
He pulled an impressed face. “The perfect brother. I wish I could say my brothers and I were like that with each other.”
“Ah, but I was the little sister. I’m sure my brother would have been different if I’d been a boy.”
“And your father? Do you inherit your business skills from him?”
She relaxed a little now as she remembered how her father had patiently answered all her childish questions about business. And then, later, the not so childish ones.
“My father always said I had a better head for business than my brother.”
“Beautifulandclever. A winning combination in all things, including business.”
It felt good for him to call her beautiful. She allowed the sensation of attraction to skitter over her skin, as if he were stroking her. The thought of him stroking her made her catch her breath.
“Believe me, my father’s business clients wouldn’t have been swayed by any kind of aesthetics. No, they were only interested in money and something else I became adept at.” She nibbled her lip anxiously as she thought of one particular client, the one who had finally ended her father's and brother’s lives. “But, of course, I knew nothing about the actual business.Thatwas kept from me…” She faded away.
“Why?” he prompted, taking a casual sip of whiskey, as if he didn’t care whether or not she answered. And why should he? Her past meant nothing to him.
She shook her head. “I was young and knew my father didn’t wish me or my mother to be involved.”
“In what?”
She shrugged.
“Sounds intriguing.”
“No.” She finished her drink and jumped up. “Not really. I should go to bed now. I want to be up early to check on the horses.”
“Sure,” he said, walking to the door with her. He opened it and held it open, but didn’t move. And, for the life of her, she couldn’t seem to either. Those eyes looked deep into her soul, opening it up and scorching everything they saw there. “It’s been good. Talking to you,” he added.
She nodded because he was right, it had. Something had shifted between them.
“Yes. I hate being on bad terms with people. Hate that we have to avoid each other.”
“Then don’t.” He extended his hand to her, and she took it. She felt his thumb rub over the back of her hand, sending shivers of delight through her body. For a moment she forgot who she was, where she was, only that she didn’t want his touch to leave her. She took a step closer. And then, before she knew it, he’d swept his lips across hers with the softest of touches. She gasped, because the effect was the opposite of soft. It stirred such longing inside of her that all she knew was that she wanted more. It was he who stepped away first.
“Goodnight then,” he said, as if nothing had happened.
“Goodnight,” she repeated in a daze, suddenly realizing that he’d dropped her hand. She stepped into the hallway.
“And Indra,” he breathed, his voice continuing the caress of his fingers. She turned to look at him. “What else was it you became adept at that your father’s clients would have appreciated? Just curious.”
The last of her defenses had been blown by the kiss and she had no thought of avoiding the question.
“Secrecy. I’m good at secrecy now and that is definitely something my father’s Russian partners required.” She smiled. “Goodnight.” She walked away, up the stairs back to her eyrie in the sky, her safe haven, where she could re-imagine that kiss, over and over again.
Sebastian returned to the library and poured himself another whiskey, swilling it around thoughtfully before downing it in one.
Russian partners. It wouldn’t take much research to figure out which trade her father had been involved in. It wasn’t much but at least he now had something to go on. Something which he fully expected, this time, to come up with some answers. Answers which he could use against her to force her to leave him, and the estate alone. Trouble was, that kiss. That kiss had been, as with everything else about her, nothing like he’d experienced before.
But, like any gambling, he had to play with his head. His heart had no part of his future.
No. He wanted her out of his life,becauseof how interesting she was becoming, not despite it. She was becoming more of a danger to him now they were growing closer. And that had to stop.
Chapter5
Sebastian had had to work hard to avoid Indra in the weeks prior to their wedding because, unfortunately, she’d stopped avoiding him. He’d also had to work hard at trying to uncover her past so he could use it against her and prevent the charade from taking place at all. But that, also, hadn’t gone to plan. The reason for his focus was that, between his father’s requirements for him to share the estate, and his growing feelings for Indra, it was no longer only his inheritance which was threatened. But he’d got nowhere and now his wedding day had arrived and his tie was defeating him.