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Her skin felt as if it was melting.
It was awkward enough that she had admitted her inexperience to one of the most eligible bachelors in the world, but any conversation about her sex life was quickly going to reveal that she was still a virgin—and, frankly, that wasn’t something she wanted to share with Basa Caine right now.
Actually, make that not ever.
It wasn’t that she was embarrassed. All her closest friends, including Alicia, knew that she hadn’t slept with anyone yet, but she would rather set fire to her own head than open her mouth and share that particular piece of information with a man who had kissed her and found her wanting.
For a moment she considered her options.
It didn’t take long as there was only one.
She gritted her teeth. She didn’t want to do it but she had to do something—and she was willing to do anything to derail his plan to take her to Patagonia...including apologise.
Taking a steadying breath, she gave him a small, taut smile. ‘I know you’re angry with me, and I’m sorry for disappearing like that. I probably shouldn’t have left without telling you first—’
His gaze rested on her face. ‘There’s no “probably” about it, but I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. You’re good at sneaking off when nobody’s looking.’
Her heart began to beat a little faster. It was the second time he’d said that, and she still didn’t know what he meant by it, but now was not the time to get distracted.
‘Like I said, I’m sorry, okay? I just thought there wasn’t much point in my staying when every time we talk we just end up arguing.’
And, of course, there had been the small but embarrassing matter of her kissing him, and it would be even more embarrassing if he realised she was still a virgin.
His dark eyes rested on her face. ‘We don’t only end up arguing,’ he said softly.
She blinked, and breathed out unsteadily. She was still shocked at her own behaviour—the kissing part, anyway. Obviously running away after she’d kissed him was completely understandable, but of course that didn’t mean she could pretend it hadn’t happened—particularly when he was sitting approximately three feet away from her.
Forcing herself to meet his gaze, she shrugged with a casualness she didn’t feel. ‘That was a mistake.’
‘Define mistake,’ he said softly, his eyes glittering.
Her breath seemed bottled in her throat. That would be because of getting in the car with him. It was too small a space, and he was too close, and when he looked at her like that it seemed even smaller.
Ignoring the prickle of heat seeping over her skin, she
sucked in a breath, trying to stay calm. ‘It was stupid and rash and I don’t know why it happened,’ she lied, keeping her eyes locked on his and away from the tempting curve of his mouth.
Earlier, in the crowded city streets, it had been easy to blank out the kiss he had so helpfully brought up, but now, with his lean, muscle-packed body sprawled only a few feet away from hers, she could feel the same insistent hunger curling through her body that had been her undoing in the dining room.
‘I promise you don’t need to worry about me doing anything else stupid or rash that might embarrass your family.’
‘Oh, but I do worry, and that’s why we can’t stay in Buenos Aires.’ His dark eyes locked onto hers, holding her captive. ‘That and the fact that I intend to have a conversation that clearly needed to happen two years ago.’
Her chest was pressing so tightly against her lungs it was difficult to breathe.
‘No, that’s not—’ she began, but he cut her off.
‘I’m not going to let you draw me into another argument, Mimi. This is the airfield and that—’ he gestured to a sleek white plane sitting on the runway ‘—is my jet. And now you have a choice to make. Either we use my jet, which will take approximately three hours, or we drive. That will take nearer eleven hours, so—’
She stared at him, her heart beating in her throat. ‘You’re joking. This is a joke, right?’
‘No, it’s not.’ His dark gaze rested impatiently on her disbelieving expression. ‘One way or another we are going to Patagonia as planned.’ As she pulled out her phone, he sighed. ‘There’s no point trying to call anyone. You won’t get a signal here, nor where we’re going either.’
Glancing down at the screen, she tightened her fingers around the phone. He was right.
‘I can’t believe you’re doing this.’
He shrugged. ‘You’re not going anywhere without me until this is resolved.’
