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The upside was, spending time with Cal out of bed hadn’t been anywhere near as awkward as she would have anticipated.
As they had climbed up Parliament Hill to watch the kite enthusiasts launch their elaborate structures in the tiny breath of wind, then strolled through the ancient woodlands and shadowy copses of the Iveagh Bequest, conversation had flowed easily.
With both of them steering clear of anything too personal, they’d covered everything from the iniquities of the British Justice System to the recipe for the perfect cupcake. Callum was an articulate and enthusiastic conversationalist whose mind worked in a brilliantly logical way. Completely unlike her own—which had a tendency to drift off in all sorts of weird and wonderful directions.
Yet, despite that, he’d never once patronised her. Not even a little. And that had been the biggest surprise of all. Especially once she’d discovered exactly how brilliant he was.
After some probing, Cal had admitted that he’d sailed through school and university and then law school and the bar exams. Ruby, on the other hand, had rebelled at an early age against the st
rictures of the classroom.
While she was proud of what she’d achieved after leaving school at sixteen—having spent the rest of her teens attending night classes in catering college and sweating her way through three years of gruelling split shifts in her family’s Italian restaurant—she’d always had a bit of a complex about her lack of academic qualifications. But while Callum clearly had a phenomenal intellect and the qualifications to prove it, he hadn’t dismissed her point of view or made her feel it had less value than his own. She’d basked in the approval and appreciation in his gaze as they’d ended up in a series of lively debates.
He wasn’t narrow-minded or an intellectual snob and she’d found the discovery almost as stimulating as the sight of the worn polo shirt moulding to his muscular chest or the way the short hairs on the back of his neck had begun to curl in the sluggish heat.
The other thing she’d discovered, much to her quiet astonishment, was that Callum Westmore was a hand holder. He’d clasped her fingers as soon as they’d set out across the Heath, and had hardly let go of her since.
No wonder she felt flirtatious. The rub of his palm against hers and the grip of those long, strong and exceptionally talented fingers had kept the hum of awareness sparking between them all morning.
She had no idea if he’d planned it that way. Although, from the way he made love—knowing just where to touch her to tease out the most effective response—and from the way he put forward his side of an argument—pausing to weigh each carefully constructed word or phrase of reasoning—she doubted Cal did anything without being well aware of the consequences.
Picking up the menu from the table, she fanned herself, feeling a little flushed.
She never would have guessed that she’d be so susceptible to that focused, methodical, wholly masculine approach. But one thing was for certain, the no-sex rule she’d rashly committed to that morning had become a bit of an anachronism during the course of the morning.
She had decided on a new plan as her physical awareness of him built. It was fairly simple, really. This time she would seduce him and redress the balance of power between them. Before they went their separate ways.
The only problem was, she’d been flirting with him mercilessly for over half an hour, ever since they’d sat down to eat a delicious meal of rosemary potatoes and roast guinea fowl, and he had yet to take the bait.
‘Is that a personal or a professional question?’ The rough tone of his voice made her heartbeat scramble. Did she finally have a nibble?
‘Why don’t you take a wild guess?’
Reaching across the table, he lifted her hand, threaded his fingers through hers. ‘Is this your veiled way of indicating you’ve recovered from the whisker burn?’
Turning her hand to clasp his, she brought his fingers to her lips, and licked along his knuckles. She felt him shudder and grinned. ‘I wouldn’t call it veiled, Callum.’
He choked out a laugh, his fingers fisting in hers as he stood up and pulled her off the bench. ‘You are a very naughty girl, Ruby.’ One large hand settled on her hip as he drew her easily against him. ‘I hope you realise you’re playing with fire.’
Ruby’s heartbeat sped up. Settling her free hand on his nape, she caressed the short hairs that had fascinated her all day. ‘I adore playing with fire.’
She ran her thumb across his cheek, marvelling at the renewed rasp of stubble even though he had shaved only a few hours before. ‘It’s so exhilarating to tame.’
‘Tame?’ His brows lifted and the smile in his eyes dimmed. ‘I’m not in the market to be tamed, Ruby. You do realise that.’
The warning was clear and unequivocal. Embarrassment stained Ruby’s cheeks at the silly little stab of hurt.
‘Well, that’s good, Cal, because neither am I,’ she said, determined to believe it. She’d never be foolish enough to misconstrue her pleasure in the day they’d spent together as a desire for something more. ‘I thought you knew,’ she added. ‘I’m simply using you for sex.’
However much fun they’d had, Cal was the very last man she’d want to get into a relationship with. He was far too … Far too everything. Too smart, too charming, too controlled. He didn’t have a single chink in his armour. Which made him perfect fling material. But not the sort of man any sensible woman would want to risk falling for.
He grinned and the look of caution disappeared. ‘Using me?’ He twisted his head to nip her thumb. ‘I’d like to see you try,’ he replied, the uncomfortable moment gone.
Ruby smiled back, refusing to let the little jolt ruin a perfectly good seduction. ‘That sounds like a challenge,’ she murmured, letting the heady thrill of arousal course through her.
Gripping his shoulders, she raised up on tiptoes to reach his lips.
‘And I should give you fair warning, I always rise to a challenge.’ She threw his words back at him, flicking her tongue across his mouth then drawing back. He groaned, cool palms spanning her waist then running up her sides as he dragged her close and sank into the kiss.
