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‘Lead the way.’
She’d just said‘Lead the way’to a man, probably for the first time in her adult life... She knew some women were drawn to men who liked to lead. She was not one of them.
Soren was already striding off, making no allowances for the difference in their leg length.
There was a lot of traffic to negotiate so, despite her determination to keep up a steady flow of chatter just to annoy him, Anna was silent as he negotiated the maze of streets that she assumed were shortcuts.
A few miles after leaving the fascinating architectural mix that was the city, they reached the countryside and she made her first tentative comment. She really didn’t want to distract him from the tortuous, steeply rising road they were now negotiating.
‘Is Sicily all mountains?’
He flashed her a sideways grin. ‘You are not the first person to observe this, and, yes, pretty much mountains and trees, but we have some good beaches, some historical gems and one pretty spectacular volcano. You might,’ he teased, ‘have heard of it.’
‘So I understand.’ She closed her eyes as they hit a blind bend.
‘I thought you liked the scenery?’
She opened her eyes and directed a resentful look at his perfect profile. ‘I also like to live.’
‘Relax.’
In truth she was almost glad of the hairpin bends—at least they provided a distraction from the company. ‘How far is—?’
‘Just over two hours to the nearest town on the coast. We’re inland, in the mountains. Try and get some rest and stop braking.’
‘I’m not,’ she began, then looked at her foot that was flooring a non-existent brake.
‘You have quite excellent reflexes.’
She clamped her lips. ‘I suppose you think you’re amusing,’ she said, lifting her floored foot and realising at the same moment that the road had become a lot less white knuckle. They had reached a flat, fertile plain, with the glitter of azure water ebbing against it, white flecks just visible against the purpling evening sky.
‘It’s breathtaking.’
‘Yes.’
She knew he was not looking at the view, and her sensitive stomach flipped as she looked away quickly.
‘I’d feel happier if you looked at the road occasionally and kept both hands on the wheel.’ Being enclosed in the same space as Soren felt like a damned hormonal war of attrition.
‘You sound nervous... I have driven this route once or twice, you know.’
Anna’s heart was in gymnastic mode again as she framed a tight nervous smile aimed somewhere over his shoulder.
‘This time of night the mosquitos are hell. Do you mind rolling up your window?’
‘Like the Highlands. I bagged a Munro and a billion bites last year.’
‘You climb?’
‘I hike...gentle hills with well-marked trails.’
‘So where do you take your risks...or don’t you...?’
They were climbing again, the views either side now cut off by trees. ‘I don’t see the fun in jumping without a parachute.’ She took advantage of his focus on the road ahead to study his face in profile. The angle emphasised the sybaritic slant of his cheekbones. It was easy to see him as an adrenaline junkie. ‘And while we’re on the subject, do you mind slowing down?’
He flashed her a white grin that made her think of the wolf. ‘A man has to remind himself he is alive sometimes.’
Despite the grin and the contention, he did slow a little, but it soon became obvious this was not because of her plea but was because they were approaching a massive set of ornate wrought-iron gates, which swung open as they approached. Presumably their presence had been observed by the strategically placed cameras Anna noted.
