Scent of a Woman by Joanne Rock Page B

sense of connection with the figure. “Life does tend to beat the fierceness out of us sometimes.”

    “I don’t know about that. Maybe we just learn how to control our fierceness so we can channel it more effectively.” Adam stood near her, close enough that she could sense the warmth of his body. Their proximity called up the physical attraction that seemed to lurk close to the surface whenever he was around.

    “Have you learned to channel your passions?” As soon as she asked the question she realized that it sounded suggestive. “I mean, do you think you’ve managed to harness your ambition and dreams into smart goals for the real world?”

    “My dreams have been on a short leash for so long I’m not sure what they are anymore. Yeah, I guess they’re damn well harnessed.” He reached to toy with a lock of her hair that had come loose from her chignon. “What about you?”

    She couldn’t feel his hand on her hair, but knowing he touched her had a powerful effect. Her breath caught in her throat.

    “I find it a challenge to restrain myself sometimes.” Putting her feelings on display had cost her dearly.

    “I envy you.” Releasing her hair, he turned back to the artifacts.

    But Danielle was more interested in his words than the collection in the display case.

    “It is not fun going through life with regrets for your mistakes.” She took after her mother in so many ways, but she’d never inherited Monique’s ability to shrug off her failures as easily as she rejoiced at her successes. After losing so much to Gunther’s betrayal, Danielle could not afford to lose her store in Nice, as well. In fact, she’d started the shop in Nice specifically to escape Paris, where Gunther lived. Nice represented many things to her heart in mind. Her freedom. Her independence. Her determination to promote Les Rêves—her dreams.

    “But at least you give yourself the freedom to make mistakes.” His jaw hardened, a muscle flexing in his cheek. “I work clean-up patrol for my father the risk-taker in our business, and the job doesn’t leave any room for error. My father makes as many enemies as he does friends in his line of work and it’s not always easy smoothing over the rough edges he leaves behind.”

    Adam studied a bust of Athena along with a dark vase reproduction used to reward victorious Olympic athletes.

    Something bothered her about his admission. Did he think she was like his father?

    “You know you do not have to play diplomat this week.” Seeing his brow furrow made her want to smooth it out with her fingertips as well as her words.

    “No?”

    “No,” she said firmly, wishing they could start their day over again. “Since I do not know how to monitor my words most of the time, it would be very appealing if you were to say whatever you think, too.”

    She studied the Bast statue once more and took heart from seeing the warrior cat. In fact, the piece made her wonder if there was room in her Arabian Nights collection for a scent inspired by the image of female strength.

    “You want the uncut, uncensored version of me?”

    A thrill chased its way up her spine.

    “Yes.”

    “Then why don’t you consider coming somewhere a lot more private with me?”

    The thrills splintered and multiplied.

    “Are your uncensored words so wicked?”

    “It’s not my words that I’m concerned about keeping private.” He grinned and her heart gave a little flip. “It’s my uncensored actions that might be best kept between the two of us.”

CHAPTER FIVE

    A DAM WOULDN’T GIVE Danielle a chance to change her mind.
    Not that she’d fully agreed to his plan anyhow. But she’d left the library with him, turning on her heel and stalking toward the door after his suggestion that he wanted to touch her.

    Taste her.

    He followed her now, past Caesar’s Forum casino and an espresso bar toward the elevators. She made a sharp turn before she reached them, pushing through a door to an open