Chapter 22

She blinked. “You kissed me to—” It was an explanation, but not one that explained the raw driving need she had glimpsed in his face.

“I kissed you because you weren’t listening.”

It did not seem necessary to add that he had wanted to kiss her, that the idea of doing so had been growing all day until it had become a constant distraction. It had been a two birds with one stone situation—satisfy his curiosity and remove the distraction.

In theory, at least.

“The only thing you proved is that you know how to kiss, though, frankly, given your press, I was expecting better.”

There was a short startled silence before he burst out laughing. “Sebastian will spontaneously combust when he sees you in that dress.”

She stared at him, her frown morphing into a wary smile. “Seriously?”

“Seriously,” he agreed drily.

Camille gazed at him in amazement and said cautiously. “You really like the way I look?”

He dragged a brown hand over his dark h