Innocent in His Diamonds Read Online Free PDF Page A

tried to have her thrown off his advertising campaign two months ago, when he’d discovered who his management team had chosen for the ads.
    He’d been stunned when she’d actually smiled on seeing him on the boat. As if she was pleased to see him. When he’d made the reason for his visit clear she’d slowly, gracefully, uncurled herself from that sensual pose she’d been holding, faced him and dared him to do his worst.
    And he nearly had...
    Luckily he’d stopped himself in time—had walked away convinced that Ana, with her lithe, svelte figure and river of shining black hair, held no thrall for him.
    Now he glanced into her wide, accusing eyes and willed the pounding in his blood away. He would never succumb to her temptation. Never be drawn into the emotional quagmire she carried with her. He was more than content living in his emotionally desolate state.
    â€˜You
knew
I was trying to stop the car and yet you pulled away.’
    â€˜I thought a few minutes in the cold would knock some sense into you.’ Again, the urge to smile at her waspish tone pulled at him.
    â€˜You really are heartless—you know that?’
    â€˜What did you think? That I’d appear like a magical genie, rescue you from the big, bad judge and grant you three wishes into the bargain?’
    The irritated flick of her head drew his attention to the sleek line of her throat, to the swift pulse hammering away under her smooth skin.
    â€˜No, of course not. But a little courtesy wouldn’t have been amiss.’
    â€˜I’m not in the habit of granting courtesies to errant employees. Be grateful I didn’t leave you to rot in prison.’
    â€˜Maybe you should have!’
    The slightly hysterical edge to her tone gave him pause. With a tiny pang he admitted that perhaps he was being too harsh, letting his own frazzled state get in the way of clear thinking.
    But then hadn’t she had this effect on him last time?
    â€˜Does anyone hold a grudge against you and want to frame you like this?’ he asked. The quicker they got to the bottom of her predicament the quicker they could go their separate ways.
    The shadows receded from her eyes. Sharp sensation pierced him at her grateful look but he squashed it.
    Her generous lips curved in a small, cynical smile. ‘This is the modelling industry, Bastien. The number one rule is never to turn your back on a fellow model unless you want a knife buried in it.’
    His name on her lips made that unnerving sensation pierce harder. He shifted in his seat, his jaw clenching, and rejected the feeling. ‘So you think someone’s trying to jeopardise your position with DBH for their own ends?’
    She shook her head, sending the silky tresses sliding over her shoulders. ‘I don’t see why. If someone wanted the assignment that badly they would’ve tried something at the beginning of the campaign—not when it’s almost finished. How about you?’
    Shock darted up his spine at her firm challenge. Witnessing her healthy suspicion made him want to laugh out loud.
‘Excusez moi?’
    â€˜Have
you
annoyed anyone lately? Anyone who’d want to see your business fail? I know I haven’t done anything like that.’
    â€˜Nice trick to try and shift the blame on to me, Miss Duval, but no.’
    She shrugged. ‘It was worth a try. You’re convinced I have skeletons in my closet. I merely wanted you to examine yours in case we were missing anything.’
    â€˜But I’m not the one charged with drug possession, am I?’
    â€˜Maybe a business rival is trying to get to you. What better way to bring down your company?’
    He barely examined her line of reasoning before dismissing it. The last threatened takeover of one of the Heidecker companies had happened two years ago. He’d given the opposition a neat trouncing and sent them running with their tails between their