‘Am I not allowed?’ she testily retorted.

‘Ah, that’s better. Compliance doesn’t suit you.’

‘I didn’t think you even knew the word.’

He grinned. ‘It depends on how it’s being used.’

She shot a quick look at the waiting attendant.

‘They don’t listen,’ Dominic said.

‘Of course they do and if they’re lucky, they get paid for the information they put on the net. I believe you already figure largely on one of those sites.’

‘Not anymore.’

A spiking glance. ‘You shut it down?’

‘I didn’t personally, but someone in my organization did.’

‘Maybe I shouldn’t drink at all or I might be on YouTube tomorrow.’

‘The site you referred to was shut down with a good deal of money as an inducement. Along with a threat. So rest easy, you won’t be on YouTube. I promise.’

‘That was really you? It wasn’t photoshopped.’

‘No.’

‘No, it wasn’t you or no it wasn’t photoshopped?’

He smiled faintly. ‘No, it wasn’t photoshopped.’

‘Obviously, that doesn’t bother you.’

‘No, but since it bothered you, I had it taken down.’

‘You didn’t have to do that for me.’

‘I got the impression I should. If you want to know something about what you saw, just ask.’ He glanced at the young man standing at attention. ‘A Krug Clos d’Ambonnay ’96 and two plates of tea-soaked shrimp. There now,’ he said as the attendant walked away. ‘What do you want to know?’

‘Where was it?’

‘Paris.’

‘Why so many women?’

‘For the usual reasons: variety, self-indulgence, lack of restraint …’

‘I saw plenty of restraint.’

He shrugged. ‘That’s part of the game. Excess is an escape for me, a defence against old ghosts and what seems at times a soulless reality – present company excepted, of course,’ he said with a small smile. ‘I like to feel something rather than nothing and that’s why I do what you saw in that video.’ His eyes went blank for a moment and his nostrils flared, as though he were struck by some internal image, then he shrugged again in such obvious dismissal, his shuttered gaze came as no surprise. ‘Vanilla sex works for some people. I need more. Sorry if I’ve frightened you. You shouldn’t have asked.’

‘I wouldn’t like any of that – stuff that hurts,’ Kate said, wanting to make her position clear.

‘You don’t know,’ he casually said. ‘You might.’

‘Now you are frightening me.’ Half breathless, she pressed into the chair back as though putting distance between herself and danger.

‘Then let’s not talk about it.’ His voice was tempered, like his gaze; he could have been discussing the weather. ‘Let’s just enjoy a night on the town. And seriously, don’t worry about YouTube. You won’t be on it.’

His level of indifference was amazing. He didn’t care that he was uber-notorious for probably more than that single video. And he talked about kink without inhibition; she could have been asking him whether he liked puppies or kittens. He obviously considered it unexceptional. But just to be certain, she confirmed her position. ‘I’m not interested in super kinky sex.’

He smiled. ‘Does that mean you’re interested in something less than super kinky?’

‘Maybe. I told you I don’t know yet.’

He suddenly laughed. ‘Actually, I don’t either. I go crazy for a while wanting you, then talk myself out of it, then go crazy again. Christ, now I’ve offended you. It’s not a question of your appeal, Miss Hart. You’re tempting as hell. I’ve been equivocating because we might be from two different universes, galaxies … whatever – and I’m not so sure you can deal with it.’

She immediately took offence, even though they were clearly on the same page. An unreasonable reaction that had nothing to do with logic and everything to do with having a man say no to you before you could say no to him.

‘Look,’ he said softly, leaning forward slightly. ‘Don’t be pissed. It has nothing to do with you. It’s me.’

She gave him a pouty look. ‘That’s the classic line when you’re blowing someone off.’

‘I don’t do classic lines, Miss Hart,’ he said, thinking her pouty look was really fucking hot. ‘I’m just trying to be honest. Ah – here’s our champagne and shrimp.’ He smiled at her, then at the server, waited while their glasses were filled, said, ‘That will be all,’ and raised his glass to Kate. ‘To a memorable evening.’ His smile was so sexy it had to be illegal. ‘Drink up, Miss Hart. We’re not going to think too hard. We’re just going to have fun.’

She exhaled, felt her tension ease. She was within touching distance of God’s gift to women, warmed through and through by that sexy smile and honestly, like him, she’s wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted to do. Although right now it wasn’t out of the question that she could come to orgasm just by looking at him.

Dominic was casually dressed in a black T-shirt, a sepia and black houndstooth sport coat, black slacks and sepia suede lace-up shoes, his dark silken hair gleaming in the subdued lighting, curling slightly at his nape, his high cheekbones and fine straight nose the gold standard for classic beauty. His brilliant blue gaze was pure temptation because he was smiling at her like she was the only woman in the world. Even if it was in play, that smile-across-the-room moment took her breath away.