Damn it all. She was going to be one of those women. She smiled for the camera as she acknowledged to herself that flash of truth wasn’t going to get in her way of dreaming about him. All it took was that smile, the warmth in his eyes, that focus on her making her feel as if Remy saw only her, not everything and everyone around him, which was far closer to the truth.

Remy held out his hand to her and she put hers into his without even hesitating, without even reprimanding herself for being an idiot and not running for the hills when she had the chance.

Remy leaned close, his mouth against her ear, his warm breath stirring her blood into a surging wave of pure heat rushing through her body. “Stop thinkin’ so much,” he admonished.

Who was thinking? Certainly not her, especially when he brought her hand to his mouth and brushed a kiss along the back of it, and then pulled her hand against his chest and trapped it there—right over his beating heart. She was well and truly lost. A certified idiot when it came to romance and men, because she didn’t care what that look had been all about. She cared that Remy was holding her hand so close to him that she could feel that steady beat of his heart.

He hurried her out of the café through the back entrance and maneuvered his way down the block toward the voodoo shop. She went with him willingly, enjoying the feel of his body moving against hers as they walked together.

“I don’ like men very much,” Bijou admitted, compelled to confess.

“I know,” he said, in no way perturbed.

“I’m just sayin’,” she insisted. “You need to hear me, Remy.” She didn’t care if she was making a fool of herself. It had to be said. She looked good, she wasn’t going to pretend she didn’t know that, but she was broken. She didn’t relate to men. She didn’t let them close to her. She couldn’t have a physical relationship because she couldn’t ever let herself get that intimate.

Maybe she was reading Remy all wrong, but she wasn’t going to lead him on. She knew she was flirtatious with him, and she was so attracted physically she wanted to rub herself up against him like a cat, but she also knew she wouldn’t get past the initial first base. She’d rather make a fool of herself than have him think they could have any kind of physical relationship.

“I hear you, Blue. It’s just that you’re not makin’ any sense right now. Keep it up and I’ll have to show you what I mean and then you’re going to go all rabbit on me and try runnin’.” There was amusement in his voice.