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He thought the worst of her that he possibly could. For five years he’d lived with the belief that she’d cheated. She alone had known the truth – she was as innocent today as the day she’d married him. And she was sick to death of that. Sick to death of not knowing the satisfaction of sex, the intimacy of a man’s touch. Sick to death of feeling unwanted, unlovable, unsexy, undesirable.
First Massimo, then Sam – though at least with Sam she’d been able to console herself that they’d been friends for so long it was natural for the chemistry not to be there straight away. But with Massimo she’d always felt as though her skin was being burned alive, just by his presence. How was it possible he hadn’t felt that too?
“Is it possible you came here looking for the kind of comfort you can find in a man’s arms?”
Her eyes were huge when they lifted to his.
“Your fiancé left you. Your feelings are hurt. You want me to make that all better?”
She bit down on her lip, shaking her head. “That’s not it.”
“Then what is it?” He moved his hand higher, his eyes daring her to stop him as his fingers found the waistband of her underpants and pulled at it, snapping it against her skin so she jumped a little.
“Five years ago we got divorced,” she said simply, trying to remember the speech she’d prepared. “You thought I cheated on you, but I didn’t. The truth is –,”
He moved his other hand to her lips, pressing a finger there to silence her. “You don’t need to lie to me now. Whatever I used to feel for you has long since died.”
Her heart skipped a beat. “What did you used to feel for me?”
“You were my wife,” he reminded her.
She shook her head. “We were married. That’s not the same thing.”
“No?”
The finger near her underpants began to move again, pushing them lower, so she tilted her head back a little, her eyes lifting to the ceiling.
“I cared for you, Alessia. If I hadn’t, I would have slept with you, believe me.”
“How do you think denying me what I so clearly wanted was a sign of care?”
“Because you were too young to know what you were asking. I could see that you thought yourself in love with me. Sleeping with me would have compounded that.”
So pragmatic and cool. It was clear his feelings had never come into the equation. He believed she’d slept around? Well, soon he’d know the truth. He’d feel it for himself.
Her eyes sparked with a silent challenge of their own and a heady rush of power filled her veins.
“I’m not in love with you now. In fact, I probably hate you.”
His smile was cool. “And yet you’re here.”
“Let’s just say I don’t like loose ends.”
“Is that what I am to you?”
She lifted her shoulders. “Wouldn’t you say we had unfinished business?”
He made a noise that was animalistic and guttural, as though his rational side was trying to control his sensual instincts.
“Do you know what you’re asking?”
“I do. But let me be clear so you don’t misunderstand.” She jabbed her finger to his chest, her expression intent. “I want you to make love to me. Just once. Just tonight. Then, I’m going to leave here and we’ll never speak of it again. Not to a single soul, not even each other. This will be like a do-over. We’ll pretend it’s our wedding night. Okay?”
His features showed sardonic amusement. “Except there’s been a lot of water under the bridge since then.”
“More for you than me, I suspect.”
He laughed, shaking his head, but even as he did so he was lifting her up, his eyes holding all the signs of what he intended. “Says the woman who was rumoured to have cheated on me with three different football players during our very short marriage.”
