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‘Yes,’ he said. And then it was his turn to sound questioning. ‘Doesn’t the idea appeal?’
He wanted it to appeal to her—he wanted it very badly. All evening the feeling had been growing, becoming insistent, demanding he recognise what was happening between them. That what he had with Connie was changing, becoming something new. Something he could not resist. Did not want to resist.
Did not want her to resist either...
He was looking straight at her, into her eyes, her beautiful, deep-set blue eyes, with their delicately arched brows and their incredibly long, thick lashes. Almost he reached out his hand to stroke the silky peach of her cheek...
He felt his wishes coalesce into one. That she should want what he wanted...that they should share all that was changing between them—all that he had realised about her.
Desire me, Connie—desire me as much I now know I desire you.
He saw her eyes change, become less shadowed. And suddenly they blazed.
‘Oh, yes...’ she breathed. ‘Oh, Dante, yes—yes!’
Her eyes were shining now, widening, pouring into his like sapphire jewels. His breath caught. She was so beautiful, so incredibly, stunningly beautiful. So perfectly irresistible...
With a strength of will he had not known he possessed, he got to his feet. With another surge of iron willpower he kept his voice light, his smile only warm and friendly.
‘Good,’ he announced. He drained the rest of his coffee, set down the cup. ‘So that’s settled. Tomorrow we’ll extend your wardrobe, and then we can head for Italy. Does that sound good?’
She hadn’t moved, was still staring at him with those beautiful widened cerulean eyes. He felt desire stir within him.
No!He had to shut it down. Now. Right now.
‘OK, finish your coffee, then it’s time for bed. We’ve a full day ahead of us tomorrow. All that shopping... And we’ll need to get your passport couriered here as well.’
She gave a shake of her head, and instantly Dante saw how it feathered the fall of her hair, bringing tendrils around her face so attractively...
‘I’ve got it with me,’ she said. ‘It’s a useful form of ID.’
She was getting to her feet, scooping up her high heels as she did so, holding them loosely in her hand. Her eyes were wide and shimmering, lips slightly parted, and her beautiful shapely body, sheathed by the silk of her dress, was so close to his that he could catch the scent of her perfume.
Did she seem to sway for a moment, gazing up at him with what he thought was desire in her eyes? It was making every muscle in his body tighten in anticipation... But Dante kept himself rooted to the spot, as if he were mentally driving spikes through his feet to keep himself there.
Don’t look at me like that, Connie. Just don’t! Because if you do...if you do...then...
His self-control held—just.
‘Buona notte,’he said, keeping his voice firm and keeping an even firmer hold on his self-control.
To his abject relief she turned away, eyes dropping suddenly, heading towards her bedroom.
‘Buona notte, Dante,’she echoed, and he would have had to be deaf not to hear what was in her voice.
Exactly the same emotion as had been in her shimmering gaze.
He drove those spikes through his feet deeper yet. He had to—justhadto—hold on.
I can’t rush her—not like this—however much I long to do so.
He watched her gain entrance to her room, and only then did he dare breathe. His gaze rested on the bedroom door she’d closed behind her. Closed against him.
I should go to my own room. Take a cold shower—as cold as I can bear.
Yes, that was what he should do. And he would do it. He must. He’d lift one foot off the ground, and then the other, and head to his own bedroom.
He didn’t know how he did it, but he started to walk—purposefully, determinedly—towards the one place he should go. Right now...
