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‘Iseller My customers come from miles away to buy from me,’ Gwenna told him

Angelo said nothing With difficulty she silenced the self-protective words on her tongue His uninterest was blatant but she reminded herself that she owed it to the Massey Garden committee to check out his intentions in advance of the takeover She let Piglet out of the storerooelo, hovered in unsuccessful hope of an acknowledge to investigate the strangers outside The parking area out front was, at first glance, packed with cars and men

‘Who are all these people?’ Gwenna frowned

‘Security’ Gwenna was te to his undoubted need to take such precautions His brilliant tawny scrutiny ood idea to put me in a bad mood’ Momentarily she shut her eyes, disconcerted by the speed hich he had read her and alht with hi way to the chill of fear that he evoked scared her even ardens has been restored I use part of the old kitchen garden to display the plants I grow in their natural habitat—’ ‘I wouldn’t have said that this was your natural habitat’ ‘Well, then, you’d be wrong—’ ‘I’ onto her te dark shadow

In silence, Angelo reached for her hand and she had to coers encircled her wrist with cohened skin on her paled state of her nails

‘When I realised that you ran the nursery, I didn’t appreciate that that entailed working the ground like a navvy’ Off-balanced by that physical contact, Gwenna breathed unevenly ‘That’s what I enjoy the most’ ‘You’ve led a restricted life’ ‘I don’t think so’ ‘You’re very stubborn’ Stunning dark eyes linked with hers and her chest went tight round the quickened pound of her heartbeat, until she are of nothing but hiers to his handsoesture that had immense style and assurance ‘I like it In a world of yes-wo, she jerked her hand back but she could still feel the touch of his lips on her skin like a fiery brand of intent A hard, tight knot of heat sat low in her tu fazed him His ruthlessness was like a steel wall of chain- to him with excitement shamed her to the core Excitement? He’d kissed her hand and the sizzle in the air blew herdrea about a man she could never have? She forced a breath into her straining lungs and started talking fast about the garden and the restoration plans and funds that were already in place

Angelo listened without interest or co commitment to a project that on the face of it offered no useful advantage or prospect of profit He wasn’t into green spaces He had never had the time or patience to stand still and smell the roses or adrown acres surrounding them were patent But his mind was occupied with less innocent pleasures He ondering how she could look so marvellous when she was dressed like a traroo the faint evocative perfuht possibly be the unspoilt aro irritated by the skittish way she backed off on her long coltish legs every tiot within two feet of her

‘Stop that’ ‘Stop what?’ she exclaimed

Angelo closed a restraining hand over hers and anchored her to his side

‘Mr Riccardi…’ And that formal mode of address filled him with such ferocious dissatisfaction that he hauled her to him and kissed her luscious pink lips with all the fierce desire that he usually kept in iron-clad restraint

A ht escaped her before the descent of his hard, hungry mouth silenced her He stole her words, her breath, her ability to think and her legs threatened to buckle under her with the shock of it The shattering swell of excitement snatched her up into a ue into the daht with reckless response