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Chapter 5

Mere limpse of herself in the cheval mirror in her bedroom Dismayed, rudely recalled to reality, she stared at her hectically flushed cheeks and swollen mouth She looked like a shameless hussy

Air cooled her spine as Angelo ran down the zip on her dress and inched it off her shoulders

‘I feel like a slut…’ she gasped strickenly

Angelo spun her round, si dark eyes pinned to her unhappy face ‘That’s theI ever heard,bellezza mia ,’ he censured ‘I want you and you want me What could be more natural than the desire to e of Gwenna’sherself from a pointless outburst that would only upset hermore or less, she told herself squarely Hadn’t she always been a very practical person? Flights of fancy and histrionics were not for her She would live only in the present, taking each day as it came

Angelo smoothed her honey-blonde hair back froentle she blinked in surprise ‘I saw you and I wanted you before you even spoke One look and that was that’ ‘But that’s crazy’ ‘Dious to thisdesired to that degree should be a source of pride to you’ Disconcerted by that stateelo drew her to hiaze ‘I wouldn’t want you if you were like ain, er he could awaken so easily While she struggled to catch her breath he stripped off the dress and lifted her onto the bed, peeling off her shoes and, s He punctuated each and every action with the drugging demand of his lips on hers So roused was she by this treatment that when he attempted to step back she automatically put her ar, teasing h rasped low in his throat as he toyed with her full lower lip and let his tongue plunge deep in an erotically sweet invasion that left her gasping

Gwenna lay on the bed where he had put her, her senses singing and quivering

Clad only in a fli horribly exposed and shy and all too shamefully aware that she had pulled him back to her, desperate for another kiss She watched as he cast aside his jacket and his tie in a series of easy fluid ers es parted to display the sleek bronzed expanse of his muscular chest and taut flat abdomen Her tension went up another notch

‘Relax’ Registering her apprehension in the evasive flicker of her eyes, Angelo endeavoured to e tone for the first time in his life ‘You look incredibly lovely’ Gwenna shot hilance He was down to black silk boxers that revealed more than they concealed of his bold state of arousal It was a view that shocked her and she hastily looked away, her heart racing like an express train Her tension acquired an edge of panic, for suddenly it seeet into a bed with a man she barely knew ‘I could really do with another drink’ ‘On the cabinet, beside you’ Gwenna, who had hoped he would have to go off and get her a drink frone and the glasses sitting in readiness Angelo strolled round the bed and uncorked the bottle Golden liquid foamed down into a delicate flute He extended it with reluctance ‘You really don’t need liquid anaesthesia’ Refusing to look at hied her knees with one arne

‘I understand that you’re nervous—’ ‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ Gwenna gritted over the edge of the flute

‘I’ll elo swore softly ‘In fact I’ll elo sank down on the bed with all the panache of a tiger stretching out in the sunshine ‘I think that so you old wives’ tales It won’t hurt’ Gwenna flushed to the roots of her hair ‘What would you know about it?’ ‘You ence, coelo loosened her hold on the chane flute and eased her fire off what promises to be a very pleasurable event’ At the instant of contact with the muscular warmth of his lean, powerful body, she shivered violently ‘You’re all ego—’ ‘No, all confidence’ Gazing down at her with glittering dark eyes of purpose, Angelo skimmed a casually possessive hand over the pale, slih ‘Trusther froers on the taut sh, Gwenna looked up at hihable request But she wasthe extraordinary discovery that she was ready and willing to be convinced even if she could not understand why that should be