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‘Why not?’ Cristiano challenged, his voice turning soft, seductive ‘You are very beautiful I a her,her respond She felt heat unfurl in her belly and pool between her thighs, a treacherous andher best to deny

‘Why is it difficult?’ she persisted, trying to pretend he wasn’t affecting her That a blush wasn’t sweeping in a scorching tidal wave over her entire body

‘Because Bavasso is an unpleasant s difficult for anyone who helps someone who thwarted hi at your hotel If so for your room key, they’ll know’

‘But couldn’t you…couldn’t someone be discreet?’

Cristiano’s eyes narrowed ‘Youan innocent person in such a situation, but I am not’

Laurel swayed as she was hit afresh by what an awful s ive way beneath her, she walked to the sofa across fro to do?’ she whispered, more to herself than to Cristiano She dropped her head into her hands and closed her eyes ‘What a to do?’

Cristiano suppressed the pang of sy there with her head in her hands, her hair falling in a golden-broaterfall around her face, her robe gaping open to reveal slender, golden thighs… What man wouldn’t be affected? Not just by sympathy, but by desire He suppressed that too It was inconvenient at the h he’d noted Laurel’s obvious response to him with interest He’d also noted her attempt to cover it For whatever reason, she didn’t want hi how he affected her, and she hadn’t ?

‘The answer seems fairly obvious,’ he reazed out at the view of Roht ‘You stay here’

He glanced back at Laurel; she raised her head, her aquamarine eyes ith shock, the exact colour of the sunlit Aegean Sea Her hair hung in dalets around her heart-shaped face and her robe—his robe, actually—had slid off one shoulder, revealing its perfect curve

‘Stay here?’ She frowned, her expression of confusion al it on quite thickly for his benefit, and why? This was surely what she’d wanted What she’d been hoping for He was a far better bet than Bavasso So did she think her reluctance would somehow earn her brownie points or, heaven help him, trust?

He trusted no one, especially not a woman like Laurel Forrester

‘Yes,’ Cristiano answered, his voice clipped, touched with impatience ‘Stay here’

‘For how long?’

‘As long as is necessary’ He paused, letting his gaze sweep over her once aped at her chest and he could see the shadowy vee between her breasts, al as I want you to stay’ She drew in a quick, sharp breath, colour flooding her face She aled ‘You don’t need to look quite so bewildered,’ Cristiano drawled

‘Why shouldn’t I be bewildered?’ Laurel demanded ‘It almost sounded as if…’

‘As if what?’ Cristiano prompted silkily She bit her lip and looked away

‘Nothing’

Cristiano alhed at that She didn’t want to overplay her hand She was so obvious, it a All his liaisons had been conducted with discretion and honesty, fro to the expected end of the transaction This would be no different, but he’d huo with this What exactly she was trying to get? How much?

‘So how long would that be?’ Laurel asked, straightening as she drew the robe closed at her throat, every inch the outraged virgin ‘Because I don’t even have any clothes’