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‘It does not’ His whole body anging with both indignation and awareness How dared she compare him to sly, sleek Bavasso? And how could he want her now,him as best she could?

Laurel lifted her chin, her eyes flashing blue-green fire ‘Tell me how it doesn’t, then’

Cristiano stared at her for a long ry, aware and wanting ‘I told you before, I do not threaten I certainly do not force Trust me on that, Laurel’

‘Why should I trust you on anything?’ she challenged ‘And, in any case, there are different kinds of coercion’ She looked away, a flush staining her cheeks, her teeth sinking provocatively into her full lower lip Realisation dawned and bloo hi her She was afraid she wouldn’t need to be forced

‘Coercion?’ he asked softly ‘Or seduction?’

She drew a shuddering breath, lifting her chin and tossing her hair back, forcing herself to aze Because he did know—he knew that she wanted hi the attraction, however, re out for more? ‘What else do you offer?’ she asked ‘Besides protection?’

‘Pleasure’ He watched her eyes flare, but to her credit she held his gaze ‘Of that you can be certain’

‘You are appallingly arrogant’

‘Merely sure’

She shook her head slowly ‘And how long would this…arrangement between us last?’

‘As long as I want it to’ He felt the first flickers of triu disappoint exactly as he’d expected her to, needed her to…and he found he didn’t quite like it

‘And how long would that be, do you think?’ she asked Her eyes flashed and her lips tre from what I’ve read in the tabloids, youraboutyourinterviewed for, isn’t it?’

‘Call it what you like’ He’d had straightforward discussions with previous mistresses, but for some reason they hadn’t felt quite like this: so cold and h, mercenary was exactly how he’d alanted to be, especially when it came to women Any softer emotion, never mind actual love, was for fools Fools like his father, who had been both fleeced and heartbroken by grasping women like Laurel’s mother and the wife before her As for his own mother…

‘So for how long?’ she asked, a catch in her voice ‘Roughly?’