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PROLOGUE

Two o…

MAXIMILIANO MARTINEZ OPENED his eyes, the uncusto hi ith Lisa, flashed through his mind As if roused by those saainst hiritted his teeth, trying to ignore the stab of desire rocketing through hiiven into that weakness last night It had been the sae to Lisa the only option

To wake up with Lisa next to hi hat he would have had if he’d been able to honour his wedding vows, if he’d been able to let go of his past and love his wife But he hadn’t He’d thought he’d banished those ht what he and Lisa had wouldVery wrong His past had reared up like an angry stallion,to escape—he wasn’t capable of love Never had been and never would be That hy he’d set Lisa free Just months after they’d married, he’d left

For the last six months they had ether He knew full well it was avoidance on her part but he couldn’t really blame her He’d hurt her

So what the hell was she doing in his bed?

Lisa put her ar to her, but the action made the contrast between his mind and body polar opposites His body wanted her, wanted to o, but his ht was alreadyhis wife, but he didn’t want to hurt her That hy he’d walked out on the e To save her from the heartache a man like him would inflict on her

He gently es as she sighed softly and very sexily He looked down at her, at the long lashes splayed over her pale skin, and kneas doing the right thing, even if he hadn’t last night; now he did he would do exactly that He slid fros and sheets before his body won the battle of desire

‘Where are you going?’ Lisa’s voice was husky and so daered in every syllable and for a moment he froze, unable to ht stand with a woed wife

Before he’d , able to resist the lure of desire, but then she’d always affected hione fro about the players of the latest football club he’d bought and hoanted her to continue working for him and be the club’s physiotherapist

Because she’s the woman you wanted to love

He looked at her again, the tug of desire strengthening But so too were the ghosts of his past

Last night they had drunk far too an to thuht he could talk over dinner with Lisa and not give into the desire, the need to touch her, kiss her and ain

If he didn’t reiving in once ether was still there and it was past tiood

‘I have an irowled the words out as he pulled on his clothes The onlycups of coffee and painkillers When he turned to look at his wife, red hair tuain Yet the aggressive words rushed froo’

‘But…’ she began as her eyes implored him to soften his mood, to look at her without the icy spark in his eyes or the anger in every line of his body

He wasn’t going to be drawn ‘No buts, Lisa Just go’

‘But last night…’ she tried again, sitting up and clutching the white sheet against her in a show of modesty, or maybe protection Either way, it failed as one full breast becathened his resolve

‘Last night should not have happened Hell, Lisa, we agreed Our h his hair and turned away fro to see the hurt in her eyes, the pain on her beautiful face He swore in his native Spanish, his first language ruling theSpain as a teenager