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‘You had to bail them out?’

‘They ht that the ould never run dry’

‘So you gave up your drea a doctor for aa more profitable lifestyle?’

‘Don’t get carried away, Kate Being in my position is hardly a hardship’

‘Nobut money doesn’t really matter, does it?’

‘Is that why you spend every second being a businesswoet financially stable? What did I tell you about hypocrisy? Tut-tut’

Kate reddened Standing over her, he was so da her with his physicality Her aze away fros, the s her pulse, tightening the buds of her nipples into hard, pointed peaks

‘Now, here’s the strategic difference between us,’ Alessandro drawled softly

She had propped herself up against the pillows and he took his ti, slender lines of her body before leaning down, palms flat on the bed, so that his face was only inches away from hers

‘I haven’t abandoned having fun in favour of so’

‘I haven’t done that!’

‘No? So as the last time you had sex?’

Just like that the roo beca so hard that she could almost hear it When she opened her enda not to be affected by hirip of desire, a woman with needs—a wo between her thighs, da her underwear

‘I Well’

‘When was the last tiht was probably the first ti other than the sort of clothes soreat-aunt would be proud to be seen in’

‘That’s not fair,’ she whispered, stung because it was true—horribly, ly true

‘It may not be fair, but it’s true When was the last ti but a need to work, so that you can avoid ending up in the same pickle your mother did? It’s a dry life’

‘It’s’

‘Dry, sterile You’re hiding away fro to happen, and in theyou by’

‘It’s not all about sex’

He didn’t answer He didn’t have to

She could read the intent in his eyes and she knew that he was going to kiss her—and she wanted him to She wanted hieven if it made no sense

His er of aNo, it was a slow, lazy, lingering kissaShe linked her fingers behind his neck and drew hie, bewildered eyes

‘We shouldn’t be doing this,’ she whispered huskily

What a joke! She still had her hands behind his head and her body was still leaning towards his

Tell ht This was probably the last thing he should be doing But for the first time in his life his control had slipped and he had no intention of trying to claw it back He was so turned on that he could barely think clearly He wanted to feel her hand on his erection, feel her rubbing hi him into her mouth

Instead they were both still fully clothed, and it was driving him crazy

‘It’s better to do the things we knoe shouldn’t do than live an e all temptation,’ he husked ‘But if you want me to stop’

‘I don’t even approve of you’

‘I know’

He silenced her with another kiss, and this ti and utterly, utterly devastating

She was barely aware of hi up to strip off his shirt She was too fascinated by the sight of his bare torsobronzed, broad-shouldered, every ripple of muscle defined

She moaned and levered herself up, licked his stomach It felt so decadent and so wanton that she could scarcely believe she’d done it He flung back his head and she felt him suck in his breath Lord, but that made her feel powerful