page30 (2/2)
“It’s not that kind of a date Ava and I know each other from university We’re friends and—”
“Lovers?” She had no idea how she’d been able to say it without choking
Their gazes collided and held, a hundred unsaid words flying in between Finally, he nodded
Everything fell into place “So you’re going there to just…” Heat cli there to have sex with her?” she forced herself to say, i her
“Ava and I go way back and I just… I need to be anything but your lover right now”
Anger caht of Raphael with another woman made bile rise to her throat “Are you that heartless?”
“Heartless?” A tightness crawled up his face, un to believe your own lie, cara ,to me, Pia You need to remember that you and I wouldn’t have crossed paths if not for the fact that you’re his granddaughter His precious princess And the cost of touching you is…far too high for me”
Each calculated word landed like a poisoned arrow God, how could he hurt her like this? Why was she letting him?
She had had enough of this pathetic spectacle she wasif he would ever look at her with so other than polite courtesy
“Brutally honest, as ever At least you’re reliable But you knohat? I can’t do this anymore I—”
“You can’t do what?”
“I can’t pretend to be your bloody girlfriend Frank was right I’h for these kinds of… Find a way to call this thing off Find a way to protect your bloody co But I’m done with this, with you”
She turned and angrily swiped at her cheeks Damn it, she refused to cry in front of him His pity would kill her
But she got no more than a few steps before he slammed his palm on the door She couldn’t turn She couldn’t bear to look at hiht I was beginning to That you were more than the ruthless, ambitious business, it’s horrible, clinical”
The warmth of his body, the scent of him seeped into her back One more step and she would be in his embrace Oh, how she wanted to take that step, how she wanted to lose herself in him…
“You, this pretense, it’s driving ht I can’t sleep I can’t work You’re—” But she cut him off before he could say the horrid words