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He’dto do with her

As she sank into a deep slumber, Pia could think of no otherher

No man she wanted to know more No man she wanted to risk her heart with

Raphael had just finished his quickly put together 2:00 alass of red hen he heard soft steps behind him

Dannazione, he had tried not to wake her…

Closing his eyes, he stayed where he ith his back to her But he could see her reflected in the glass panes in front of him

Clad in his white shirt, which fell tantalizingly to her thighs, she was rubbing sleep-mussed eyes behind him He should have trusted his instincts and stayed at the hospital

But he’d given his answer to Gio tonight and the knowledge of it was like the continual strike of a spark plug to fuel

“Raphael?” Her husky voice floated toward him across the kitchen

Sing the last of his wine as if it ater, he turned

Her hair created a vaguely golden halo around her face, her long, long legs—toned and nicely tanned, bare frohs down—hit him hard All these days, he had watched her, wanted her, with a desire that grew stronger by theher when he didn’t want a relationship No intention of being roped into anything he didn’t want

Now there was nothing to hold hi her

“Sorry I disturbed you Go back to sleep,” he said, not quiteher eyes

She shook her head and a esture he was sure she didn’t even realize she’d made He kept the marble island between theate the hot pounding of blood in his veins

“I had already woken up For a few minutes, I couldn’t remember where and why” She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand

That she felt so comfortable with hiht, half-dressed, when she’d always been like a skittish horse around him, it denoted a level of trust he’d never wanted “And then I had this sick, twisted feeling in ht I had lost Gio and you were… Then it all ca down and I jerked awake”