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‘So, is this a yes, piccolo ainst her swollen mouth

‘Are you always calculating the odds?’ Je her head back out of reach

Luciano gave her a wicked grin that loosed a flock of butterflies in her tu dizzy ‘I don’t switch off my brain very often,’ he admitted

She could have hih And she wanted hioodness, yes, she wanted him But it would be crazy to s of the ly physical and dangerously unreliable Close to Luciano, her body vibrated like a tuning fork Hehim off to the nearest secluded corner That awareness cooled her heated blood and made her take a mental step back to take stock

‘I have to think about this,’ Je slant of his black brows above his stunning eyes ‘I need to be onfor a walk on the beach’

Recalling the flight of winding stone steps that led down to the shore froht Round and round and round she went,faster and faster in her need to escape until her heels finally sank into the blissfully soft sand at the bottoers through the straps and walked barefoot down to the shore

The surf dampened her feet as she led up the hillside on the other side of the horseshoe-shaped bay and boats bobbed in the harbour A church with a bell tower e look even more picturesque in the sunshine

So, how did she really feel about Luciano? Did she want hiless about Nicky andLuciano’s wife? Why couldn’t she think about anything but Luciano? Was she infatuated with him? No doubt that would wear off with continued exposure to hier with a crush, she thought with an inner wince After all, it was obvious that if such a e of convenience was to work she would have to be more practical in her outlook

Could she happily settle for respect and consideration and fidelity? Well, she thought wryly, maybe not happily, but, if the alternative was not to have Luciano at all, her choice was being made for her If the chance was there, she definitely wanted to take it and give it a go And what about her fa career that she loved? Living abroad in Sicily? Could she adjust to that change? Friends and family would be able to visit as she would be able to visit them, she told herself, and, while she wouldmore children would certainly fill her time

Registering that she alking straight for the natural rock fored direction in favour of the path running between the shore and the single-track road She put her shoes back on, relieved she had worn low heels, and only as she straightened did she appreciate that she was not walking alone Three of Luciano’s bodyguards hovered several yards away and shedefiantly on her heel and picking up her pace towards the village Why on earth were they following her? Were such precautions really necessary for her safety?

Tired and hot, she paused at a café above the beach and walked in to sit down It was busy A large group of elderly ame in one corner and several other tables were occupied As soon as Jeuard approached her to ask her what she wanted, acting as a liaison between her and the proprietor, as viewing theht and she sipped, cooling off fro a handful of children play ball on the beach below

Nicky would have a whole beach to hiht heavily Would he even be allowed to play with other children? Had Luciano the smallest idea of what an ordinary childhood was like? What had his own been like? He had shared so little with her All she knew about his background and his first leaned froly opened up about his past

A sports car purred to a halt outside and Luciano sprang out of it The proprietor bowed almost double and the waiter copied hiid, their chatter silenced As he strode in Luciano addressed the owner and then settled down lithely opposite her, seereeted his arrival and that of his protection team