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‘I kept my knickers on,’ she told him ruefully ‘But I had to take my bra off because the straps showed I was a student nurse on the ladies’ football team We did the charity calendar to raise funds for the children’s hospice There was nothing the slightest bit raunchy about the shots It was all good, clean fun’

Dark colour now rode along Gaetano’s cheekbones ‘I know and I accept that I’m sorry I shouted at you When Rodolfo showed me that photo in the newspaper I felt like an idiot’

‘No, you’re not an idiot’ Just very very possessive in a way Poppy had not expected hied by the prospect of anyone else seeing her naked

‘You have an old-fashioned streak that I never would have guessed you had,’ Poppy remarked tentatively

‘What is ut reaction that took control of hi

That gut reaction utterly unnerved hi with him? Mine? Since when? Only weeks earlier he would have leapt on the excuse of inappropriate nude photos to break off their supposed engageed to Poppy for very long at all, had actually been depending on her to do or say soood reason to reclaim his freedom How had he travelled from that frame of mind to his current one? All of a sudden she felt like his wife, his real wife Why was that? Sex had never meant that much to Gaetano and had certainly never opened any doors to deeper connections But he had wanted Poppy as he had never wanted any woer had triumphed

Poppy went pink ‘Not really’

‘For as long as you wear that ring you’re mine,’ Gaetano qualified

Poppy hadn’t needed that reht that more detailed interpretation Her heart sank and she closed her eyes to shut out his lean, darkly handsoood because she still saw his beautiful face in her mind’s eye

‘Lie down, relax,’ Gaetano urged ‘You’re exhausted I’ll be back later’

You’re mine But she wasn’t She was a fake bride and a terant her any status Suppressing a groan, she shut down her brain on her teehts and fell asleep

Late that afternoon, she left the hospital in a wheelchair in spite of her protests In truth she still felt weak and woozy Gaetano lifted her out of the chair and stowed her carefully in the passenger seat before joining her