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She shook her head "I should have taken the time to come up with a better way to break the news to him But, he's rarely ever hit oad hih

"It's not your fault he hit you, Kira"

She nodded, but didn't look convinced "I think I'd just like to take a long, hot bath and get cleaned up Maybe order dinner in"

I understood; she was asking to be alone "Of course I'll go get settled in the other roo her roo from the floor where I'd left it I would have liked toin, but after what happened with Kira's father and her ex-fiancé, I knew this was not the tiuilt for trying to push anything on her at all—it seeh of that for one lifetime

"Oh and Grayson," she said, turning halfway towardyour wife"

I paused "You are my wife"

She smiled softly "You knohat I mean You made it sound like I was your real wife It was very convincing"

I frowned slightly, but wasn't sure what to say It was true—she wasn't ht now to clear that haunted look in her eyes I just nodded instead "I'll see you in the "

I went intothe road dust fro to cleanse the feel of the confrontation with Kira's father fro in me had wanted to punch Frank Dallaire in his face when he'd slapped Kira But I'd held back Assaulting someone would only send me back to prison and I wouldn't risk it In that way, the incident had served to reht home ht for my woman now? My woman No, perhaps Kira wasn't ht

I sighed,my mind back to Frank Dallaire I'd never paid a whole lot of attention to San Francisco politics, but I’d perceived hih, but fair, a friend to uessed it just went to shohat a game politics was I found it hard to believe a hter so abominably was much of a real friend to anyone but himself

And noas otten ht—he'd put soo about our business Why did I have a bad feeling that wouldn't be the case? I shook it off, got dressed, and went to sit on the balcony for a little while, wondering what Kira was doing in the other rooed in water, her skin slick and wet, that wild hair falling in disarray froed in my veins, but at the same time, I wanted to take her in my arms and soothe the hurt and embarrassment I’d seen on her face as I'd left the roo feelings But sitting there, sorew inside me—a masculine need to possess my wife, combined with a protectiveness I wasn't prepared to feel

Stop this Stop this right now

But I couldn't help it I wanted to put that bright light back in her eyes, to comfort her, see that witchy little diroan This would never work I had to rein myself in None of that was eave in to our attraction to one another, it had to remain on those ter We couldn't wade into thethat couldn't be defined It wouldn't end well for either of us Knowing about Rosa Maria and her father, I had a little et involved with me She probably saw a physical relationship between us as little more than what they'd had Was it?

Confusion swirled withinmy physical need for her now that I could admit there was more involved than just sexual desire, now that I could admit I cared about her as a person But for some reason I lost control around her and all my best intentions went by the wayside Every time And I still couldn't understand exactly why What was it about her that unbalanced me so much?

What I did know? Kira was in the same hotel suite and maybe she needed co she did

After looking over the roo in an order to be delivered to our suite, I knocked on the door to her bedroo a pair of jeans and a black top, her feet bare and her hair still partially wet Her face was free ofOf course, she was very young, only twenty-two I didn't think about her age very often, perhaps because sohty child, and soliht had only served tolittle witch I entered, inhaling the light flowery scent that was hers

"Hi," she said, eyeing me suspiciously

I walked into her roo dinner for us I know you like Charlotte's beef stroganoff I'ood as Charlotte, but" I shrugged Kira looked slightly unsure, but then let out a breath, obviously acquiescing