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So as she going to do about it? Was she brave enough to go after what she really wanted and to hell with the consequences? Did she dare risk pain for another moment of passion?

Picking up her handbag, she walked out into the corridor where Alek’s shadow fell over her and instantly she froze

‘Oh,’ she said, atte a smile ‘You startled me’

Alek felt a pulse ha away at his teh to touch and it was distracting Theos, but it was distracting Her hair was tuhtly untouchable beauty of all brides But all he could think about was the crea which smelt like roses, or cinna for you’

‘Wellhere I am,’ she said, and as she met his eyes her lips parted ‘What exactly do you want?’

Alek went very still He saw the darkening of her eyes and heard the dip of her voice, but it was more than that which told hih woes of sexual availability—it was just that he hadn’t been expecting it with Ellie Not tonight He knew that she considered the wedding a farce That they hadn’t been honest with anyone, least of all the, but he’d justified not telling his friends about the baby by rehtly higher risk ofabout those cautionary words had made him realise how much he wanted this baby—for reasons he didn’t care to fathom He realised that the life she carried inside her mattered Should he tell her that? Should he?

But suddenly he wasn’t thinking about the baby and neither, it see froh he wanted her more badly than he’d ever wanted anyone—one last stab of conscience told hi fire That the ht as they’d begun it Separately

But so decision when it went against everything your body was crying out for The ache in his groin was unbearable as he reached for her hand, which was tre, just like his

He studied the sheen of her fingernails before lifting his head in a clashing of eyes ‘I want you,’ he said unsteadily ‘Do you have any idea how much?’

‘I think I’eneral idea’

‘But I’ to do this if it’s not what you want’ He stared at her intently ‘Do you understand?’

‘Alek’ One of the silvery straps of her dress slipped off one shoulder and she pushed it back again with fingers which were trerey eyes looked wary As if she was suddenly out of her depth As if the words she was about to say were difficult ‘Youyou’re an experienced man You must kno much I want you’

He shook his head ‘I know that your body wants oing to wake up in the retting what happened, then I’ll back off right now and we’ll act like this conversation never happened’

There was silence A silence which seeo on for countless minutes

‘I don’t want you to back off,’ she whispered at last

His heart pounded and his body grew hard He raised her hand to his lips and although the now faint voice of his conscience made one last, weak appeal, ruthlessly he brushed it aside ‘Then let’s get hohly ‘So I can take you to bed’

CHAPTER NINE

ALEK FELT AS IF he wanted to explode but he knew he had to take it slowly

He and Ellie had left the party alh the rose petals and rice showering down on their heads But the journey home had been tense and silent, in direct contrast to their teasing banter at the wedding reception He hadn’t trusted himself to touch her and maybe Ellie had felt the same because she’d sat apart frorown and grown until it had felt as if he was having difficulty breathing And wasn’t he terrified that she’d changed her mind?

Her face had been paler than usual as they’d ridden up in the elevator The space had see their arrival at the penthouse had broken into the silence like the chied her mind as he’d unlocked the door to his apartment But it seemed she hadn’t Oh Shehadnot—and the minute the door had closed behind them they had been all over each other