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Now Elene stopped, whipping around to glare at him ‘What do you think? That I wanted to do it this way?’ Her hand slapped the roof of his car ‘No, Mattia Danielle was so ill I’d have promised her the ain, charging up the hill like a rocket

He sighed What a woman to have onside The mother of his child had been very lucky to have such a friend One in a h life If he ever got stupid enough to fall in love again, that was And one thing was certain: he wasn’t stupid Not often

He waited until she was nearly out of sight before engaging gear and cruising along behind her, pausing to let her get ahead, catching up, not once considering leaving her alone It et inside the property and again for the garage door to lift so she could enter the house and e hihter than the flagpole on the end of the deck, her chin sharper than a knife

He was in too deep And hating it Elene had fought back hard, which he adiven, but telling hiain her respect Considering how her ex had treated her, it only showed how strong she’d beco on so well before he’d gone and wrecked it But learning the truth was i his fa close, and that was his daughter Her guardianship could be a ruse to obtain financial gain from his family, but unless that was the case he was loath to contest her legal role Danielle had chosen Elene as Aimee’s mother, and he’d respect that to the best of his ability—as long as he retained his rightful place in his daughter’s life, whichwith him full-time

He was going to have to convince Elene to stay in Italy Permanently That was all there was to it

That’s all? He groaned It’d be easier to run the Sahara Marathon, and he didn’t even run to the hospital This was Elene Lowe he was talking about, reton: stubborn, deterh those barricades that she’d flung up when he’d accused her of wanting so fro ASAP He only hoped he had enough tiht outco Aimee with her

He’d start by going to bed and not antagonising her any ht

And toical schedule to deal with A child to consider An angry wo it on Really?

Sì Mattia stopped pacing the kitchen Placating Elene ht be difficult, yet he wanted to, wanted to win her confidence and her trust—soiven earlier She had to be the et on with her Naturally he’d do all he could for his child But This wasn’t only about Aiettin

g to know, understand, care about Elene Lowe

Oh, cohtens your groin whenever she’s close, about that challenge in her eyes that has you wondering if you had a fling with the wrong woton

Noas really going to sleep well Because he already knew the answer to that one

‘Da down the hall, he rapped on Elene’s door ‘Can I have a word?’

The door opened a crack ‘You had too many already’ The door closed

Mattia gave another, sharper rap ‘Elene, I am sorry for what I i hecharacter

The door opened Elene slipped through and closed it before leaning back against the wall, her arms folded beneath her breasts, those intense eyes locked on him ‘Did you mean what you asked?’

He had to be honest It was the only way to go But neither would he grovel ‘Yes’

‘Thank you I understand why you had to ask’ He was being impaled with that look ‘Just not how you went about it’ Then her stance softened Only a little, but it was enough ‘See you in thelike a kid on detention outside the headmaster’s office

‘Goodnight, Elene,’ he whispered, more to himself than her ‘See you tomorrow’

CHAPTER FIVE

ELENE WOKE TO a very quiet roo upward, she stared over at the cot E herroutine of ‘Ma-ht have so to do with it Unless someone had taken Aimee away before she started? Mattia? Or Anna? She kneho she hoped it’d been, and it wasn’t that tall, arrogant ht The thought of Mattia co in here while she was co, just because he could and would