Captivated by Her Innocence

Author:Kim Lawrence
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Romance
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-08-18T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

JASMINE HAD RANSACKED several drawers in her bedroom in her search for the pair of pyjamas she wanted to take with her for the sleepover. The contents now lay in a brightly coloured jumble on the bedroom floor.

Having waved goodbye to the excited little girl, Anna set about picking up the crumpled items of clothing. Then, after smoothing the pretty quilt and plumping up the pile of cushions, she closed the door behind her and with a sigh leaned against it.

Rather than welcoming the relaxing evening that lay ahead, Anna found herself dreading it. Time to think with no distractions was something she definitely didn’t want.

She had told herself that she wouldn’t think about Cesare’s weird behaviour, but how could she not? With the rest of the evening to herself, what else did she have to do?

She walked around the room twitching a tartan throw that didn’t need twitching, punching a cushion, then, instead of putting it back on the sofa, walking over to the deep mullioned window with it clutched to her chest. Her expression abstracted, she stared down at the manicured lawn below, allowing her gaze to move beyond the grounds to the monumental craggy mountains that stood out against a rare blue sky.

First his easy capitulation, then the thing with the guest—she hadn’t really registered the man’s face, just Cesare’s obvious reluctance to introduce them. Now that she thought about it he had virtually thrown her out of the room. What did he think she was going to do?

She had nothing but the wall to vent her anger on and the twelve inches of solid stone absorbed her angry glare much the way her intended target would have. The man had the thickest skin... Skin... She shook her head to clear the tactile sensations that made her fingers curl as she thought of Cesare’s satiny dark gold-toned skin.

Was he even now recounting details of her imagined sleazy past to his friend? Hating the fact that the possibility had the power to hurt her, she walked across to the table and picked up a book she had started reading earlier that week. She had flopped down into a high-backed easy chair when without warning the door opened.

She had stopped pretending even to herself that the sight of him didn’t turn her into a drooling idiot. In her defence there was good reason: Cesare was a beautiful sexy predator, the sort that didn’t have to lift a finger to capture his victims—they were lining up to be eaten.

And to her intense shame, she was no different.

She laid her book down and sat forward, her spine straight as she levelled a condemnatory glare up at his face. ‘I thought this was meant to be a private wing?’

He was still wearing what she privately called his professional uniform, one of the slickly tailored designer suits that he must have dozens of, minus the usual silk tie and plus a heavy shadow of stubble on his angular jaw.

‘You expect me to knock in my own house?’

Her husky little laugh sent a flash of heat down his body.

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