Tempted by the Bridesmaid by Annie O'Neil

Author:Annie O'Neil
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin Medical Romances
Published: 2017-09-05T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

A SHOT OF irritation lanced through Luca’s already frazzled nerves. Spreadsheets taunted him from his computer screen. Stacks of bills sat alongside ledgers he knew he couldn’t reconcile. He barked a hollow laugh into the room.

This must be how his father had felt when his business was failing. Alone. Horrified by the ramifications of what would happen if he admitted his failure to his family. To those he loved the most in the world.

Another peal of hysterics echoed down the corner.

Since when did hydrotherapy sessions contain so much laughter?

He pushed back from his desk in frustration. He knew the exact moment. Ever since he’d gone to Francesca. Vulnerable. Heart in hand. Needing help. Needing her.

A shot of desire coursed through him and just as quickly he iced it.

Their nights together were...otherworldly. Never before had he met his match as he had with Francesca. The pure alpha male in him loved hearing her call his name as he pleasured her. Loved teasing and taunting just a little longer as she begged him to enter her. Even now, fully clothed, he could conjure up the sensation of Fran’s nails scratching along the length of his back as he thrust deeply into her until the pair of them both cried out in a shared ecstasy.

If only he hadn’t gone to her to ask for help. Help she’d given willingly. Gladly, even. But it made him feel weak. It ate at his pride and filled him with yet another measure of self-loathing he’d yet to conquer.

He was meant to be shouldering the load. Righting wrongs he had set in motion.

Paolo’s triumphant cry of “I did it!” pierced through to his consciousness.

Pride was his enemy. The devil on his shoulder drowning out the man he’d buried somewhere deep inside him, who knew having Fran here was exactly what the patients needed. What he needed.

The Francesca Effect, the staff were calling it.

Yes, the patients worked hard, but they also laughed and cheered, and a few had even cried in moments of triumph they had never thought they’d achieve.

Like a moth to a flame he found himself drawn to the hydrotherapy room.

He looked through the glass window running the length of the indoor pool and ground his teeth together.

Even in a functional one-piece swimsuit she was beautiful. Her hair was in Heidi plaits, trailing behind her in the water as she faced Paolo in his chair, stretching from side to side of the pool along with him, keeping up a steady flow of encouragement. Silly jokes. Pointing out every time he’d done well. Reached further. Done more. Aimed higher.

Luca pressed his head to the glass and as he did so, Fran turned to him, her blue eyes lighting up and her smile growing even broader.

He wanted to smile, too. His heart pounded in his chest, demanding some sort of response, yet all he could do was grind his teeth tighter together.

How could he let her know? This beautiful, carefree, intelligent, loving woman to whom he could lay no claim.

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