A Legacy of Secrets - By Carol Marinelli Page 0,14

was. In just a few minutes her body felt scalded, and in no time at all she wanted to tear at her clothes just for the relief of being naked. She was grappling for control here and fast realising that with Santo she had none.

‘Come on, Ella...’ He was hurrying her for a reason. He wanted her to come so that two minutes later he could, because Santo knew the second he was inside he’d explode. His hand was working the curves that had taunted him for months now and he wanted to spend the day making up for lost time. Finally there was one good thing to hold on to and hold on to it he did, squeezing and digging his fingers into her buttocks, grinding his hips up to hers. He was just lost in the reprieve from the hell she had given him, so lost that it took a second to realise that she had stopped kissing him He looked up to Ella as she lifted her head, his hands stilling as the once-mutual rhythm stopped.

‘Get some sleep.’ She was as breathless as he.

‘Don’t do that to me.’ Santo grinned and pressed into her again.

‘I am doing that.’

‘Ella!’

‘It’s a kiss, Santo...’ she attempted, because it had been so very much more. ‘It doesn’t always have to lead to something.’ Except her body said otherwise, but she was not going to lose her head to him. She reminded herself why—he was a rake, and an unrepentant rake at that. ‘Have you seen the state of your neck?’ she sweetly said. ‘I find it a bit off-putting.’

‘Nothing happened last night.’

He felt her disbelieving half-laugh, felt it reverberate through him as her breasts lay heavy and warm on his chest. ‘Actually, it’s true. I got so bored kissing her, midway my mind wandered.’ It was terrible that he could make her laugh. ‘Next thing I knew she was leeched onto my neck.’

‘You should pay more attention.’

She was reminded of the placement of his hands as his fingers stroked her buttocks gently and then ventured just a little further to her centre. ‘Oh, I’ll pay attention, miss.’

So tempting was that thought she almost conceded, but no, it was supposed to have been just a kiss and Ella needed her head, needed to think, and with Santo lying naked beneath her, it wasn’t a very doable ask.

‘Go to sleep.’ She gave him a light kiss on the lips but did not linger. She prised her body from his and stood, did up her skirt with hands that were shaking and made no effort to tuck her blouse in, just collected the phone. But as she reached the door his voice caught her.

‘Could you pass me the tissues?’

‘You know what, Santo?’ Ella was at the door. ‘You just take things too far sometimes.’

‘Sorry?’ She heard the question in his voice and then he laughed. ‘I want to blow my nose. It’s a curious thing this crying. I’ve never done it before. I feel like I have a cold.’

‘Liar!’ Ella said, and threw him the box.

He caught it and then his words caught her again at the door. ‘But if you change your mind...’

CHAPTER FOUR

SHE WOULD NOT be changing her mind, so instead Ella headed out of the bedroom and, closing the door, poured herself a glass of grapefruit juice. She liked the tart taste on her tongue but it did not quench her, because her mouth still thrummed from his attention. The skin on her face was still alive from the drag of his jaw and there was a triangle of ache from her nipples that pointed down. The heavy bedroom door might just as well be made of paper, because it would be so easy to walk through it.

Ella was the most focused, determined person where her work was concerned, and certainly wouldn’t let any man get in the way.

Not even one as drop-dead gorgeous as Santo.

Especially not one as drop-dead gorgeous as Santo.

Ella was well aware she attracted bastards—a couple of relationships had taught her that—only Santo wasn’t actually one.

He never made promises he had no intention of keeping. His reputation served as enough of a warning and fool was the woman who might think he would change.

Ella wasn’t a fool.

She’s simply refused to give in to the want that sometimes curled inside when he was around. Her career came first, but this morning, knowing she was perhaps leaving, for a few dangerous moments she had given in.

And look at the