The Italian's Unwilling Wife

To her relief, he stepped back from her. ‘Well, why don’t you run along to that bed of yours? That’s if you really do want to go up there on your own.’

She didn’t need telling twice; she almost fell over herself in her haste to get away. ‘And why don’t you get out of my house?’

He ignored that, merely smiled. ‘Nice talking terms with you,’ he called to her as she moved through the lounge towards the stairs. ‘Think about my offer, because I’m only going to leave it open until tomorrow. After that, you will be doing all your negotiating with my lawyer. And, believe me, he won’t be nearly as accommodating.’

CHAPTER FOUR

ABBIE lay on top of her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Outside the weather was deteriorating; she could hear the wind starting to whistle around the house with an eerie intensity. Strange how she had been so concerned about that this morning. But now even the threat of a hurricane outside wasn’t as disturbing as the presence within.

Why had she kissed him like that? The question kept pounding through her senses along with the memory of his offer.

All she had to do was go back to Sicily with him and play at being the perfect wife and mother.

He could go to hell. She turned over and thumped her pillow. How she had ever once believed that he was a decent human being, she didn’t know! And as for imagining that she had been in love with him! Well, she must have been out of her mind.

He’d made no attempt whatsoever to leave the house. A little while ago she had heard his footsteps coming up the stairs, and she had stiffened, her heart thundering against her chest. There was no lock on her bedroom door, and if he’d come in…

But he had merely gone into the bathroom next door, and the next moment she had heard the forceful jet of the shower being turned on.

She wasn’t sure what would have happened if he’d come into her room. Yes, she hated him, but something really strange happened to her whenever he touched her. He made her lose control of her emotions so easily, turned her into somebody she didn’t even recognise. And it had nothing to do with his damn money! Just what it was about him that affected her like that she didn’t know. All she knew was that it scared her.