Page 149 of A Diamond Deal
She blinked up at him.
‘The sex between us is unlike anything I’ve ever known.’
‘I thought it was “normal”.’
‘Did I say that?’
She frowned. ‘I think you implied it.’
He remembered then, how she’d asked him in the shower if it was always like this, and he’d brushed the question off with some line about connection. ‘Your question caught me off guard.’
She rolled her eyes and, despite the tenuous situation they were in, a flicker of amusement sparked in his chest. When was the last time someone had rolled their eyes at him?
‘But sex is still just sex,Contessina. Even with a beautiful woman who has taken over your every waking, and sleeping, thought.’
She nodded slowly. ‘You’re worried I’m going to fall in love with you.’
He dipped his head once.
‘Frankly, I think you should be more worried about that for yourself,’ she pointed out archly. ‘You’re the one who went all diabolical caveman because I was innocently studying with some other guy.’
He smiled at her description, but sobered quickly, because he was still fast-walking over quicksand.
‘I’m not going to fall in love with you,’ she said.
‘How do you know?’
‘Because I’m not stupid. I have plans beyond this marriage, and they don’t include you.’
‘I’m glad, Amelia. Clearly there are things about me that I didn’t realise, things about myself I didn’t know, but this is not one of them. I decided a long time ago that love and marriage were not for me, and I will never change my mind on that score—nor allow it to be changed.’
She simply stood there, so impatience chewed its way through his gut, making him doubt her, him, the wisdom of this. In the back of his mind, though, he knew that this infatuation would fade eventually. No passion remained at this intensity for long.
Once they were through this phase, they’d drift apart of their own volition. It was the way of things. He was sure of it. As sure as he was of the fact he couldn’t fight this any longer. He needed her in a way that was killing him to ignore.
‘Amelia, I’m sorry,’ he said, again. ‘Please, stay.’
‘You gave me two options,’ she reminded him, but she took a step closer, pressing a finger to his abdomen. ‘I’m still considering them.’
His eyes flared as her finger began to snake downwards, towards his belt.
‘Is there anything I can do to help you make up your mind?’
‘Oh, I’m absolutely sure there is, Signor Moretti.’
He didn’t need to be asked twice.
Chapter Twelve
THE HOT TUBon the wraparound balcony of Massimiliano’s penthouse was utterly sublime. Or maybe that was the hour they’d spent before, making love as though they had been separated for years, not weeks. As though they’d been born for the sole purpose of coming together.
There’d been a shift.
She felt a thousand miles away from the virgin she’d been when she’d agreed to this marriage.
And for the first time since marrying, they’d agreed not to go out. Amelia was glad. While being wined and dined around Rome didn’t sound onerous, it was nice not to need to get dressed up, aware that all eyes in a venue were locked on her, the women sometimes staring daggers.
She sighed contentedly as her eyes chased the skyline of Rome, marvelling at the famous landmarks she could pick out from where they were, the beauty of this ancient city.
