LITMIR.BIZ

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made herself answer this time—keep the conversation on this light level. Even though she felt as if she were on shakier ground than if she were standing on the rim of an active volcano. Really she didn’t want to talk at all. She just wanted to absorb herself again. Right now she felt all that was precious in her was hanging up in the air, able to be seen—and shot down. She wanted to suck it back up. ‘Nothing. It’s just the way it is.’ She knew he didn’t believe her. But it was true—she could only have the one style. Boring as anything.

      ‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so still.’

      She turned her head and looked at him. ‘What do you mean?’

      He lay on his side, facing her, watching her with an impudent grin. ‘You’re usually doing a million things, ever so efficiently, never stopping.’

      ‘I only work fast because I want to get the job done. There are other things I want to be doing.’

      He levered up higher on his arm, glanced around her room. At the table. ‘Making the necklaces?’

      She was such an open book, wasn’t she? ‘Yes. And other pieces.’ She watched him closely. If he dared laugh she’d brain him one. She’d hidden it from her parents. Her brother and sister had teased her one too many times about never getting over the toddler threading beads phase. She was just the child who’d been unable to live up to their achievements, was only useful as the errand girl.

      And the silly thing was she was like a child—eager for their acceptance. But she couldn’t help that craving. She’d never been one to disrespect her parents, always had been dutiful. But she wanted more than that; she wanted to make them proud. She wanted them to value her contribution to the world as much as they valued her brother and sister’s and their own. Trouble was, she was hardly off saving people as they were.

      He’d hopped off the bed and was looking at the pieces on the desk. ‘They’re pretty good.’

      ‘And you’re an expert?’

      He whirled, looked all wolf. ‘I’ve seen a few necklaces in my time.’

      Of course he had. He’d seen a few necks, hadn’t he? And he knew how to make love to a woman’s neck, that was for sure. The niggle she felt about that was shamefully fleeting. She just wanted him to do it again.

      He looked at the tray of beads and glass and trinkets. ‘They’re different.’

      ‘Thank you.’

      ‘You’ve got a few done.’

      Sophy hesitated. Then the small burst of pride beat over her usual reticence. She wanted to impress him—just a little. ‘I’m putting them in a show.’

      As soon as she’d said it she regretted it. The nerves flared—what if no one liked them? What if she sold none?

      ‘What show?’

      ‘There’s a film festival coming up at the academy. My jewellery is going to be showcased in the foyer.’

      ‘Cool.’ He nodded. ‘That’ll be great.’

      Sophy’s bubble of excitement popped. ‘I just have to finish enough to mount a decent display.’

      He looked at the table. ‘This is where you work?’

      ‘Sometimes I use the dining table, but it’s easier in here.’ Less mess for Rosanna.

      His brows flickered, but then he looked at her. She knew the subject had gone from his mind and something else was in its place. It was obvious—his body gave him away.

      Lorenzo hadn’t snuck out of a girl’s room in years. Usually he could manage breakfast. He’d mastered the art of a sweet departure—a kiss, a smile, some lush words. But final. Always final.

      But he didn’t want to touch Sophy again. If he did, he knew he wouldn’t be able to stop. And he refused to mess with her any more—although the reality was, she’d messed with him. He’d known it would be wild, but he hadn’t thought he’d be filled with such awe. Be so moved by her. In truth, she scared him. How she made him feel scared him. She was so soft, so abandoned, so delicious.

      She made him want more.

      He carefully eased from her bed. She was lying in a sweet curve, her blonde curls spilling over the pillow. He resisted the urge to kiss her goodbye. He was hard again anyway. He didn’t need to make it worse.

      It was more nerve-racking then when he’d been trying to sneak out of the school dormitory with Alex crashing round behind him. It was all right for Alex—if he’d been caught it would have been a figurative rap on the knuckles. For Lorenzo it would have meant expulsion. He was always on that last chance. But then, as now, he made it.

      He stood on the footpath outside her house and stretched, feeling the adrenalin surge through his muscles as he thought of their night together. He watched the dark sky start to lighten. Oh, yeah, as fantastic as it had been, he shouldn’t have done it. Never, ever should have done it. And he sure as hell wasn’t doing it again.

       Chapter Six

      SOPHY opened her eyes when she heard the front door shut. She lay still a few moments longer just in case. Lorenzo had wanted to escape, she hadn’t wanted to stop him. She figured he didn’t want the awkward morning after either.

      Had he even left a note? She rolled over, closing her mind to the slight tenderness of her body. No note—not on the pillow anyway. She lay on her back and looked up at the ceiling. Waited until she was sure he’d have driven away, then got up and walked into the lounge. The food was still on the table—all untouched. The only thing they’d eaten last night was each other. He’d had to come back out to the lounge at one point in the wee small hours to find the last couple of condoms that were hiding on the floor. And she was no girl scout—she hadn’t been prepared for him. And she certainly wasn’t prepared for this now. No regrets, but a nasty case of uncertainty.

      She scraped the food into the bin, looked about as she worked. But there was no note anywhere else either.

      And she had to face him at work in four hours’ time.

      She didn’t bother going back to bed to try to get any more sleep. Instead she found her favourite navy trouser suit and made sure the shirt to wear beneath was pressed. She refused to let him ruffle her—not any more. But her heart thudded.

      So they’d had their one night. And while she felt as if she’d died and gone to heaven, he obviously hadn’t. He couldn’t wait to get away—and hadn’t wanted to deal with her. Okay, she’d get over that.

      She really wished Rosanna were home. It wasn’t her advice on how to get it that Sophy had needed. It was her advice on how to achieve a painless aftermath now. How did Rosanna keep on such good terms with all her old flames? And, even more importantly, how did she keep them all burning for her? Sophy shook her head—no, she didn’t have either the secret or the skill for that.

      Well, at the very least she’d try to borrow some Rosanna cool. She handled the boys with charm and smiles, right? Just made it easy for everyone. She winced. Sophy had made it easy for him all right. But he’d wanted her too, hadn’t he? It hadn’t been totally one-sided. She’d felt him shaking when he’d moved in her, she’d heard him growl with pleasure.

      The balm from that reflection didn’t last anywhere near long enough.

      He just liked sex. It was obvious. It wasn’t her he’d wanted, just the physical pleasure that she’d offered on a plate. What had she been thinking?

      Okay, so the regrets were coming now—and the hurt that he hadn’t felt anything special when she so totally had.

      He wasn’t in when she got there. Kat the receptionist said he’d be out most of the morning. Sophy was

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