She was seriously ashamed of her own behaviour and the fact that she couldn't resist a man she met few hours ago. Violet had saved her from losing her virginity because she was sure she wouldn't have been able to push Andrea away. And she did not believe that Andrea Santino would have called a decent halt. He did what he liked when he liked. He had hauled her into his arms like a Viking on the rampage. He was violently oversexed. Those daunting truths had sunk in on her. Her mouth felt hot and swollen and she was afraid to look at him. "The gardens are a wasteland beyond the wall. There’s really not anything more to show you." She said, trying to steady her breath. "The ancestral mansion?" He asked. "Are you kicking me away so soon?"A few minutes later she came to a halt a hundred yards from the large shell of the Regency house where her mother had been born. Andrea kept stealing a glance at her and even as he stared at the house, she could feel his disapproval. "What’s the ins
Andrea settled his black gaze on the ugly little dog messily digging up the border behind her back. The dog with a foolish owner twisted round its short but crooked tail. No way was he prepared to share house-room even briefly with her pet. ‘He goes to the hotel. My staff will choose the very best available.’‘But if I’m not there he won’t eat—’‘Nonsense.’‘It’s not nonsense—’‘I’m not into animals indoors,’ Andrea pronounced with finality.Elena breathed in very deep and reminded herself that it was two years since Violet had starved himself to skin and bone while she was on holiday. The following year, Toby had helped her to get the little dog a pet passport so that he could travel with his mistress. But now it was very much to be hoped that he had got over such excessive reliance on her for his sense of security. She could feel her eyes prickling at the prospect of life without Violet and would have died sooner than betray her weakness. Andrea Santino would be fed up with her with
Four days later, Elena was in London. The morning after her arrival, she was met at her hotel by an elegant brunette in her thirties. A senior coordinator in Andrea Santino’s employ, it had been Josephine Carper who liaised with Elena on the phone and orchestrated all the arrangements to be made on her behalf.‘It’s my job to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to city life. You have a full programme of appointments today,’ Josephine trilled with a polished smile that displayed her perfect white teeth to advantage. ‘First on the agenda, I’ve organised a viewing of the property Mr Santino has selected for you.’A smooth transition? Elena could have wept at that useful little cover-all phrase that took no account of the drastic upheaval in her once tranquil daily existence. Only now that her contentment had been wrenched from her did she appreciate just how happy she had been pottering about with plants. The same day that Andrea had visited, her father had signed over all the prop
Elena bit down on her ready tongue. She was shocked to realise that she was trembling. Honesty obviously didn’t pay with him, she reflected uneasily. She had made him angry and she knew that wasn’t a good idea. She dared not say what she had almost said for fear of provoking him even more. But, in her opinion, the fancy trappings of a house in Chelsea would not alter the nature of the sexual transaction he had offered her and if a cheap hotel got the wretched business over with quickly she would have been the last to complain. False pride was not one of her problems.‘If it is my wish, you will live in a stonking great mansion even if it is only for five minutes. Is that understood?’ Andrea enquired in a chilling tone of finality.‘Yes,’ she conceded in a voice wiped clean of any expression or life.‘I have work to do. I’ll see you when I get back to London.’ Andrea set down the phone. He was furious with her. He had expected her to be overjoyed with the house. It had an award-winning
Elena beamed. ‘I’d love that too. Will you be staying long?’‘No. I have to go back to Germany to tie up loose ends on the park project.’Comforted by the prospect of seeing Michael again, Elena went into the pet hotel with a spring in her step. Even though they had only been parted the night before, Violet was as ecstatic to see his mistress as she was to see him. Having persuaded him into eating, she played with him and took him out for a walk. She was grateful to have a task to devote her energies to, for her recent period of idleness had made time hang heavy on her hands. Her plan to take the little dog home with her again was disrupted when the chauffeur came inside to pass on a message he had received on the car phone: Andrea would meet her at the same exclusive restaurant for an early dinner instead. Quite unprepared for the news that Andrea had successfully evaded being delayed abroad for the rest of the day, Elena was cast into renewed panic.Having moved metaphoric mountains
Her lashes dropped to shadow her shaken gaze. In a matter of moments he had rewritten her knowledge of herself. Her body was crying out for him and she was shocked. Chafed by the lace cups of her bra, her tender nipples were tingling. The prickling throb between her slender thighs painted her face pink. She wanted him. He had made her want him. Of course, a few glasses of champagne had loosened her inhibitions, she told herself defensively. But wasn’t that a good thing? Andrea Santino had offered her the devil’s bargain, and she had surrendered choice when she agreed to share his bed in return for the charges against her father being dropped. Wasn’t it wiser to make the best of a bad situation rather than try to resist the inevitable? And wouldn’t asking if she was currently the only woman in his life demean her? Give him the impression that she cared?Andrea could feel her trembling and his very sensitivity to that fact annoyed him in the same way that so many things had in recent we
"On the cabinet, beside you."Elena, who had hoped he would have to go off and get her a drink from somewhere, looked in dismay at the bottle of champagne and the glasses sitting in readiness. Andrea strolled round the bed and uncorked the bottle. Golden liquid foamed down into a delicate flute. He extended it with reluctance. "You really don’t need liquid anesthesia."Refusing to look at him and edging away, Elena hugged her knees with one arm while taking a very hearty gulp of champagne."I understand that you’re nervous—"‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ Elena gritted over the edge of the flute."I’ll make it good, bellezza mia,’ Andrea swore softly. ‘In fact I’ll make the experience addictive.""You couldn’t possibly."Andrea sank down on the bed with all the panache of a tiger stretching out in the sunshine. "I think that someone’s been telling you old wives’ tales. It won’t hurt."Elena flushed to the roots of her hair. "What would you know about it?""You may be my first virgin but I ha
He was skilful and smooth, but that slow, deep plunge into her silken softness and the final piercing of the barrier of her virginity caused fleeting tears to well into her eyes. He stayed very still then, allowing her to adjust to the invasion. ‘I’m sorry … I hated hurting you.’Ripples of heat and stimulation pulsed from the hot, secret heart of her again. Newly sensitised, she quivered, her body angling up to his in an invitation that spoke louder than any words. With a ragged laugh of gratification he moved again and a whimper of excitement escaped her because he felt amazing. Her heart began to hammer against her ribs. Exquisite sensation built and the knot of ravenous need in her was tightened and tightened as he set up a raw, sensual rhythm. Delirious with pleasure, she abandoned herself to his dark, driving passion. At the height of a shattering climax she screamed in ecstasy before she tumbled down and down and down in a release from her physical body that was so powerful t