Page 28 of Bride of Betrayal
Steeling herself to go back to Leo and try to ignore the pull between them, she wasn’t expecting to see him waiting outside the bathroom. He was leaning against a wall and stood up as she approached. He said, ‘I’m ready to go, do you mind?’
Angelica felt relieved. She shook her head. ‘Not at all.’ She didn’t miss the way Leo still had that heated look in his eyes. She would ignore it. Go straight to bed when they returned. In the guest suite. Which had been cleaned by staff earlier. So she wouldn’t have to worry about his scent on the sheets.
When they went outside, Leo took his jacket off and gave it to her, settling it over her shoulders. His warmth seeped under her skin. She gritted her jaw and she saidthank you. He knew exactly what he was doing.
When they got back to the apartment in the hotel, Angelica avoided looking at Leo as she slipped off his jacket and handed it back to him, very careful in case he tried anything. But he just took it without touching her hand.
She looked at him, suddenly feeling foolish, as if perhaps she’d just imagined the crackling chemistry between them, but as soon as she took one look at his face and eyes she knew she hadn’t imagined it.
He wanted her.Exactly as he’d told her.
He said, ‘There’s no reason why this can’t be a marriage in the bedroom too. We want each other…clearly there’s unfinished business.’
Angelica straightened up. ‘If you don’t mind, I think I’d prefer to take my chances and let unfinished business remain unfinished. There were plenty of women at that event who I’m sure would be only too happy to accommodate your…needs. After all, it never stopped Aldo.’ Her husband might not have been able to perform with her—thank God—but he’d been perfectly capable with others.
And she only realised the impact and meaning of what she’d just said when Leo frowned. ‘Is that what happened? He was unfaithful?’ He issued a curse word.
If Leo thought she’d been unhappy in her marriage with Aldo because of infidelity then she’d have to leave it at that. She couldn’t explain the truth.You could try.Her heart beat fast at the thought of telling him everything but then the fear returned. She couldn’t yet trust that he wouldn’t use her family to get back at her. And she was so close to seeing them.
‘That was it,’ Angelica said tonelessly.
‘And you?’
She looked at him, outraged. ‘No.I would never be unfaithful.’ Even while married to Aldo, the thought of another man…other than Leo…had been anathema. Angelica had frozen over inside. Until now.
‘Aldo didn’t corrupt you completely, then.’
Angelica clamped her mouth shut, afraid of what might come out.
Leo said, ‘I would never be unfaithful within a marriage, even this one. Why would I? When all I want is standing right in front of me. There’s not one woman back at that event who I would look at twice.’
Angelica had a flashback to Leo appearing in the doorway of the bathroom and telling her it was a mistake. ‘It’s not happening. I won’t be some plaything for your cruel amusement.’
‘I wasn’t trying to be cruel.’
Angelica forced herself to meet his eye. ‘It didn’t feel that way.’
‘I’m sorry.’
Angelica shook her head. ‘There’s too much history between us.’
‘I agree. And maybe the only way to deal with it is to acknowledge it. Acknowledge that it’s still in our present.’
‘Because you engineered this whole situation.’
‘I would have come for you,’ Leo said in a low fervent voice, making Angelica’s skin tighten. ‘I never stopped thinking about you.’
She swallowed. ‘You mean, wanting me to be punished.’
He shrugged minutely. ‘Yes, I can’t deny that…but since we’ve been together again, it’s becoming less about that and more about…this.’
Angelica couldn’t even formulate a word in response because Leo had moved closer and snaked a hand around the back of her neck, under her hair, and was tugging her towards him with no force. She was moving towards him willingly in spite of everything she’d just said and as soon as she realised that she dug her heels in.
‘Leo…’ Her voice sounded thready and weak.
‘Yes, Angel…’
‘I thought I told you—’
