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Authors: Maggie Cox
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lovemaking. It jolted him when Grace scraped back her chair and stood up.
‘And is my receiving this cheque for the charity conditional on whether I accept your offer or not?’
Marco shook his head. Even if making his offer conditional was the only way to get her to sleep with him, he wouldn’t do it. He might have a propensity sometimes to be a little ruthless in his business dealings, but he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he even attempted to coerce or blackmail a woman like Grace. She might be a self-confessed romantic but he didn’t want to be the one to shatter that pretty illusion …
‘No it isn’t. The cheque is yours, come what may. You have my word on that.’
She sighed and her relief was palpable. ‘Thank you. While we’re talking so frankly, there’s something I need to tell you. The thing is—the thing is sex isn’t a simple or casual thing for me … I think you should know that. Being a friend or companion to you while you’re on a break is one thing … intimacy is entirely another.’
Saying nothing, Marco simply watched the visible interplay of emotions crossing her face, silently drawing his own conclusions about them.
‘Can I give you my answer about this tomorrow?’ she asked. ‘Only I’d like some time to think it over. Also, in spite of my nap on your very comfortable couch, I’m still feeling rather tired. Do you mind if I don’t stay for dinner? I hope your housekeeper hasn’t gone to too much trouble getting the food ready …’
On his feet in a flash, Marco dropped his hands to his hips and ruefully shook his head. At least she hadn’t given him a flat-out no in response to his frank admission that he wanted to take her to bed, he mused. As once again he fell under the spell of her incandescent crystal gaze he determinedly held onto that. Not that it had really surprised him when Grace told him that sex wasn’t a simple or casual thing for her. Even before she’d revealed that nugget of information he’d sensed that she was a woman who would need to be seduced in the most subtle and artful of ways … If he was too demanding too soon she would quickly depart for good, never to be seen by him again, most likely. And now that he was set on making her his lover that was the very last scenario he wanted.
‘Inês will be happy to accede to whatever arrangements I make for dinner—no matter how many times I may change them. What is much more important to me right now is that I have your promise that you will return tomorrow, Grace.’
‘You have it. I’m a woman of my word, so I’ll come back tomorrow and give you my answer then.’
‘Good. If you follow me, we will go and find Miguel to drive you home. In the morning he will return to your villa to collect you.’
‘Thanks. Thanks also for taking me to lunch today. I really enjoyed the food and your company.’ She smiled shyly, but then her glance darted helplessly to the cheque still lying on the desk.
Immediately Marco picked it up and handed it to her. ‘You might want to post this to the charity.’ He smiled, ‘You can tell them that I will write soon, to confirm that I am in full agreement with them using it to help the children.’
‘I’ll also give them your address here, so that they can forward their thanks to you. Can you tell me what it is?’
He collected a sheet of personally addressed notepaper from the wooden letter-holder on his desk and gave it to her. Something told him she would put the task top of her list of priorities and the idea touching him, a warm sensation flooded into his heart.
‘Well, I expect I should get home now.’
The shy smile that he was fast becoming addicted to returned.
‘Let’s go and find Miguel. I see now that you are indeed very tired. The sooner you get back to your villa and go to bed, the better.’
The repetitive thump on the villa’s front door made Grace blearily open her eyes. Turning her head, she glanced at the clock sitting atop
‘And is my receiving this cheque for the charity conditional on whether I accept your offer or not?’
Marco shook his head. Even if making his offer conditional was the only way to get her to sleep with him, he wouldn’t do it. He might have a propensity sometimes to be a little ruthless in his business dealings, but he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he even attempted to coerce or blackmail a woman like Grace. She might be a self-confessed romantic but he didn’t want to be the one to shatter that pretty illusion …
‘No it isn’t. The cheque is yours, come what may. You have my word on that.’
She sighed and her relief was palpable. ‘Thank you. While we’re talking so frankly, there’s something I need to tell you. The thing is—the thing is sex isn’t a simple or casual thing for me … I think you should know that. Being a friend or companion to you while you’re on a break is one thing … intimacy is entirely another.’
Saying nothing, Marco simply watched the visible interplay of emotions crossing her face, silently drawing his own conclusions about them.
‘Can I give you my answer about this tomorrow?’ she asked. ‘Only I’d like some time to think it over. Also, in spite of my nap on your very comfortable couch, I’m still feeling rather tired. Do you mind if I don’t stay for dinner? I hope your housekeeper hasn’t gone to too much trouble getting the food ready …’
On his feet in a flash, Marco dropped his hands to his hips and ruefully shook his head. At least she hadn’t given him a flat-out no in response to his frank admission that he wanted to take her to bed, he mused. As once again he fell under the spell of her incandescent crystal gaze he determinedly held onto that. Not that it had really surprised him when Grace told him that sex wasn’t a simple or casual thing for her. Even before she’d revealed that nugget of information he’d sensed that she was a woman who would need to be seduced in the most subtle and artful of ways … If he was too demanding too soon she would quickly depart for good, never to be seen by him again, most likely. And now that he was set on making her his lover that was the very last scenario he wanted.
‘Inês will be happy to accede to whatever arrangements I make for dinner—no matter how many times I may change them. What is much more important to me right now is that I have your promise that you will return tomorrow, Grace.’
‘You have it. I’m a woman of my word, so I’ll come back tomorrow and give you my answer then.’
‘Good. If you follow me, we will go and find Miguel to drive you home. In the morning he will return to your villa to collect you.’
‘Thanks. Thanks also for taking me to lunch today. I really enjoyed the food and your company.’ She smiled shyly, but then her glance darted helplessly to the cheque still lying on the desk.
Immediately Marco picked it up and handed it to her. ‘You might want to post this to the charity.’ He smiled, ‘You can tell them that I will write soon, to confirm that I am in full agreement with them using it to help the children.’
‘I’ll also give them your address here, so that they can forward their thanks to you. Can you tell me what it is?’
He collected a sheet of personally addressed notepaper from the wooden letter-holder on his desk and gave it to her. Something told him she would put the task top of her list of priorities and the idea touching him, a warm sensation flooded into his heart.
‘Well, I expect I should get home now.’
The shy smile that he was fast becoming addicted to returned.
‘Let’s go and find Miguel. I see now that you are indeed very tired. The sooner you get back to your villa and go to bed, the better.’
The repetitive thump on the villa’s front door made Grace blearily open her eyes. Turning her head, she glanced at the clock sitting atop
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