r, and one day you will see it. You have suffered, I know how you have suffered, but Paolo was part of both o

olossal giant of a mistake and Donato had made it with Maria. She had crept away that morning a year ago like a small, beaten animal seeking s

er and a year wiser and more importantly she h

she had thought imposs

emaking had taken her to, and now he let her move from him, his eyes narrowed as she faced him l

ving here regardless of Lorenzo or anyone else. Is t

that, and if your ego can't cope with that

just,' he drawled grimly, 'in

s implacable as always when her eyes searched the sculptured features. Nevertheless the brief second of uncertainty was enough to drain

asked herself tensely, when they had shared the intima

s Donato's deep voice cut into her pain, but she could read nothing from his dark face. What was he thinking r

e didn't let him get near her again he couldn't hurt her again. Simple. What wasn't so simple was the seductive need his touch had induced, the sweet, potent ache between her legs and the ripening of her breas

ed she had come a long way from the first devastating weeks of grief. Then the sound of his name had been like a sword pier

needs you here?' She nodded silently. Yes, she could see the heartbroken little boy needed unconditional love and companionship in the immediate future. 'Bianca has off

one,' he

ssault whenever Bianca was present, and although it was impossible it always seemed that Benito had planned exactly what he was going to say for maximum effect, prov

and when Roman

surgery know as soon as p

d to find a r

underneath which she had recognised before. She ignored it; her nerves were shot to pieces as it was and

She stared at him warily. 'Or

English say?' He smiled, but it didn't reach the ebony eyes. '

ld reply, and although she wanted to speak the touch of his fingers was burning her through he

he didn't want it in the circumstances nothing could be more humiliating so why did her senses go into overdrive at no more than a lift of thos

for her to enter first with his normal courtesy and then foll

g across the beautifully furnished room to his large, gleaming walnut d

ing under the cool, controlled facade that was anything but cool and controlled. Following her into the room for what w

ely trying to be helpf

moments later when he spoke her name, his voice flat. After settling herself in the chair opposite his desk she hes

hed expanse of wood, and he was making no effort to glance at any of the p

egan hesitantly annoyed to find he

d only known each other for the last four months, Claire having come to work at the surgery following

g about you all da

gluing together under the rapier sharp gaze across the desk. 'But I'm g

ren't you? I mean, I know it must be terribly difficult with t

onfide all the pain of the past and fears of the future, but with the dark presence across the desk freezing the air all around her it was most definitely not t

e that he wanted to speak to you if you rang at any time;' Claire paus

hen told herself she should have expected it. Jim had joined the team of doctors at the same time that she ha

otions still raw from Donato's betrayal, coming as it so swiftly after the horror of Paolo's death, she h

five, when her parents had in a car accident, and all Jim's family were in Scotland, so the two of them

Grace to her parents and friends, but Jim had still maintained a watchful fatherly attitude towa

ooked up to find the brilli

iting to be put through; I suppose the

ato questi

why, but there was something at the back of Donato's glittering gaze that was

. thoug

ut then Jim's Scottish hurr sounded down the line and sh

girl?' he asked loudly,

rrival back in England to Jim and when the tele

o Italy for

her which dominated the masculine room. And I shan't be returning as quickly as plann

e and so unlike Jim's normal mode of s

very upset and he needs me. It'll be for a while, Jim, so if you and the

linked, wondering if it was indeed sedate, unemotional Jim at the other e

or you as long as it's necess

statement with the other doctors but decided against it; this new Jim was less a