Page 366 of Under Her Skin
“I’m not sleeping with him. I don’t know why it’s important to me that you know that, but itis.”
Enda stroked her cheek. “I know,Bella. Listen …I must see you again. Can I come to youroffice?”
She nodded and gave him the address. “I know this is wrong,but…”
His lips silenced hers and she could feel his erection through his pants. God, she wanted him so badly. Her skin felt like it was onfire.
She went back to the table a few moments before Enda, but couldn’t help but feel that their lust for each other was obvious. Jackson seemed not to notice, though, and when Enda returned, there was nothing in Jackson or Olivier’s glances that gave anythingaway.
Ama felt sick with excitement. He wantedher…what the hell was she supposed to do? She barely knew him, but she knew, without a doubt, that she was falling for EndaGallo.
As Olivierand Amalia walked ahead of them, Jackson held Enda back with a touch of a hand. He smiled without humor at his half-brother. “I hope we will see you at the house moreoften.”
Enda looked askance. “That’s new. Sincewhen?”
Jackson’s expression was mocking. “Now I’m happily married; I just want us to be family. And when my children are born …well …” He smiled smugly, and Enda wanted to pound his facein.
“Fine.” He turned and walked away, catching up with Olivier and Ama. He had no time for Jackson’s games. Since that farce of a wedding, all he could think about was Ama. When he had seen her walking down that aisle, apparently terrified, his heart had started to beat quicker, and when their eyes had met, a thrill of desire had run through him. Later, in the garden, he hadn’t been able to help himself when he saw her so sad and so lovely in that slip of a dress, her long hair tumbling around her shoulders. No one that beautiful should be that unhappy. He hadn’t meant to kiss her, but when she’d looked up at him, her lovely eyes so troubled, her dusky skin glowing in the low light, her lips so red and plump, it was the most natural thing in the world to kissher.
As soon as their lips had touched, he had known he was lost. Making love with her …yes, he should feel guilty, and he would do if it had been any other man’s wife. Not that the guilt had stopped him before. But something about Ama was different. He knew it had been an arranged marriage and that she was an unwilling participant in it. And, god, he had wanted her sobadly…
He and Oliviersaid goodbye to Ama and Jackson as they got into their car. Ama met his gaze and smiled slightly. Her eyes told him everything he wanted to know. As they drove away, Olivier sighed. “I hope he treats herright.”
“God help him if he doesn’t,” Enda saiddarkly.
Olivier studied him. “You don’t think …I mean, the thing with Penelope was years ago. He learned his lesson,right?”
Enda looked at his brother. “God, Olivier, I really hopeso.”
The package was waitingfor Ama on her desk when she arrived at work the following Monday. Her assistant, Lena, greeted her with a smile “Jeez, Ama, was that the honeymoon? That wasquick.”
Ama tried to smile. “We’ve postponed it for a while, because of work. It’s no problem, really.” Lena didn’t need to know Ama had refused to go on honeymoon with Jackson. She had no doubt that if she had been alone with him …god, she couldn’t bear to consider what mighthappen.
She went into her office and dumped her purse on the desk, glancing at the parcel. The label was handwritten—just her name in a beautiful cursive scrawl. “When did thiscome?”
Lena grinned. “This morning. Girl, you should have seen the delivery guy.Gorgeous. Italian, Ithink.”
She went back out to her desk, not realizing the frenzied excitement that had started in her boss. Ama touched the label, running her finger over her name. Picking it up, she opened the parcel. A burner phone. She switched it on. Only one number was programmed into it, under the name ‘He.' Ama smiled. She was really going to do this, wasn’t she? Have anaffair…
She thought about Jackson trying once again to get into her bedroom last night and her teeth clenched.Yes.She was going to do this.Hell,yes.
She closed her office door quietly and pressed the dial button. Her heart was beating against her ribs and adrenaline spiked in her when she heard his voice. “Caramia…”
“Hey there …He.” She chuckled, hearing himlaugh.
“I thought that was the safest name I could come up with. How are youtoday?”
“Better now that I’ve heard your voice,” she said softly, “When can I seeyou?”
“Can you be free forlunch?”
“I can.” God, she felt like a love-struckteenager.
Enda laughed. “Good. Write this address down.” He gave her an address in Russian Hill. “Take a cab. I’ll meet youthere.”
At noon,a very nervous, but excited Ama was in a cab, being driven to Russian Hill. When she got there, Enda was waiting outside an apartment building. He took her hand and led her inside. “I rented an apartment. I thought it would besafer.”
Ama felt like she was in a dream. In the elevator, Enda took her in his arms and kissed her. ‘Hello again,” he said softly, and she smiled up athim.
