Page 73 of Pomegranates and Olive

"Thatisthe reason. Well, that and the fact that Rosie's very naïve and way too young for him."

"Naïve? Rosie?" I laugh erratically. "She's not naïve, but I do agree that she’s way too young... forbothof you!"

"I don't want Rosie."

"Damn it, Luca, you do, you just don't realise that you do."

He looks at me in confusion and shakes his head. "Rosie is... she's... honestly, I don't know what Rosie is."

"Then maybe you should work on that little conundrum and leave me the fuck alone."

I stand up and start running back up toward the mill. Of course, the one person I don't want to see is the first person I bump into. Deniz.

Mannaggia, che quaio!

"I was looking for you."

"Well, you've found me."

His fingers caress my arm softly. I'm annoyed at him, but I can’t deny that I find his touch unbearably tempting. "Can we talk?"

"Sure, let's talk." I let out an enormous self-righteous huff, much to his bemusement. Trying to maintain my anger, I put my hands on my hips and tap my boot impatiently. "Why would you tell Luca about last night?"

"He has a right to know my intentions."

"Your intentions? For fuck's sake, what is it with you two? Both of you are making me crazy!"

His hand creeps back to my arm as if he is craving my touch as much as I'm craving his. "I told you I'm no good at relationships."

"This isn't a relationship! This is... it's... nothing."

"Russo!"

"Yilmaz! See, I can say your name emphatically as well!" I take a step backward in an effort to put some distance between us. "One minute you act like you hate me, the next you're declaring yourintentions. I can't keep up with your mood swings!"

Taking me by the hand, Deniz pulls me through the gate that separates the factory from his house. As soon as we're in the courtyard, his mouth is on mine, biting my lip greedily as his hardness presses into me, sending a surge of heat through my body. I reposition myself so his cock rubs against my crotch and I moan into his mouth as he pulls away, scattering kisses across my neck to my ear. His voice is husky as he whispers to me, "If your idiot fiancé hadn't turned up last night you would have experienced myintentions—"

This is not the time, and definitely not the place. I need to get away from him, right now, before I say something... or do something... I am going to regret.

Before I can protest, his tongue licks my earlobe before dipping inside, sending tingles everywhere. "— I was going to make love to you."

My voice cracks as his face moves closer to mine, "He's n-not my fiancé."

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

Luca's voice comes out of nowhere. I gasp as he wrenches me away from Deniz's grasp. "It's okay, Luca."

Luca is glaring at Deniz, the vein in his neck twitching furiously, his fists clenched tight. "Keep the fuck away from her. Do you hear me?"

Deniz eyes Luca carefully. "Or what?"

In an instant, Luca jams his fist into Deniz's cheek, so hard that Deniz stumbles back and falls to the ground.

"Luca!" I bend down to Deniz and help him up. "Are you okay?"

"Not as rough as a game of rugby, I'll be fine." He rubs his chin as he grins at Luca. "Good punch."

"Thanks."

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