The sunlight streamed weakly through the palace windows, casting a pattern on the marble floor. Thomas admitted he initially doubted rumours about Leah’s beauty until they met. His intense gaze made her feel mesmerised. He resembled a pirate, ready to plunder, which startled her. He recalled seeing her in a red dress, determined to have her even if she was with his rival. He would've pursued her, even against the devil.As he came up the stairs toward her, she was unable to move. Unable to breathe.“You made me pursue you across Venice for a week before you finally surrendered and agreed to accompany me to Athens. Where I finally discovered to my surprise that you were a virgin.” He fixed his dark eyes on her, and a flash of heat coursed through her body. “For the first time in my life, I found myself wanting a woman more after I had bedded her, instead of less.”He bent his head toward her. She couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe.“The more I had of you,” he whispered, “the more I wanted
The sensation of kissing Leah was akin to plunging headfirst into the inferno of hell itself. Thomas thought. It ignited a blazing fire within him, a searing heat that coursed through his veins with an intensity that left him breathless. Thomas found himself unable to resist the primal urge to draw her closer, “Oh, Leah, my Leah,’ his hand instinctively finding its place on the back of her head, fingers entwining in the silken strands of her hair as he fervently deepened the kiss.For months, he had harboured a potent mixture of resentment and longing towards her, a tumultuous whirlwind of emotions that had consumed his every waking moment. And now, as their lips met in a fervent embrace, he was overwhelmed by a tidal wave of sensation unlike anything he had ever experienced before.Yet, as the kiss reached its zenith, Thomas couldn't help but feel a pang of disquiet gnawing at the edges of his consciousness. It wasn't just desire that fueled the intensity of the moment; it was Leah h
“But I understand,” Leah said with a sigh. “You don’t want to bother your friends on their anniversary.” She brightened. “Perhaps we could wait a few days, plan something here in Venice, and invite them.”“All right,” Thomas said through clenched teeth. He would lose this battle to win the war.“All right?” she repeated.“We’ll wed in Athens.”“Oh, thank you!” she cried, whirling around in his arms to embrace him. “You’re so good to me!”“I’ll get my car,” Roger said.“No.” Holding her in his arms, Thomas looked over her head at Roger. “My men will sort out your car. We’ll take my plane. There must be no delay.”“I understand.” Glancing between the two of them with an amused grin, his friend gave a snort. “I’ve felt that way myself, too.” He pulled out his cell phone. “I’ll tell Lia we’re on our way.”Leah had never expected, when she woke up that morning, that today would be her wedding day. Or that she would get married in a castle in Athens.The beautiful Lia Notthill, called Conte
From the very moment Thomas laid eyes on Leah, resplendent in her wedding gown, radiating a captivating blend of sweetness and innocence with her shy yet elated smile, a seismic shift reverberated through the depths of his soul, stirring dormant emotions and igniting a fervent longing within him.Leah adorned herself in a simple yet elegant cream-coloured wedding dress, a stark contrast to the opulence often associated with such occasions. Her dark locks peeked out from beneath a delicate veil, framing her features with a soft halo of ethereal beauty, while she cradled flame-coloured roses in her unadorned hands, their vibrant hues a striking juxtaposition against her understated attire. There was an undeniable purity and authenticity about her, devoid of any pretence or artifice, her beauty emanating from within like a beacon of light amidst a world shrouded in darkness.As Thomas leaned in to bestow a fleeting kiss upon her lips, a tumultuous whirlwind of emotions consumed him, his
Almost an hour. Leah glanced over at her new husband, who was still sitting at his desk, staring at his laptop screen with hard eyes.Maybe Thomas has work to do, she tried to tell herself. Urgent, unavoidable work that he was desperate to finish so they could properly enjoy their honeymoon.But she wasn’t completely comforted by her explanation. Not when he’d turned so cold and unresponsive from the moment he’d become her husband.It was almost as if he were angry at her. But that didn’t make sense. Hadn’t he come to Chicago, desperate to find her? Hadn’t he proposed marriage when he found out she was pregnant with his child? Hadn’t he spent days passionately, tenderly convincing her to marry him?She’d finally agreed to be his wife. They’d had a romantic, perfect wedding. So why was he suddenly acting like a man who despised the thought of her existence?She rubbed her head wearily, causing more tendrils to tumble from her chignon. It didn’t make sense. Was her confusion caused by h
“I never lied to you.” His mouth pressed into a hard line as he stared down at her. “I said I wished to marry you and give the baby a name. Both of which are true.”She shook her head, fighting unbidden tears. “You made me believe you loved me,” she whispered. “You tricked me into marriage. Don’t you have any sense of honour—any honour at all?”“Honour!” Their faces were an inch apart as he looked at her with a sneer. “You accuse me of dishonour!”She felt suddenly afraid, trapped, his hard body over hers, his strong hands like shackles on her wrists.Then she felt his breath on her skin. Heard his breathing change as the mood between them electrified, changing from anger to something else. His grip on her wrists tightened, his gaze dropping to her mouth. Her heart stopped in her chest, then began to flutter wildly. Thum-thumm. Thumm-thum. She tingled from her lips to her breasts down to her deepest core.With a guttural inhalation, Thomas abruptly released Leah’s wrists, the force of
The asymmetrical straps of her silver dress hung askew on her shoulders, apparently threatening to fall at any moment to reveal her amazing breasts. He knew it was only a cunning artifice of design, but as they walked into the crumbling white building and he heard the tap-tap-tap of her six-inch-high silver stiletto heels beside him, he watched men get whiplash from turning their heads to gawk at her.Leah lifted her chin stonily, pretending not to notice. She was graceful and full of dignity. But he could feel her simmering fury rising from her beautiful body in waves.Thomas glared at them with a snarl, curling his lip.In the past, he’d been arrogantly proud to have the woman that every other man wanted. He’d taken it as his due—other, lesser men always envied what Thomas possessed.That had changed in Venice. And now, when he saw men craning their heads to look at her, pure rage washed over him.Why? Why was he so angry and possessive? Because she was his wife?Wife in name only,
The moment Thomas felt Leah’s lips move against his, as she matched his fire with her own, a surge of reckless joy went through him that he could not control.He was going to take her right here in the alley. Against the wall. Damn the consequences.He would possess her now, even if he died for it.Leah’s breath came in little gasps as he slowly kissed up her neck, his arms tracing up and down her naked skin.“Why are you doing this?” she whispered. Feeling his mouth on her sent sparks down her body until she thought she might forget to breathe. “I did what you wanted. Why are you so angry? Why do you feel possessive because I danced with your friend—exactly as you wanted?”“Seeing all those other men lusting for you was never what I wanted,” he ground out.“Then why?” she managed as his hands stroked her roughly over the sequins of her dress. “Why are you killing me like this—kissing me one moment then pushing me away the next? As if you hate me? Why are you torturing me?”His hands