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the time. After she helped him pick out a gift for his assistant, he found he
couldn t get her out of his mind and returned the same day to ask her out.
After that initial date, he d been sure that he would make her his wife.
Nothing would stand in his way.
She had been different in other ways, too. Unlike other women he d
known, she didn t seem impressed by his wealth, and she never appeared to
want anything from him. Her lack of interest was refreshing, and he wanted
to give her everything her heart desired, anything to make her happy.
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The Arrangement Delaney Diamond
Maybe that was his mistake. She never asked him for anything because
she didn t want possessions.
Leonardo stopped the flow of water and reached for a towel on the
warming rack.
He wasn t a man who dwelt on what-ifs and what could have been. He
tried to learn from the past, because it couldn t be changed. With that in
mind, he figured since he couldn t change what transpired between him and
Alexa before, he would work on improving the future.
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The Arrangement Delaney Diamond
Chapter Five
Instead of having the driver take them to their destination, Leonardo
decided to drive. The silver exterior of the vintage two-seater 1958 Porsche
Speedster glowed in the dark night. The car was a prized possession. The
moment he saw it, he knew he had to have it no matter the cost. He didn t
often drive it, but it brought him pleasure when he did.
The engine roared to life once Alexa was buckled in and settled
comfortably into the seat. She crossed her legs and proceeded to stare
straight ahead.
Leonardo cast a sidelong glance in her direction.
He watched as she smoothed her fingers over the jeweled clutch on her
lap. The silk material of the emerald green dress covered her body like a
second layer of skin, emphasizing her narrow waist and full breasts. A split
rose to midthigh and afforded a tempting view of her shapely leg.
His grip on the steering wheel tightened. He was acutely aware of every
sound she made and every movement of her graceful body.
He wanted her. Badly. His loins ached with the need to possess her. He
had been two seconds away from pressing her back against the bedroom wall
when she d emerged from the dressing room earlier. It would have been so
easy for him to undo the gold clasp of the dress draped over her right
shoulder and allow the soft material to fall away so he could feast his mouth
on those tantalizing breasts that had haunted his dreams for the past four
months.
Somehow he d managed to rein in his actions much better than
yesterday. The same rigid control he exercised in business had enabled him
to maintain control over his actions and postpone what he had planned until
later.
It had been difficult, though. It was always difficult with Alexa. He found
it nearly impossible to keep his body in check when it came to her, and there
didn t seem to be a thing he could do about it.
Leonardo turned to her. She wore makeup, but not much, because she
didn t need it. There was no need to spoil her defined cheekbones with
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The Arrangement Delaney Diamond
blush. Her smooth, honey-colored skin had a healthy glow, and her full lips
were moist from the flattering pale color that graced them. Her jet-black hair
was straight and brushed back from her face, styled a little higher on the top.
She looked sexy and stylish, but sat rigidly in the seat.
 You look stiff. He shifted gears and returned his eyes to the road
ahead.
 I m sorry if my appearance doesn t please you. I m sure I made it clear I
didn t want to go out tonight. Her voice was cool, but that didn t stop him
from having a very heated response to it.
* * * *
Leonardo turned the wheel slightly to shift lanes and speed past the car in
front of them.  I didn t say your appearance doesn t please me. I said you
look stiff. I hope you relax before we get there.
 I ll be fine. I m just a little nervous, Alexa admitted.
A few seconds elapsed before he responded.  About what?
Alexa twisted her head toward him.  About tonight. Everything. How
much do these people know about our relationship, Leo? Most of them are [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]