Far From Perfect (24 page)

“I always believed,” he went on, “that he and my mother hated each other, and that their arguments were fuelled by resentment and suspicion and antagonism.”

A fleeting expression of pure pain crossed his sculpted features and his mouth twisted. Anna laid her hand on his gleaming shoulder and he continued, “But I was young. I didn’t understand how love could manifest itself in the most unlikely ways. That two people who absolutely adored each other could fall out like cat and dog, almost tear each other apart…yet still be the love of each other’s lives.” The pain transmuted, became wry humor, and Anna found herself smiling back at him, acknowledging a truth both universal and personal to the two of them.

“I always thought that I would be doomed in a relationship. Fated to destroy the life of any woman I loved and committed myself to. So I just refused to consider commitment.”

His fingers moved on her face again, as if it were the most precious object in the world. “But now I see that was a coward’s way of looking at life. A cop-out. My father and mother let their differences overwhelm their love and drive them apart.” His blue eyes became incandescent, unblinking. “But I love you, Anna, and I’m going to fight for our relationship,
amore mio
. I’m going to be the man you deserve, and the man you need.”

He paused, absolutely still and it felt to her as if the entire world were still around him. Waiting.

“If you still want me.” A beat passed. His heart or her heart? Both in synchrony? “If you can love me?”

Coming back to the moment, still thinking of what Nick had said, Anna found tears on her cheek. Her heart felt as if it were about to burst with the love she felt for him, the love she’d expressed in feverish, whispered declarations, kissing his perfect face and molding herself against his hot, beautiful body. The confrontation of words had ignited, suddenly and with the sweetest of naturalness, into a less articulate but no less evocative manifestation of what she felt for him.

And now she was deliciously tired and sated and happy.

Oh, Niccolo Lisitano would never be an easy man to live with, but he was the one she wanted and loved and needed. In his own words, a life with Nick was worth fighting for, and she’d never been one to shrink from a challenge.

As her face once again cracked into the widest and most contented of smiles, she heard the pad of bare feet along the corridor outside, and then he was there in the doorway—the man she loved, and who she knew now loved her in return.

He was sublimely naked, smiling like a happy, mischievous schoolboy, and carried a bottle of champagne in one hand and a pair of slim crystal flutes in the other.

“To celebrate our engagement,” he announced, flourishing the precious wine.

Anna sat up. “But we’ve been engaged six weeks, Nick,” she said with a grin. “Not that I don’t feel in the mood for bubbly, but isn’t it a bit late?”

Nick set his booty down on the bedside table and slid onto the bed beside her. Anna felt her body clench deep in the quick of her at the sight of his golden magnificence so close, and at the arousing scent of his warm, primitive maleness. Oh yes, a glass of champagne would be lovely, but she could suddenly think of something far more delicious that made her mouth water.

His eyes grew serious, intent, as clear and honest and blue as an ocean.

“This is our real engagement, my love. Right here and right now,” he said softly, reached for her hand, slid off the ring and then kissing the finger where it had been seconds before.

Kneeling up on the bed, naked and magnificent, he held the ring against her fingertip again and stared into her eyes.

“Anna Felgate, I love you. Will you do the honor of becoming my wife?”

“Yes. Oh yes!” she answered, every nerve, every cell in her body rejoicing and burning with love for him as the beautiful ring slid back home onto her finger. A second later, they were in each other’s arms again, celebrating their engagement as a real union now, one that Anna knew would last far into the future and to the very end of their days.

It was quite some time before the bottle of champagne was finally opened.

About the Author

Portia Da Costa is a multi-published British author of romance, erotic romance and erotic fiction. Her novels have been published by a variety of different houses, both in the US and the UK, and translated into many languages including German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Norwegian and Japanese. Portia has been writing for publication since 1990, and has had over twenty novels and 100 short stories published. She has contributed to many different short story anthologies and women’s magazines. She lives in the heart of West Yorkshire, UK, with her husband and her cats. When she’s not writing she can be found reading, watching TV and movies, hanging out on Twitter, and enjoying online life in general. She was formerly a librarian and has also worked in local government. To find out more about Portia visit
www.portiadacosta.com
, find her at her blog
wendyportia.blogspot.com
or follow her at
www.twitter.com/PortiaDaCosta

Look for these titles by Portia Da Costa

Coming Soon:

A Touch of Heaven

He’ll let her have control…until he’s ready to make his move.

Pride and Passion

© 2010 Jenna Bayley-Burke

The only things Lily Harris inherits after her father’s untimely death are debt, scandal and loneliness. She doesn’t protest when her father’s business partner, Jake Tolliver, steps up to help with the mess she finds herself in—until Jake reveals the last promise he made to her father.

Jake may be as compelling to look at as a marble statue—and stir a frighteningly powerful desire within her—but no way will Lily agree to be his socially acceptable bride while he continues to bed his string of beautiful women—not without getting him to agree to a deal of her own first.

With a well-earned reputation as a feral hunter who goes after what he wants, Jake has his sights set on Lily, and her lack of options puts her right where he’s wanted her from the first moment he laid eyes on her.

Jake’s not above making Lily think she’s having it her way if that’s what it’ll take to have his way in the end. But once he grows tired of playing beast to her beauty, he’s not above changing the rules of the game until they’re both playing for the same prize.

Warning: This title contains a hero used to getting what he wants, a heroine determined not to give in to him, some indecent proposals, a fair amount of pride, and enough passion to burn up everyone’s control.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Pride and Passion:

He made his way through the dark house without turning on any lights. The full moon provided just enough illumination to keep from bumping into things on his way to the kitchen. He pushed open the door and reached for the light switch, flicking it on.

Lily stood in front of the refrigerator, a carton of milk in her hand, at least until she spied him and dropped it with a gasp. His eyes widened at the sight of Lily in a pale pink nightie, her golden hair loose about her shoulders. The light material dipped low between her full breasts, delicately revealed the curve of her hips, and gave an alluring view of her bare thighs.

She wasn’t so mesmerized. She cursed, then reached for a towel on the counter and bent low to clean up the spill. Jake pulled his libido back in check and moved to help her. He took the towel from her and she stood. He had to bite back a groan at how the hem of her nightie came right into his line of sight.

“I’m sorry,” Lily said, walking around him and returning with another towel. “I didn’t expect anyone.”

“Obviously.” He finished the task and stood, enjoying the way her chest hitched with each breath as he looked down at her. “What are you doing down here?”

“Having a glass of milk, or trying to anyway. That’s what I do when I can’t sleep.” She kept her gaze locked on his, except for fleeting moments when it dropped to his bare chest.

He grinned, glad he wasn’t the only one hyper-aware after midnight. “That’s because you sleep alone.”

Her cheeks pinked, but she recovered quickly, narrowing her eyes. “You know, I think you may be right. It’s time I find someone willing to marry the penniless virgin and cure her insomnia.”

She tried to walk past him, but he caught her arm, turned her around and pulled her flush against him. “Try it, and you’ll find my patience exhausted quickly.”

“While you expect me to live a life in perpetual understanding of your need to go through mistresses faster than socks.” She tried to shake off his hold, but he pulled her closer.

“I’ve never claimed to be a saint. But I’m not going to spend my life feeding into your insecurity. I want you, only you, and have from the moment I saw you.

“I watched you, this golden angel gliding across a room, and I wanted you to be looking for me, not one of those worthless idiots you dated. We hadn’t even met, and I couldn’t get you out of my mind. Maybe I did use your father to get closer to you. It seemed kismet that we were in the same industry. Will became my friend, but he became my partner because of you. I had no other choice. I had to protect you somehow, and you never would have looked twice at me had I not thrown myself in your way at every opportunity.”

“You’ve been watching me?” Her haughty tone cut him to the quick. He was never going to be enough for her, never going to measure up to the vapid boys always trailing after her simply because he hadn’t lived their life.

“And you’ve been watching me, wondering what it would be like if you were only brave enough to step outside your perfect world for a minute and indulge in all I can offer you.” He took a step forward, moving them both until she was backed up against the kitchen table.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Her eyes flashed with an emotion he hadn’t seen in her yet. True fear, or excitement?

“What you’ve wanted me to do since you first started watching me. You think there’s something beneath what the world sees. Maybe it’s time I show you what that is.”

The first time they broke each others’ hearts. Now they have a second chance…

Breathe

© 2010 Donna Alward

Doing what was expected didn’t get Anna Morelli anything but a bad marriage. Now that her life has fallen apart there’s only one place she can think of to regroup and figure out what comes next. Two Willows, the winery owned by the only man she could ever rely on. Her oldest friend. And her worst mistake.

Growing up as the poor boy didn’t stop Jace Willow from falling for Anna one hot, sultry summer. Back then, his best efforts to prove himself worthy of the Morelli standard fell just short. While it killed him to see her marry someone else, he made beating the Morellis at their own game his life’s work. And he’s excelled at it.

When Anna shows up on his doorstep, their painful history pales in the face of her need for a roof over her children’s heads—and some peace. The heat of their renewed passion is healing, but it burns away layers of hard-won emotional distance, reopening old wounds. Threatening their one last chance to rebuild their love on the shattered pieces of their broken hearts…

Warning: Full-bodied, rich bouquet with sexy overtones. Decant, breathe, and enjoy.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Breathe:

“Mama, are we there yet?”

She couldn’t help but smile softly at the plaintive question. She slowed the car and peered over her shoulder at Matteo, strapped into a car seat and blinking his round eyes at her.

“Yes, we’re here. Just a moment, and I promise you can get out and run around.”

She pulled out of the trees and into a small parking area that held one other vehicle. A shiny, silver Porsche 911 Carerra.

Jace’s car.

Leave it to Jace to drive a two-seater bullet. She shouldn’t be surprised. He’d always been one for toys. The flashier the better. It seemed nothing had changed. He had always been hungry for
things.
Briefly she wondered if all men thought of their value as the sum of their possessions. Certainly Stefano had. She remembered the sailboat he’d bought. In the end it had been his worst mistake. Anna knew better than most that things were just that. Material possessions. Certainly not enough to build a life on. She’d tried explaining that to Jace once, but he hadn’t wanted to listen then either. The memory touched a hollow part within her.

The parking area was just below a large house, more like a lodge than a regular dwelling, built of reddish-stained logs.

As she pulled to a stop, Jace stepped out of a line of vines to her right. He halted and stared, his lips flattening with surprise at seeing her behind the wheel. No smile. No wave of greeting. And her stomach tumbled over itself.

She’d known him for so long she’d nearly forgotten how imposing he could be. His tall frame was lean and muscled, not overly large but exuding a confidence and power she’d always admired. But at this moment, the charming smile and manner she’d come to expect were absent. He almost looked angry now, mingled with surprise at her turning up so unexpectedly. She wrinkled her brow and glanced in the backseat. Matteo was already attempting to undo his seatbelt.

And with a stroke of perfect timing, Aurelia woke at the sudden lack of motion and started wailing at the top of her tiny lungs.

Anna unbuckled her seatbelt. She slid out of the car, avoiding Jace’s severe gaze, opened the back door, scooped the crying baby from the seat and reached over and released Matteo from his own restraint.

She held her daughter close to her shoulder, her son by the hand and wished quite irrationally that she’d had time to do something about her hair before trying to convince Jace to take them all in.

“Anna.”

Jace strode over, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt that was dirty in several places. His boots were brown with dried mud and there was a smudge of something across one cheek.
His
hair, however, was perfect, slightly longer than it had been last time she’d seen him, the shaggy tips giving him a sexy, roguish look. She pursed her lips. She hated being at a disadvantage. She’d spent so many years exuding the perfect image it was difficult to allow herself to be anything less than perfect now.