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Brian’s banishment of Alessandro had terrified her at the time

‘Don’t ain’

Brian had whirled on her when she’d fearfully asked where Alessandro had gone She’d been too young to understand everything, but had known that in no way had it all been Alessandro’s fault In any case, Alessandro’s ideas for his father’s coone on to build his own business with such success

He’d always been deter But fro

Katie cleared her throat and forced herself to speak anyway ‘I have a proposition for you’

One jet-black eyebrow arched ‘How intriguing’

His tone couldn’t have sounded less intrigued or any more dismissive

Irritation stiffened her She was too desperate to cope with casual dismissal ‘I work at White Oaks,’ she carried on ‘I’ve developed some sauces made from our produce They sell very well’

She paused, because so far he was bored-looking Her desperation swiftly blew up to all-out pain

‘Cut to the chase, Katie,’ he drawled ‘What do you want from me?’

She was so thrown by the reality of Alessandro in the flesh, so intiot the little speech she’d carefully prepared to try to convince him It just tumbled out with no further preamble

‘I want you to marry me’

His eyes widened, the black heart of his pupils all but sed the fiery brilliant blue The rest of hi

‘Not for real of course,’ she hastened to add aardly ‘In na’

‘You want me to marry you?’ he repeated slowly ‘That was not what I expected you to say’

Katie tensed, unable to read his expression, but then he threw back his unfairly handso as entertaining in eons And it was utterly insulting

Scalding emotion curdled the raw acid in Katie’s stomach All her life she’d strived to meet everyone else’s requests and demands as she’d desperately tried to fit in and stay safe But in this instance she was sick of staying silent and being good Because almost no one ever asked what she wanted

Fury filled her, fuelled by total huive you a joke for the day,’ she spat sarcastically ‘Forget I ever said anything’

‘I’et that’

He strolled around his desk with deceptively casual strides, swiftlyto where she stood, only three feet into his office

‘What are you doing?’ Her voice veered up in an e squawk as he stepped deep into her personal space

He didn’t reply Instead he surveyed her dispassionately, rather as if she was a curiosity in a natural history museum Then he leaned closer still

‘Are you sniffing ed, she flinched away from him

‘Yes Have you been drinking?’ He reached out and grasped her chin

Katie stilled, atteaze

Unconcerned, he turned her face to one side then the other, intently studying her features ‘On drugs?’

‘What? No’ She jerked free of his hold ‘Look, I’m perfectly sane’ The truth slipped out, and so did all t

he hurt and hopelessness ‘I’m just in trouble, and you’re the only person I could think of who ht be able to help me Obviously you can’t, so I’ll leave now’

She turned sharply as emotions whacked her with a one-two punch She’d never been as ery She suddenly spun back, sla her fury into his face

‘I don’t knohy I thought you’d understand the desire to protect the person you loveshe loves ,’ she yelled at hiht you’d ever understand that!’

He stared at her for a long second, his mouth compressed Sudden emotion flared in his eyes and he stepped forward ‘Katie—’

She shoved past hith, but just as she reached the door he sla her froht or strength and the door reed harder

‘Katie, stop,’ he said eventually

Belatedly she stilled, realising too late what an exhibition she wasto block the sensations caused by his invasion of her personal space He was right behind her, leaning so close she could feel his heat So deepso she intuitively knew she needed to ignore

She closed her eyes in embarrassment

‘You can’t just storeous and then flounce off without an explanation You need to speak,’ he added fir’

She remained locked in place for anotherShe should never have co?

But he wasn’t going to let her leave without a proper explanation And didn’t she owe him that at least? Hell, she was every bit the useless idiot Brian had called her

Slowly she released the door handle and pivoted aardly on the spot Because Alessandro didn’t stand back to give her room to move He still had his palm pressed on the door, as if he didn’t trust her not to try to escape again He was still so close she aliddy