The Heat Of Passion

'I wasn't the only one who kept secrets,' she reminded him tautly. 'Just when were you going to tell me that Sunny was after you?'

'That was different.'

'How dare your father have me investigated?' Jessica suddenly gasped with renewed outrage.

Carlo released his breath in a hiss. 'I should have ex

pected that ‘

'Is that all you've got to say about it?' Jessica demanded hotly.

‘It’s done now,' Carlo pointed out drily. 'And I wish

I had done it myself '

Jessica turned in disbelief. 'I beg your pardon?'

'I will request that he has it destroyed. His security must be getting very lax if Sunny was able to get her hands on his private papers.' Carlo shot her pale face a look of grim challenge. 'So now you start at the beginning and tell me everything.'

/> She stiffened, antagonism leaping through her. 'Last

night you weren't interested '

'Last night I had no idea what you were hiding.'

'I hid nothing. My marriage was my business.'

Carlo dealt her a seething stare, an antagonism equal to her own firing the atmosphere. 'Six years ago, you made it mine.'

She went rigid but she held her head high. 'When I

told Simon what had happened between us, he said that

it didn't matter to him '

'He said what?' Carlo broke in incredulously.

Her throat closed over, her voice emerging unevenly. 'I wanted to cancel the wedding. He begged me not to. He told me that he needed me... couldn't imagine life without me. He said he forgave me absolutely,' she recited with a quivering lower lip, 'and that there was no reason for me to ruin our future just because of one silly mistake.'

'And you swallowed that.. .DioV Carlo framed with gathering temper, spreading his hands wide as if to appeal for some shred of sanity from her.

Hot moisture smarted behind her eyes. 'I thought that

he loved me enough to forgive me and I didn't want to

let him down ‘

'You married him because you felt sorry for him!' Carlo stabbed back at her.

'I felt safe with him. I thought he cared. I really

thought we could be happy!' she returned with feverish

emphasis. 'Our relationship had never been based on

sex. What happened with you.. .it frightened me, and

the way you reacted afterwards '