A Dangerous Infatuation by Chantelle Shaw Page A

sink into him and lose herself in the mastery of his kiss. The logical part of her brain reminded her that she did not want this. She functioned perfectly well without passion and desirein her life. Those emotions had brought her nothing but heartache in the past and she would be a fool to be seduced by their sorcery. So
why
, instead of pushing Rocco away, did she slowly uncurl her clenched fists and lay her hands flat against his chest?
    The determined probing of his tongue between her lips demolished her pitiful resistance and she gave a low moan as she opened her mouth for him, a tremor running through her when he explored her with devastating eroticism. Driven by a need she barely understood, she responded to him mindlessly.
    Sensing her capitulation, he changed the tenure of the kiss so that it became a flagrant seduction of her senses. She shivered when she felt him slide his hand beneath the edge of her jumper to stroke her bare flesh lightly above the waistband of her jeans. Her skin felt acutely sensitised, so that the brush of his fingertips caused needle-darts of pleasure to shoot through her. Silently she willed him to skim his hand higher, to slip it beneath her bra and touch her naked breasts. Her nipples felt hot and swollen, and she was conscious of the moist secretion between her legs, the ache that could only be relieved by pressing her pelvis against his thighs.
    She was utterly unprepared when he suddenly broke the kiss and lifted his head to stare down into her wide, stunned eyes. Realisation slowly dawned that she was clinging to him, and she snatched her hands from his body, scarlet colour flooding her face.
    Attack was her only form of defence.
‘How dare you?’
    He gave her a mocking look. ‘Your outrage would have a little more impact if you had not responded to me so ardently.’
    Rocco watched Emma pull the edge of her jumper firmly into place, feeling a curious tug on his heart whenhe saw that her hands were shaking. Her usually neat golden bob was mussed and had fallen forward across her cheek. He wanted to stroke her hair back from her face, but knew she would react like a wildcat if he attempted to touch her.
    Fool
, Emma berated herself furiously, closing her eyes as shame swept over her. It was bad enough that she had allowed him to kiss her, but to compound her stupidity she had kissed him back with embarrassing eagerness—until
he
had pulled back. She hadn’t just responded to him ardently—she had practically eaten him alive!
    Through the sitting room door she could hear Holly singing ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’, her sweet voice joined by Cordelia’s slightly wavering one. How could she walk back in and announce that she was
not
prepared to go to Italy as Cordelia’s private nurse? The thought of the disappointment her words would cause made her wince. But how could she stay at Rocco’s home after she had all but begged him to make love to her on the hall carpet? she wondered despairingly.
    Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to meet his gaze. ‘For Cordelia’s sake I will come to Portofino.’ Somehow she had to regain her dignity. ‘I’ll be happy to act as her nurse and companion, but I will
not
put up with you manhandling me.’
    ‘If I had manhandled you, I promise you would not be standing there fully dressed,
cara
,’ Rocco said dulcetly. Ignoring the daggers in her eyes, he reached into the pocket of his jeans and withdrew a slip of paper.
    Frowning, Emma took the cheque from him, stared at it for a moment, and then back at him. ‘I don’t understand what this is for.’
    ‘It’s your salary for the next three months.’
    ‘Don’t be ridiculous. I earn this amount in a year.’
    He shrugged. ‘I want the best care for my grandmother. I know you will do everything possible to ensure she is comfortable and happy, and in return I am prepared to pay you well.’
    ‘Not this well.’ She shook her head briskly and tore the cheque in half. ‘You don’t