have to offer me a bribe. I’m very fond of Cordelia and I want to look after her. All I require is the usual monthly salary I earn as a district nurse.’
Rocco stared at her in frustration. And he had thought his grandmother was strong-willed! Nonna was a pushover compared to Emma. ‘But you could use the money as a deposit to buy Primrose Cottage.’
‘No.’
It was not even a consideration. ‘Anyway, the cottage has already been sold. One day I’ll have saved enough for a deposit on a house, but I’ll pay my own way in life,’ Emma said firmly. ‘I don’t want to feel indebted to anyone.’ She hesitated. ‘Neither do I want an affair with you. So if you were thinking you could pay me to …’
‘Madre de Dio!’
Rocco said harshly, his anger searing him like a white-hot branding iron. ‘That is one insult too far, Emma. I have never
paid
for a woman in my life.’ He stared at her haughtily, his skin stretched taut over his razor-sharp cheekbones, giving him a coldly autocratic appearance. ‘I don’t deny that I desire you, but when you come to my bed it will be of your own accord.’
His arrogance infuriated her, but she was even angrier with herself for the damning flare of excitement his words evoked.
‘That’s never going to happen.’
‘Because you are still in love with your husband?’ he speculated. Once again he struggled to contain his frustration—with him, with her, and most of all with the primitive need to possess her that made his gut ache. The world was full of attractive blondes who would be happy to sharehis bed. Why was he bothering with this feisty, stubborn woman who constantly challenged him?
Emma bit her lip, feeling an inexplicable urge to confide the truth about her marriage to Rocco. She could not, she reminded herself. For Holly’s sake, Jack’s duplicity must remain a secret. But her love for Jack had died with the discovery of how he had betrayed her. During the past three years she had come to terms with the hurt he had caused her, but her wariness and mistrust remained. Never again would she put herself in a position where her heart could be broken. She did not want any man in her life—certainly not a sexy Italian who regarded women as playthings.
‘Jack is the reason why I refuse to get involved with you—or with any other man,’ she said quietly.
‘Do you think he would have wanted you to condemn yourself to a life alone?’ Rocco demanded harshly.
‘Maybe not, but I have Holly to consider. What do you suggest I do? Indulge in casual affairs, introduce her to a series of “uncles” who she may become close to, only to see her upset when they move on?’
‘Of course not.’ He raked a hand through his hair, appalled by the image she presented.
During his childhood his parents had both been openly unfaithful, and on the rare occasions when his mother had promised to visit him at his boarding school he had never been sure whether she would turn up with his father or one of her sleazeball boyfriends.
But, while he had taken scant interest in his parents’ various lovers, it was likely that Holly, who had never known her own father, would welcome a father figure. Any man who became involved with Emma would need to recognise that he had a level of responsibility towards her child. A casual affair was out of the question—but thatwas all
he
could ever offer, Rocco thought grimly, all he would ever want.
His parents’ volatile relationship had shown him that marriage was a gamble, with low odds of success. He was still haunted by Rosalinda’s suicide attempt after he had ended their affair, and since then had made it clear at the outset with the women he dated that he was not looking for commitment or a long-term relationship. That meant that Emma was off-limits. She would not consider indulging in a brief sexual fling, and he could not help but respect her for her decision. Unlike his mother, Emma put the welfare of her child before her own
Rocco stared at her in frustration. And he had thought his grandmother was strong-willed! Nonna was a pushover compared to Emma. ‘But you could use the money as a deposit to buy Primrose Cottage.’
‘No.’
It was not even a consideration. ‘Anyway, the cottage has already been sold. One day I’ll have saved enough for a deposit on a house, but I’ll pay my own way in life,’ Emma said firmly. ‘I don’t want to feel indebted to anyone.’ She hesitated. ‘Neither do I want an affair with you. So if you were thinking you could pay me to …’
‘Madre de Dio!’
Rocco said harshly, his anger searing him like a white-hot branding iron. ‘That is one insult too far, Emma. I have never
paid
for a woman in my life.’ He stared at her haughtily, his skin stretched taut over his razor-sharp cheekbones, giving him a coldly autocratic appearance. ‘I don’t deny that I desire you, but when you come to my bed it will be of your own accord.’
His arrogance infuriated her, but she was even angrier with herself for the damning flare of excitement his words evoked.
‘That’s never going to happen.’
‘Because you are still in love with your husband?’ he speculated. Once again he struggled to contain his frustration—with him, with her, and most of all with the primitive need to possess her that made his gut ache. The world was full of attractive blondes who would be happy to sharehis bed. Why was he bothering with this feisty, stubborn woman who constantly challenged him?
Emma bit her lip, feeling an inexplicable urge to confide the truth about her marriage to Rocco. She could not, she reminded herself. For Holly’s sake, Jack’s duplicity must remain a secret. But her love for Jack had died with the discovery of how he had betrayed her. During the past three years she had come to terms with the hurt he had caused her, but her wariness and mistrust remained. Never again would she put herself in a position where her heart could be broken. She did not want any man in her life—certainly not a sexy Italian who regarded women as playthings.
‘Jack is the reason why I refuse to get involved with you—or with any other man,’ she said quietly.
‘Do you think he would have wanted you to condemn yourself to a life alone?’ Rocco demanded harshly.
‘Maybe not, but I have Holly to consider. What do you suggest I do? Indulge in casual affairs, introduce her to a series of “uncles” who she may become close to, only to see her upset when they move on?’
‘Of course not.’ He raked a hand through his hair, appalled by the image she presented.
During his childhood his parents had both been openly unfaithful, and on the rare occasions when his mother had promised to visit him at his boarding school he had never been sure whether she would turn up with his father or one of her sleazeball boyfriends.
But, while he had taken scant interest in his parents’ various lovers, it was likely that Holly, who had never known her own father, would welcome a father figure. Any man who became involved with Emma would need to recognise that he had a level of responsibility towards her child. A casual affair was out of the question—but thatwas all
he
could ever offer, Rocco thought grimly, all he would ever want.
His parents’ volatile relationship had shown him that marriage was a gamble, with low odds of success. He was still haunted by Rosalinda’s suicide attempt after he had ended their affair, and since then had made it clear at the outset with the women he dated that he was not looking for commitment or a long-term relationship. That meant that Emma was off-limits. She would not consider indulging in a brief sexual fling, and he could not help but respect her for her decision. Unlike his mother, Emma put the welfare of her child before her own
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