caused that fatal error. She had almost revealed that information last night, but why drag her brother’s name through the mud and resurrect that history when she had given Marco the power to reclaim all that he had lost?
Besides, they deserved some happiness after all they had been through after that terrible day. While she had proposed to stop Marco’s plot to takeover her family’s corporation, their marriage had given her a place to heal. An unexpected and unlikely place, which shocked her. And more than that, he liked her. A first. She couldn’t recall anyone remotely seeking her out other than for homework bailouts in high school and free tutoring during her years in college.
Other than her brother, Cassandra hadn’t had real friends. The people in her life tolerated her or used her when necessary—like that jerk Peter—but until this week she hadn’t known the depth of her loneliness.
Until Marco’s revenge threat had forced her to approach him with her crazy scheme.
Yet, he had been the first person to reach out and extend compassion to her since she lost her brother. While they came from extremely different backgrounds, they had one thing in common—neither of them had ever had a true friend. Not only that, but the friendship blooming between them, along with their sexual chemistry, could lead to a deeper connection. One that could go a long way to giving her what she had always dreamed of having with the man she married. Love.
An old familiar empty feeling settled behind her breastbone. True friends shared everything. And she had withheld a vital piece of information from Marco. But love also motivated that decision. She didn’t want to drag Justin’s reputation through the muck and mire when she’d already found the perfect way to protect him and give Marco what he wanted and deserved.
Cassandra traced the hard planes of Marco’s washboard abs. The sheets bunched around his waist and he’d flung one long, muscular leg out of the covers. Maybe one day she could tell Marco what had happened all those years ago, but for now she would focus on nurturing the tiny speck of affection developing between them. And maybe, just maybe, it would blossom into more than either of them expected.
Tenderly, she pulled the cover over his leg and he stirred. “Good morning,” Marco said, his voice gruff. “Did you sleep well?”
“Best night I’ve had in years.” She moved her thigh across his legs and he tightened his hold on her shoulders.
“For me, too.” He kissed the top of her head. “You ready to enjoy the rest of your honeymoon, Mrs. Delgado?” he asked.
“Absolutely.” She scooted in closer and drew comfort from the warmth of his body. “But first, I need something to eat.”
“We did skip dinner.”
“That’s okay,” she said. “The dessert was divine.”
“Mmmm. We could punt breakfast, too.”
“Not if we want to have another round of dessert ,” Cassandra said before breaking their contact and rolling off the bed. “I’m starving.” After opening her built-in mahogany wardrobe, she pulled out a short red satin robe and drew it over her shoulders, tying the sash around her waist.
“ Buenos .” He joined her, unabashed about his nudity and rifled around for his board shorts. He tugged them on and grabbed a navy polo shirt. “We’ll eat, shower—maybe together…”
“Marco,” she scolded half seriously. “I do want to see more than the inside of this cabin.” And later today, she wanted to run her next crazy scheme past Marco before she chickened out.
“You sure?”
“Positive.” She pointed to the galley. “Breakfast. Now. And then I have something I need to discuss with you.”
“Sounds serious.”
“It’s a good thing.”
Marco had praised her designs, but he had no idea that she had a catamaran to beat all others in its class waiting for her to complete its ocean trials after they returned to Key West. And now, more than ever, she wanted to give
Besides, they deserved some happiness after all they had been through after that terrible day. While she had proposed to stop Marco’s plot to takeover her family’s corporation, their marriage had given her a place to heal. An unexpected and unlikely place, which shocked her. And more than that, he liked her. A first. She couldn’t recall anyone remotely seeking her out other than for homework bailouts in high school and free tutoring during her years in college.
Other than her brother, Cassandra hadn’t had real friends. The people in her life tolerated her or used her when necessary—like that jerk Peter—but until this week she hadn’t known the depth of her loneliness.
Until Marco’s revenge threat had forced her to approach him with her crazy scheme.
Yet, he had been the first person to reach out and extend compassion to her since she lost her brother. While they came from extremely different backgrounds, they had one thing in common—neither of them had ever had a true friend. Not only that, but the friendship blooming between them, along with their sexual chemistry, could lead to a deeper connection. One that could go a long way to giving her what she had always dreamed of having with the man she married. Love.
An old familiar empty feeling settled behind her breastbone. True friends shared everything. And she had withheld a vital piece of information from Marco. But love also motivated that decision. She didn’t want to drag Justin’s reputation through the muck and mire when she’d already found the perfect way to protect him and give Marco what he wanted and deserved.
Cassandra traced the hard planes of Marco’s washboard abs. The sheets bunched around his waist and he’d flung one long, muscular leg out of the covers. Maybe one day she could tell Marco what had happened all those years ago, but for now she would focus on nurturing the tiny speck of affection developing between them. And maybe, just maybe, it would blossom into more than either of them expected.
Tenderly, she pulled the cover over his leg and he stirred. “Good morning,” Marco said, his voice gruff. “Did you sleep well?”
“Best night I’ve had in years.” She moved her thigh across his legs and he tightened his hold on her shoulders.
“For me, too.” He kissed the top of her head. “You ready to enjoy the rest of your honeymoon, Mrs. Delgado?” he asked.
“Absolutely.” She scooted in closer and drew comfort from the warmth of his body. “But first, I need something to eat.”
“We did skip dinner.”
“That’s okay,” she said. “The dessert was divine.”
“Mmmm. We could punt breakfast, too.”
“Not if we want to have another round of dessert ,” Cassandra said before breaking their contact and rolling off the bed. “I’m starving.” After opening her built-in mahogany wardrobe, she pulled out a short red satin robe and drew it over her shoulders, tying the sash around her waist.
“ Buenos .” He joined her, unabashed about his nudity and rifled around for his board shorts. He tugged them on and grabbed a navy polo shirt. “We’ll eat, shower—maybe together…”
“Marco,” she scolded half seriously. “I do want to see more than the inside of this cabin.” And later today, she wanted to run her next crazy scheme past Marco before she chickened out.
“You sure?”
“Positive.” She pointed to the galley. “Breakfast. Now. And then I have something I need to discuss with you.”
“Sounds serious.”
“It’s a good thing.”
Marco had praised her designs, but he had no idea that she had a catamaran to beat all others in its class waiting for her to complete its ocean trials after they returned to Key West. And now, more than ever, she wanted to give
Similar Books
