Total pages in book: 19
Estimated words: 18755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 94(@200wpm)___ 75(@250wpm)___ 63(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 18755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 94(@200wpm)___ 75(@250wpm)___ 63(@300wpm)
Wait.
“How do you know about my sister?" she demanded.
"In my world, information is a commodity."
His world? Like rich people’s world, was that it? But whatever.
“That doesn’t explain why—” Wait a minute! “Did she dump you?” she blurted out. “Is that why—”
The way his lip curled had the rest of her words dying in her throat.
“I am not the kind of man who would find your sister attractive.”
So...was he saying he was blind? Because she and her sister might be identical twins, but people had always found Thelma more attractive, and Thelma had always been the popular one, too.
“I think it’s time that you hear my terms, cara.”
If not for the way Dario had purred the last word out as he leaned forward, Kendra would have almost believed that he had forgotten what her name was.
"Be my wife.”
“But I just—”
“You alone will do. And in return, you will have a husband who will never be stupid enough to mistake someone real like you for fake."
Why did he know all of these things about her and Thelma? Why did he even care to know? And how is it that this man whom she was only meeting for the first time...
How was it that he was offering exactly what she wished her own husband could have promised?
“I’ve been watching you for six months, Kendra.”
What?
“I was waiting for you to come to your senses. But in all honesty, I was also slowly losing patience. I would have taken matters into my own hands if fate hadn’t intervened. And when I found out that you had left your worthless husband—”
Dario leaned back against his seat.
“I knew it was time to make my move.”
Kendra instinctively knew what it meant.
“Y-You...you’re the reason he was so quick to divorce me?” she asked jerkily.
“It was time.” He said the words so, so simply. This was clearly a man who was used to getting his own way. But if he thought that included having her just meekly going along with his plans—
“I’m sorry.”
Dario’s gaze narrowed. “Are you turning me down because of what happened between your sister and Selleck?”
Kendra kept shaking her head. It was all she trusted herself to do.
“I am nothing like your husband—”
But the moment she heard Dario say those words—
“How do I know you’re telling the truth?”
Because Porter had made vows.
He had said he’d love her and only her, but he had lied.
“You could just as easily mistake Thelma—”
“I won’t.” His voice was smooth. “But you’ll have to simply trust me on that.”
Seriously?
Kendra decided enough was enough. She was done talking about...about things that made no sense at all. She jumped to her feet, and in the corner of her eye, she saw Dario rising to his feet as well.
Whatever.
She turned to him and stuck her hand out. “It was nice meeting you, Mr. La Rocca—”
“Surely, we can do better than that?”
And before she realized what he intended to do—
Aaah!
His fingers had already caught her chin, and she didn’t even have time to draw another breath. He was already kissing her, his mouth claiming hers like her lips had always belonged to him, and she...
She had never been kissed like this.
Because Porter...
He had never kissed her like he hungered for her.
Had never gripped her hair so tightly it was as if he wanted her completely still because he wanted to savor the taste of her.
And maybe that was why Porter had cheated—
“Stop thinking,” Dario suddenly growled against her lips, “if you don’t want me to punish you.”
Kendra didn’t have a chance to answer, with the kiss suddenly deepening, and Dario pulling her even closer, her body now pressed tightly against his, and it was like stepping into a blazing fire. One moment, it was exactly what he said.
She could still think.
But the moment the space between their bodies disappeared, everything just...vanished. Everything was just...vanquished. And all that was left was the drugging, all-consuming heat of his mouth moving over hers, and his teeth sinking into her lower lip for a moment—
And then it was over.
He had lifted his head without warning, and all she could do was stare up at him, completely breathless, almost boneless, and nearly mindless.
"You taste as sweet as I thought you would...Mrs. La Rocca."
That had Kendra crashing back to earth in a snap, and she shoved him away. Or at least she tried to, but honestly, her body was shaking too hard to put any effort in it, and that was why she knew none of it was her doing, but his choice to step back.
"I'm not—" She swallowed. "I'm not that. I just got divorced—”
“I know, cara. I made sure of that.”
“I’m not your wife—”
“But you will be.”
Chapter Three
BLITZKRIEG.
It was a word Kendra recalled studying in high school but never had the chance or reason to ever use...until now.
Because that was the battle strategy Dario La Rocca had employed to make her his wife, and Kendra wasn't prepared for it at all.