Free A Touch of Heaven by Portia Da Costa Page A

Costa
     
    Available Now:
     
    Far From Perfect

Enduring passion, turbulent emotions, and an engagement of convenience…
     
    Far From Perfect
    © 2011 Portia Da Costa
     
    At age twenty, Anna Felgate rid herself of her unwanted virginity with the one man she adored—Nick Lisitano, long-time family friend and legendary lover. But that one taste of passion branded her soul for all time—and still casts a long shadow, four celibate years later.
    Their single night of matchless lovemaking left Nick racked with remorse for taking advantage of Anna’s innocence. Thanks to his parents’ stormy marriage, he’s sworn off commitment, but believes Anna deserves deep, enduring love, not a temporary liaison.
    In the intervening years, they’ve managed to keep a cordial distance, but when a crisis in Nick’s family brings them together again, Anna is shocked by Nick’s daring plan to cheer up his dangerously ill father—a temporary façade of an engagement. Against her better judgment, she agrees to it, fully aware of the emotional minefield yawning before her.
    As if destiny has been waiting for them to touch once again, their volcanic mutual attraction reignites, threatening to burn the terms of their pragmatic bargain to ashes. Each begins to wonder privately if their passion can become permanent—or whether it will crumble under the weight of past sins and present secrets…
    Warning: This book contains a red-hot ’n’ sexy blond Italian businessman with the face of an angel, the body of a god…and a caring but carefully shielded heart. He enjoys fast cars, fast living and slow, sumptuous lovemaking, and his “cure” for the heroine’s headache makes it well worth faking another!
     
    Enjoy the following excerpt for Far From Perfect:
    “We have to talk about that night, Anna. We’ve danced around it since it happened and it’ll only fester if we leave it any longer.”
    “What’s to discuss?” Anna held his gaze, and the lack of fear in her eyes was awesome, almost warrior. He wasn’t the only one who’d pulled himself together. “I made a mistake…and you informed me of it in no uncertain terms. There’s nothing more to be said.” Her voice was steady, but huskier than before. And the blush in her cheeks was pinker, hotter.
    Oh hell, he wanted her more than ever.
    “It was a lot more than that. And we need to talk about it.” He moved to push his hands in his pockets, then thought better of it and crossed his arms in front of him.
    Suddenly, Anna was on her feet, fists clenched at her sides. “Yes, there was a bit in the middle that you seemed to enjoy—quite a lot as I recall! But after that, all I remember is you suddenly turning into the Reverend Father of Good Sense and Moral Rectitude and preaching me a sermon along the lines of ‘You young idiot!’ and ‘How could you be so stupid?’ and ‘ Per Dio , what on earth were you thinking?’”
    Per Dio indeed! That night he’d lost his cool completely, just as he was in serious danger of losing it now.
    There had been a delicious, drowsy awakening, then shocked realization, then an almost fatalistic slide into the most soul-drenching pleasure. And afterwards, another rollercoaster plunge, but this time into another realization. The fact that he’d just had sex with exactly the type of woman, exactly the woman whom he shouldn’t have allowed himself anywhere near.
    Remorse had shocked him in its agonizing intensity. Anna hadn’t been one of his no-strings sophisticates who knew the score. Not then, and maybe not now. His plan was stupid…stupid, but he couldn’t forget the way his father’s weary eyes burned with hope at the mention of her name.
    And yet, there was the other thing too. The need to get past that night, exorcise their demons and move on properly. Surely she wanted the same? Or was he just fooling himself so he had an excuse to bed her again? His thoughts whirled, round and round, and his temples ached from the urge to shake