Free The Claim by Billy London Page B

spark, that hint of the passion she’d felt for him was like a knife in the gut. Wrong place, wrong time, wrong type of hangover, but it was a long time coming. He kissed her. A kiss to do all the talking for him. Where he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, pulled her into his body and pressed his lips to hers. The kind of kiss that made her soften, moan and curl her arms around his neck, let him kiss her until she kissed him back.. With a growl, he parted his thighs and cradled her against his growing erection. Too long. It had been far too long since he’d touched her. He felt for the clip in her hair, released it and threw it somewhere across the room. Not waiting to hear even a murmur of a protest, he simply kissed her harder. Just as he thought he was making things better, Anna pulled back and gave him an eye-watering slap.
    “What the—”
    “That’s been six years stewing, mate, you know that,” she retorted. “I’ll get the forms.”
    She pushed him away, straightened her skirt and left the office. Rubbing his cheek, he didn’t know whether to be genuinely worried or start laughing.
    “My hair is fine,” she grumbled at her secretary before she came back and placed the forms in front of him. Rather than sitting next to him, she put the desk between their bodies. Rocco struggled not to smile and instead filled out the forms. Once he’d signed the last page, he shifted them toward Anna and told her everything. Beginning to end. To her credit, she didn’t ask questions but like a good lawyer, she waited with her fingers steepled against her mouth until he’d finished.
    “Is your dad out of prison?”
    “Came out about eight months ago. Doesn’t know what to do with himself. He still keeps to the prison routine and only really goes out to go to church. He’s found Christ again.”
    “I didn’t know he was missing,” Anna said dryly. “Do you know why Imogen said what she did?”
    Rocco released a pent-up breath. “It didn’t occur to me at the time. But my boss made sure she was compensated.”
    “How?”
    “Half a million pounds.” Anna rubbed the heel of her hand to her forehead. “Let me guess, she told you she came into money? Some long-lost aunt died or something?”
    “Grandfather.” Anna sighed. “But you know this is your fault as well. You should have trusted me.”
    He leaned across the desk and pulled her hand away from her face. “I know.”
    Gently, he stroked his thumb back and forth over her knuckles. It was blissful just to be able to touch her again, although he was very appreciative that it didn’t involve violence on her part. There was a knock on the door. Anna pulled her hand away. Bernie popped her head around the door. “Sorry to interrupt. Mr. Mamione, your next appointment is waiting for you.”
    “I’ll be one minute, thank you, Bernie.”
    The woman blushed a little and then closed the door. Anna collected the forms and placed them inside a folder, before shoving them into her desk drawer. “I’ll put them in my safe later on. I didn’t write anything down.”
    “It’s fine.”
    “Just so you know, this doesn’t really change anything.”
    Oh, his poor, sweet deluded Anna. “Yes it does. Because it means we can start over.”
    “But it’s all—”
    “Arguing with me, as much as it turns me on, isn’t going to make a difference. Whatever I need to do, whatever mountains I have to move, time machines to build, humble pies to eat, I’ll do it. I love you. I didn’t stop.” Ever eloquent, Anna made an “o” shape with her lips. He grinned. “Think on it.”
     

Chapter Eleven
     
    Struggling with the stupid bear, Anna headed for the lift. In the aftermath of the madness with Enzo and Rocco, Anna was behind with everything. God, Rocco. With the kiss, and the laying his soul bare for her and the goddamn kiss. E-mails had piled up and defences that needed to be drafted had shamed her with their existence on her to-do list, while that kiss