Cleopatra Knight never expected to sleep with her handsome boss, Dante Damaso, during a trip to Tokyo. Their passionate nights lead to unexpected consequences, turning Cleo’s life upside down. Despite Dante’s jet-setting lifestyle and reluctance to settle down, he can’t forget Cleo. Living together, they both discover deeper feelings, and Cleo wonders if her heart’s desire is within reach.
“Did you ever wear those ridiculous little skirts?” “Of course I did, I was a ballet dancer,” she replied before getting straight down to it. “Why are you here?” “I came to watch the performance. The kids were great. Your choreography was fantastic.” “I have to go and talk to the children,” she said. “Excuse…
“What?” she prompted, and he hesitated for a moment, his mouth opening and then closing. “Come on, Dante. Spit it out.” “I’m sorry.” The words were hurried and a little garbled but unmistakable. She raised an eyebrow and noticed that he had trouble meeting her eyes. “For which item on your long list of indiscretions?”…
“Knows what?” “He knows that there’s no love between us, and he wanted better than that for me.” Except that she wasn’t so sure the “no love” thing was strictly true anymore. There seemed to be quite a lot of love between them. All one-sided and all from her. The heavy silence strained the atmosphere,…
“I heard it in passing at work yesterday. See? I have a sense of humor, but clearly it’s much too sophisticated for someone like you to possibly comprehend,” he said gravely, and she gaped at him, not sure if he was serious or not. He thought the fly joke was sophisticated? Was he joking? But…
“Oh?” she prompted, but he just nodded and went back to punching his bag, ending the conversation. A little irritated that she had told him so much about herself while receiving next to nothing in return, Cleo went back to her own workout, vowing to keep her own counsel in the future. Just because she…
And as far as her pregnancy went, she was developing a tiny bump, which was even more exciting than her new part-time job. Once, she even thought she felt a little wriggle in there, but she’d been mistaken. She couldn’t wait for the baby to start moving. Now she stood in her new room in…
Without seeming to think about it, he turned sideways, dropping his feet over the arm of the couch and-shockingly-his head into her lap. He tugged at his tie and unbuttoned the top two buttons in an effort to get more comfortable and then turned to face the TV. “What are we watching?” The “we” undid…
“So do you enjoy the teaching?” he asked about ten minutes later, as they were watching Ripley battle her way through droves of ugly aliens. “I’m finding it quite rewarding,” she replied. “The kids are enthusiastic and talented. They remind me a little of myself at that age. I was absolutely obsessed with dancing. I…
“We don’t have to go through these little getting-to-know-you rituals, Dante,” she dismissed coldly. “Don’t worry, I won’t think less of you for not really knowing anything about me. That’s not why I’m here.” “Okay,” he said, picking up her plate and utensils and carrying them to the sink. She watched him tidy up and…
“Good.” He kissed her again, this time he added his hands into the mix, and before she knew it, he had dragged her back onto the couch with him and she was straddling his lap. “This is a terrible idea,” she protested. “I think it’s the best idea I’ve ever had.” “Dante, we can’t resume…