Guilty. Anne Mather

What did I do to make you turn against me?’

      ‘I didn’t. I don’t—–Oh, this is silly.’ Laura pressed her lips together for a moment, to steady herself, and then continued evenly, ‘I—don’t dislike you, Mr Lombardi—–’

      ‘Jake!’

      ‘Jake, then.’ She paused a moment, after saying his name, trying to restore some sense of normality. ‘I don’t know you well enough to make any kind of assessment—–’

       ‘Grazie!’

      ‘—and Julie cares about you. That’s what matters.’

      ‘Scusi, but I am not talking about Julie,’ retorted Jake, and when she would have turned her back on him completely, his hand came out and took hold of her wrist. ‘Don’t walk out on me again.’

      She was glad he hadn’t touched her arm. The lean fingers coiling about her wrist were unknowingly hard, and the flesh above her elbow still ached from the night before. Even so, she couldn’t prevent the spasm of pain that crossed her face, when he pulled her round to face him, and his eyes narrowed consideringly between his thick lashes.