But talking to Tasha had always been easy. She had a way of making a person spill the contents of their minds.
‘No, you’re not your brother. You’re you, an individual.’ She hesitated. ‘I suppose you have to find a way to do it that suits you. A way you’re OK with. I mean, Josh and I are both doctors but we’re not the same. We don’t approach things the same way. He’s very analytical whereas I’m more emotional. But I don’t think either one of us is better or worse than the other. We’re just different.’
‘The problem is, my parents don’t want different. If they could have chosen, I would have been the one who died in that car.’
‘Don’t say that.’ She sounded shocked and then her forehead creased into a tiny frown. ‘The other night when we were talking—you said it was your fault...’
Had he said that to her? ‘Forget it.’
‘But—’
‘If you want to help me, you can fetch that big fat file from the table in the living room.’ Alessandro gave a humourless laugh. ‘I have to go through it and pick out which duties I’m up to performing. I need to kiss some babies in public.’
And he needed to finally announce his engagement.
‘Kiss babies? Sounds like a recipe for disease transmission to me. I’ll warn infection control. Now, lie back and let me take a look at your ribs to see how quickly you’re healing. It will give me some idea of what you’re capable of doing. It’s no good opening a hospital and then finding yourself as a patient.’
Remembering what had happened the last time she’d touched him, Alessandro’s eyes narrowed warily. ‘No need. I’m fine.’
‘I’m the one who’s going to tell you if you’re fine.’ She pushed him back with the palm of her hand. ‘And wipe that look off your face. I’m in doctor mode. I don’t think about sex when I’m in doctor mode. And, anyway, I told you I’m not interested.’ Ignoring his protests, she unbuttoned his shirt with brisk fingers. The fact that there was nothing lover-like about her expression did nothing to lessen his libido.
‘What about the patient?’ Alessandro gritted his teeth. ‘What if the patient starts thinking about sex?’
‘That would be seriously perverted. After all, I’m hurting you. The bruising is better.’ Frowning, she trailed her fingers lightly over his chest. ‘Does this hurt?’
‘It depends which part of me you’re asking about.’
‘Don’t be disgusting. This is why I chose to be a children’s doctor.’ But her voice was mild as she slid her fingers up to his shoulders and pressed. ‘Does this hurt?’
‘If I say yes, will you stop?’
‘It obviously doesn’t hurt as much as before because you’re not doing that clenched-teeth thing. I think you’re definitely on the mend.’
‘Good, then can we—?’
‘I just want to listen to your breath sounds.’ She’d left her stethoscope on the table by his bed and as she reached for it her hair tumbled forward, brushing over his arm. ‘I’m just going to—’
‘So am I.’ Driven past the point of control, Alessandro cupped her face in his hands and brought her mouth down on his. Her lips opened under his and he tasted shock mingled with sweetness. For a moment he thought she was going to pull away, but as his tongue slid against hers he felt her moan and tighten her grip on his shoulders. There was a delicious inevitability to the kiss that simply added to the excitement. It was the culmination of the tension and anticipation that had been building between them since the morning she’d walked into his hospital room.
Apparently forgetting all her protests about not wanting him to touch her, Tasha ripped at his shirt, hesitating as he gave a grunt of pain when her fingers made contact with bruised flesh. ‘Sorry...’ She panted the word against his mouth and pulled back but he grabbed her, his fingers hard on her arms.
‘Don’t stop. For God’s sake, don’t stop,’ he groaned, his mind at war with his senses. ‘Do you want to stop? You didn’t want to do this—’
‘Changed my mind—’ Their mouths clashed, the kiss exciting and erotic, and he rolled her onto her back and then swore fluently as pain overtook him.
‘This is—’
‘A challenge. I have a better idea.’ Desperate, she pushed him back gently and straddled him, her hair falling forward, brushing his bare chest. Her eyes were like dark, dangerous pools. ‘I’m the one in charge. If I hurt you, tell me.’
‘I think that’s supposed to be my line.’ Alessandro pulled her head down to his and took her mouth with explicit intent, tasting sweetness and a desperation that matched his.
‘God, you’re beautiful.’ He groaned the words against her lips. ‘How did I keep my hands off you all those years ago?’
‘You didn’t.’ Frantic, she tore at his clothes and he tore at hers until only flimsy underwear separated them.
Panting, breathless, they kissed like two crazy people. They were so wrapped up in each other that they were oblivious to anything but the heat they were creating. Which was why they didn’t hear the sound in the distance.
‘Tasha? Alessandro? Anyone there?’ Josh’s voice came from the living room of the house and Tasha froze as if she’d been shot. Her eyes flew open and she dragged her mouth from the seductive pressure of his.
‘Ohmigod!’
‘Oops.’ Hiding his frustration, Alessandro gave her a crooked smile and stroked her hair back from her face. ‘It’s your brother. That’s not great timing. You might want to put your clothes on, tesoro. I don’t want him to see you naked.’
‘THIS is all your fault! I told you not to kiss me.’ Tasha yanked her top back over her head and freed her hair. ‘Stay there. You’re not safe to be around. I was in doctor mode. How the hell did we end up naked?’
‘Because the chemistry doesn’t go away just because you’re clutching a stethoscope. I want you, Tasha. Make no mistake about that.’ His smooth, possessive declaration stopped her breathing. For an injured man he was far too threatening.
‘I...’ confused, she tumbled off the bed, grabbing her clothes. Glancing briefly at him, she collided with dark, burning eyes and felt her insides melt. ‘No.’ It was both a plea and a protest. ‘Just—no.’
She’d promised herself that she wasn’t going to do this. That she wasn’t going to fall under his spell again.
She was a career-woman. She had a five-year plan and it didn’t include falling for a wicked, sexy prince. She’d had herself under control. She’d been doing really well.
Until he’d kissed her...
‘Damn you, Sandro. I need to get dressed before he comes looking for us.’ Her face burning, Tasha grabbed the rest of her clothes, desperately conscious of those coal-black eyes following her every move. The heat was still in the room, simmering between them like a blast from the sun.
If he was bothered by the fact that her brother was in his house, he didn’t show it. But Alessandro wasn’t the sort to run from anything, she knew that. In fact, that was part of the problem. He had too much of the devil in him.
And that devil had drawn her just as it had when she was a teenager.
In her haste to drag on her clothes, Tasha couldn’t untangle her jeans and they were halfway up her legs when her brother tapped on the door and opened it.
Tasha gave a whimper