What was the best way to play this? Did she undress and walk into the bedroom naked? Or did she let him undress her?
Either way, it was going to be a disaster.
This was the moment she’d been dreading.
What was the point in putting it off any longer? Better to get it over with because the anticipation of what was to come was making her sick.
How would he react?
Forcing herself to move, she pushed open the door and stood for a moment, looking at him.
Leandro was sprawled on his back on the bed, eyes shut. His chest was bare and the light by the bed sent golden shadows across his sleek, bronzed shoulders.
In the year they’d been apart, he hadn’t changed. Millie’s gaze rested on the tangle of dark hair across the centre of his chest and then moved lower. He was naked, but he’d always been comfortable with his body, hadn’t he? And no wonder. He was astonishingly fit, his physique strong and masculine.
His astonishing good looks had attracted the attention of the most beautiful women in the world.
Why did he want her? Was it just that he didn’t believe in divorce? Was that the fragile bond that held them together?
Unable to see another possibility, she lost her confidence and would have slid back into the bathroom if his voice hadn’t stopped her.
‘If you run again, I’ll come after you. And if you lock the door, I’ll break it down. Your choice.’
Millie froze, her heart pounding frantically against her chest. But she moved forward, her legs stiff, as if they were trying to plead with her to take a different course of action. ‘It isn’t a choice, is it? You’re not giving me a choice.’
‘You made your choice when you decided to come back to me.’ His eyes were open now, and he was watching her with that shimmering masculine gaze that always turned her stomach upside down. ‘Come into the light where I can see you.’
Millie gripped the clasp of her robe tightly, wondering whether she was actually going to have the courage to go through with this.
She stood there shivering and he frowned and sprang from the bed, prowling across to her with surprising grace for such a powerfully built man.
Leandro closed his fingers over her shoulders and forced her to look at him. ‘I want to know what you’re thinking.’
‘Trust me, you don’t.’ Millie shook her head, the tears sitting in her throat like a brimming cup just waiting to overflow. She couldn’t cry now. Later. There’d be plenty of time for that later.
With a growl of frustration, he scooped her face into his hands and lowered his head to kiss her. ‘I don’t understand why you are so insecure. You are a very beautiful woman.’
Her courage failed.
Maybe, just maybe, if he hadn’t said those exact words she would have gone through with it.
‘I’m not beautiful,’ she croaked, dragging herself out of his arms. ‘I’m not beautiful. And I can’t do this. I just can’t.’
‘Why? Is this about what you think happened with your sister?’
‘No, no, it isn’t. It’s about what happened to me. It’s hopeless. I’m sorry, Leandro. I’m sorry.’ Before he could stop her, Millie stumbled out of the room. Blinded by tears, she banged against the doorframe in her haste to get away from him, but the sudden pain in her arm was eclipsed by the far greater pain in her heart. She took refuge in one of the guest suites at the far end of the villa. Stumbling into the bathroom, she locked the door securely behind her and slid to the floor without bothering to switch on the lights.
It was impossible. The whole situation was impossible. She should never have allowed him to blackmail her into giving their marriage another try. She just should have stood there, told him what had happened and walked out while she still had some shred of dignity left. And she should have found another way of being close to her nephe
w. Visits. Letters. Photos. Anything other than this.
Why had she agreed to stay?
Had some small, stupid part of her hoped that this horrible situation could still have a happy ending?
In the pit of despair, she let the tears fall.
The door crashed open and she gave a jerk of shock.