She smiled and stuffed her mouth full of pasta. "My dad has a lot to make up for, but I think we've managed to heal the circle." "Circle?" "The circle of karma, when someone is really bad and hurts you. Our first instinct is to hurt again, or refuse to forgive." "Sounds reasonable." "Ah, but now the cycles of pain and abuse continue. When he came back, I decided I had only one father, and I wanted to accept anything he could give. In the end, he gave up alcohol and tried to fix the past."Eric let out a rude sound. "He passed away when she was very young and left her family behind bottles of wine. Abandoned both her twins. Then he turned around and begged for forgiveness? Why did she do you even want him in your life?" She crashed into another shrimp and let it hover right in front of her lips. "I made a choice," she said. "I'll never forget, but if our mother learns to forgive him, why can't I? The family has to stay together no matter what." Her ability to forgive easily shock
She stopped midway and looked at him. "Okay. I accept." He pressed the remote and the tune of Madame Butterfly played through the Bose speaker. He finished their glasses and settled down next to the small table. She sat down beside him, crossing her legs. Her fingers juggled the cards with expert ease, shuffling them at lightning speed. Eric flashed a fantasy of her wearing a miniskirt, dealing cards in the hall while she sat on a cowboy's lap. He shook his head from the image and focused on his hand. "The dealer chooses first. Play 5-card stud poker. Unlimited bets." He frowned. "Bet on what?" he asked. "I told you we were playing for money.""Should I have the butler remove the safe? Or maybe we'll just play for the family trinkets?" "Very funny. Do you have any other jokes?" His lips curved. "Sorry. Only hundreds of words." "OH." She seemed to be very disappointed when he lost the battle and started giggling. "How about we play for something more interesting?" "I don't pla
She gave him a casual nod. "Open the post." She made up cards immediately and victory flashed in her eyes. He almost felt sorry for her. Just almost. "Good post." He gave her a smug smile. "But still not good enough." He threw out 4 aces. Then stretch your legs out in front of you and lean back. "Anyway, it's worth trying." She gasped in surprise at his cards. "The probability of getting 4 aces out of 5 cards... Oh my god, you cheated!" He shook his head and made a tsk sound. "Come on, Al, I thought you were a better opponent than that. Are you still a bitter loser? Now it's about my rights..."Eric wondered if steam was leaking from his pores. "No one can get 4 aces unless you hide the cards under the palm of your hand. Don't lie to me, because I was thinking of doing it for myself!" "Don't accuse me of something you can't prove." "You cheat." Her voice was filled with surprise and horror. "You lied to me on our wedding night." He snorted. "If you want to get rid of your debt,
Oh my God. Primordial sexual energy mingled between them like a tornado reaching maximum speed and power. His eyes burned with a blazing fire, both urgent and angry as he stared at her. She realized he was lying between her open thighs, his hips leaning against hers, his chest lifted as his hands gripped her fingers. This is no longer the teasing of an older brother. This is also not between old friends or business associates. This was simply between a man and a woman, and Carina felt herself being pulled into a storm by the screams of her own body. "Eric?"Her voice was hoarse. Full of hesitation. Her nipples were raised against the cotton shirt with demand. His gaze fell on her face, her breasts, and her bare stomach. Tension stretched between them. He slowly lowered his head. The rush of his breath caressed her lips as he spoke over her mouth. "This doesn't make any sense."His body contradicted his words as he demanded her mouth in a fierce kiss. With a quick thrust, his tongu
Eric stepped back. "It doesn't matter," he said coldly. "I need to know." Ice was creeping down her spine as she caught the determination on his face. The curtains slammed shut, and suddenly she looked at a man completely devoid of feelings or emotions. "Because she wanted more than I could give her. She wanted to settle down and build a family." Carina took a few steps back. "What's wrong with that?" "I told Gabriella the truth from the very beginning. I didn't do anything long-term. I never wanted children, and I will never be the type of person to settle down in the long-term. I made that promise to you. myself many years ago." He stopped. "So I married her.The room spun as his final statements crept into her. Her husband can accept the experience of passion. His touches may be warm, and his lips even warmer, but his heart is carved in stone. He never wanted to let a woman inside him – he had ruined every chance he had. Somehow, his parents convinced him that love doesn't exi
Carina looked through the crowd and wished she'd stayed at BookCrazy, hosting her Friday poetry reading. Tonight's work dinner party was a turning point in Eric's career. She knew influencers were gathering in this hall for a chance to make a splash, and Eric needed to stand out from the crowd to get noticed. She handed her coat to the waiter and let Eric lead her into the crowded dance hall. "I assume you have a master plan for your attack?" she asked. "So who are the two characters you need to focus on?"He pointed toward a thick cloud of cigar smoke. A packed circle of cautious businessmen surrounded a perfectly dressed man in a gray suit and silk tie. "Hyoshi Komo is building a Japanese restaurant. His vote is key to becoming the third partner in the waterfront project deal." "Then, why don't you go over there and give me your offer?" She took the salmon tart from a tuxedo-clad waiter and picked up a glass of champagne from another. "Because I don't want to be in that crowd. I
Carina decided it was time to find her husband. Aside from the brief time they spent sitting next to him at dinner, they split up to meet each other's partners for the rest of the night. She hummed to the tune of "I Get a Kick out of You" under her breath, checking around the room but couldn't spot him in the crowd. She decided to go down the elaborately carved corridor. Maybe he went to the bathroom.Her heels echoed against the shiny marble floor. The sounds of the music had faded, and she studied the pictures on the wall with delight, whispering to herself when she found one she recognized. Her footsteps carried her around the next corner into a gallery-like room filled with old bookshelves, their bindings only carefully displayed. She held her breath as her itchy fingers caressed the old leather cover and enjoyed the crackling sound as she flipped open the pages of a book steeped in history. "Ah, so in order to get your attention with me tonight, should I turn into a book?"She
"Oh, I noticed you." She turned her back and continued to study the books. "I knew you wanted me by the end of the night.""And you've been looking forward to this moment, haven't you, lady (Signorina)?""With each breath. So, should we use one of the bedrooms here or go to yours?"A stunned silence fell.Carina looked over her shoulder. A mixture of frustration and temptation etched into his expressions. Carina bet he missed the idea for a chase, but didn't want to turn down such an offer either. A smile of satisfaction boiled over her lips at the obvious conflicts and his rapidly losing confidence.A light of understanding shone in his black eyes. "You're making fun of me, aren't you?"She turned to face him, still smiling. "I suppose so."He shook his head with amusement. "You are an evil woman to tempt a man like that.""You're an evil man to think that a woman would do such a thing.""Perhaps, you're right. A woman like you should have a husband to watch out for at all times. Lik