Still Falling Read Online Free PDF Page A

it.   She found her way down
the long corridor to the living area and was still gathering her bearings and
looking for the door out when a wave of nausea overcame her and she clamped a
hand over her mouth, bending over double to try and control it.  
    Serena was only barely aware of the strong hands which grasped her
shoulders and guided her quickly to a small cloakroom.   Gently the hands swept her hair back and held
it out of the way as she let go.   Her
ribs already felt bruised, sweat was pouring from the effort and her head was
swimming from lack of oxygen as a result of the constant retching.
      Marco stayed with her like that for
a good hour, before carrying her back upstairs.   He lay her down gently and wiped her brow with a damp flannel until she
fell asleep.   She just didn’t have the
strength to fight him.  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Chapter
ten

 
 
    It was early in the morning when she woke.   A small modern alarm clock on a bedside
cabinet which she hadn’t noticed last night declared it to be just after six
o’clock.   Marco had fallen asleep next to
her, fully clothed on top of the blankets and still clutching the flannel. His
breathing was slow and measured.   She
watched his face for a moment, making sure he was in a deep sleep.  
    Since being back, she hadn’t had much chance to study him properly,
always preferring to get out of his presence as quickly as possible.   He kept his hair shorter now she noted with
disapproval.   It actually managed to stay
brushed back.   She remembered when stray
loose waves used to fall onto his brow and he would brush it back with his
fingers.   Every time Serena caught him in
the act she would imagine her own fingers brushing those loose locks of hair
back into place.   She wished his hair was
a little longer now.   Perhaps then she
could finally brush it back with her fingers and at least get that out of her
system.  
    His face looks strained.   Long dark
eye lashes, brush down across the dark rings under his
eyes.   Her eyes followed his long narrow
nose down to the stubble on his top lip.  
    Oh god those lips .  
    Those lips that had teased her that morning with the
most innocent of kiss.   That one
kiss that left her senses reeling, wanting more.   That one kiss that left her more confused
about where their relationship was going than anything that had ever passed
between them.   She remembered how later,
the slow, provocative dance his lips had then trailed across the soft edge of
her jaw to the small soft hollow beneath her ear before tenderly trailing down
her neck to her shoulder.   Desire now
curled like a serpent in her core at the memory.  
    She tore her gaze away from his lips and followed the strong line of his
jaw to his neatly trimmed sideburns and back up to his eyes.   Serena wanted desperately to kiss the tension
from the corners of his eyes.  
    Damn him for being so beautiful and
damn me for being so stupid.
    Sighing quietly, she slowly rose from the bed trying not to disturb him.
    Oooooo.   Head
rush!
    Waiting for the blood to return to her head Serena steadied herself
against the bed with her knees.   Still
shaking off the last threads of sleep, she stared vacantly, at the first hazy
wisps of daylight, creeping through a narrow gap in the drapes.   Her mind was so far away that she didn’t
notice him stir, until he grasped her hands and pulled her swiftly back onto
the bed and into his arms.  
    Serena gasped loudly as she landed on the bed and within seconds his arms
had wrapped around her, threatening to squeeze the life from her.   His stubble was rough against her chin as he
ran his nose the length of hers and it electrified her.   Her breath caught in her chest as his hands
ran up her back and pulled her closer, almost painfully crushing her breasts
against his firm chest.
    Thankful of the layers of gown and clothing separating them, Serena
hesitated for a heartbeat, not sure if she