The Italian Inheritance Read Online Free PDF

wriggling.
    Suddenly a foot came down very painfully on his toes and the figure spun around and kneed him in the groin.
    “ Ah! ” he exclaimed as the intruder sped off into the dark extremities of the garden. He didn’t get very far before Rafael was on him, crushing him to the ground under his solid weight.
    “That’s it. Put your hands behi nd you right now and don’t move, ” he ordered, once again in his native tongue.
    “I can’t ... ” came the muffled reply.
    “What?” Rafael said, surprised. The voice was decidedly feminine.
    “I can’t understand you ,” came the muffled response. “I don’t speak Italian.”
    Rafael shifted his weight and rolled his captive over so he could see her face. Not prepared to give her room to escape, he straddled her, his knees either side of her hips, her arms pinned above her head. He didn’t make mistakes twice.
    The intruder was wearing a dark balaclava-type hood covering her head and he pulled it off none too gently. Half a meter of white blonde hair cascaded down over his hands.
    “You!”
    A fruity, floral scent rose from her overheated body. He recognised it from his office that morning. It was fresh yet at the same time alluring.
    Rafael was suddenly very aware of the fact that he was lying on top of her in nothing but light cotton trousers. The heat from her body was surprising in its intensity. It absorbed into his loins, his stomach and his chest, tempting his muscles to relax and mould to hers. He forced himself to remain taut.
    To make matters worse, his captive was scarcely more appropriately dressed in thin, Lycra leggings and a tight black top.
    “What on earth do you think you’re doing?” Rafael asked , angry at his sudden awkwardness and the fact that he had been caught unawares . “I could have hurt you.”
    “ Yes, you could have,” gasped Anna , bucking gently beneath him . “Do you mind moving off me ? I can’t breath e .”
    Rafael frowned , but adjusted his weight. “Better?”
    She nodded , but her chest still rose and fell erratically.
    Why was he negotiating with a burglar ?   What did it matter if she was comfortable or not? He must get a grip on the situation. She was watching him expectantly. Her eyes were wide and overly bright, probably from the adrenalin as a result of her attempted break-in .
    “You didn’t answer my question?” he prompted, flexing his shoulder muscles to stop his torso from dropping any lower onto hers.
    “I can explain,” she said eagerly. “If you’ll just get off me, we can talk about this like civil human beings.”
    “You will remain where you are until I hear an explanation,” he growled. “You may not be aware of this, but breaking and entering is a criminal offence. You’d better give me a damn good reason why you’re on my property or I’m calling the police. ”
    His captive paled visibly. “ No. D on’t do that,” she said quickly. “ I wasn’t breaking and entering . N ot really. I was just having a look around. I meant no harm.”
    “Dressed like that ?” He nodded at her barely-there Lycra clothing.
    She shrugged. “I didn’t want to be seen. This was all I had with me.”
    Rafael looked doubtful. “What were you looking for ?”
    She grimaced and said quietly . “Giovanni.”
    Rafael sighed. “Not this again.”
    “I was planning on hiding in the bushes until dawn. I figured if Giovanni lived here he would have to come out of the house at some point during the morning and I’d see him.”
    Rafael shook his head incredulously. “Didn’t it occur to you that in the light of day someone might see you crouching amongst the bushes? That you might be mistaken for a burglar and detained?”
    “I thought you were lying about Giovanni not living here,” she blustered, worry causing her smooth forehead to crinkle. “ You were so cagey the other day . Y ou wouldn’t let me see past the garden gate. I was convinced you were hiding something. And then this morning,