Kate Hewitt - The Innocent's One-Night Surrender

Seduced by her rescuer...

Desperate to escape a predatory suitor, Laurel Forrester has no one to turn to in Rome but her stepbrother, Cristiano Ferrero. A dangerous chemistry has always burned between them, even if he believes her to be exactly like her manipulative mother. And trapped in his luxurious penthouse, Laurel realizes how vulnerable she is to his raw magnetism...

Cristiano desires Laurel just as much as he despises her. Intent on getting her out of his system, he proposes one night of sin. But Laurel’s surprising inexperience only increases his thirst for her, and makes Cristiano determined to entice her to surrender again...and again!

‘Where am I to sleep?’ Laurel asked.

‘There’s a guest bedroom across the hall.’ Cristiano pushed open the door opposite his own.

She turned to glance at him and that was her mistake. Her breath came out in a rush as heat flared between them. He put his hand on her wrist.

‘Don’t, Cristiano,’ she whispered.

‘Don’t what?’

‘Don’t touch me.’

‘Don’t tempt you?’ He stroked the silky skin of her inner wrist with his thumb. ‘Is that what you mean?’

Laurel remained frozen, her pulse hammering.

‘Why deny what is between us, bella?’

‘There’s nothing between us.’ She had to nearly gasp the words out.

‘Your body begs to differ.’ Cristiano could see the indecision in her fractured gaze…the desire as well as the doubt. ‘Stop worrying so much. What are you afraid of?’ he murmured, his lips very nearly brushing hers.

‘This…’ she whispered, and then Cristiano kissed her.

After spending three years as a die-hard New Yorker, KATE HEWITT now lives in a small village in the English Lake District with her husband, their five children and a golden retriever. In addition to writing intensely emotional stories, she loves reading, baking and playing chess with her son—she has yet to win against him, but she continues to try. Learn more about Kate at kate-hewitt.com.

Books by Kate Hewitt

Mills & Boon Modern Romance

Moretti’s Marriage Command

Inherited by Ferranti

One Night With Consequences

Engaged for Her Enemy’s Heir

Larenzo’s Christmas Baby

Seduced by a Sheikh

The Secret Heir of Alazar

The Forced Bride of Alazar

The Billionaire’s Legacy

A Di Sione for the Greek’s Pleasure

Secret Heirs of Billionaires

Demetriou Demands His Child

The Marakaios Brides

The Marakaios Marriage

The Marakaios Baby

Rivals to the Crown of Kadar

Captured by the Sheikh

Commanded by the Sheikh

Visit the Author Profile page at millsandboon.co.ukfor more titles.

The Innocent’s One-Night Surrender

Kate Hewitt

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To Jenna,

Thanks for spurring me on with this book! Love being able to chat with you.

Love, K.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text Seduced by her rescuer... Desperate to escape a predatory suitor, Laurel Forrester has no one to turn to in Rome but her stepbrother, Cristiano Ferrero. A dangerous chemistry has always burned between them, even if he believes her to be exactly like her manipulative mother. And trapped in his luxurious penthouse, Laurel realizes how vulnerable she is to his raw magnetism... Cristiano desires Laurel just as much as he despises her. Intent on getting her out of his system, he proposes one night of sin. But Laurel’s surprising inexperience only increases his thirst for her, and makes Cristiano determined to entice her to surrender again...and again!

Introduction ‘Where am I to sleep?’ Laurel asked. ‘There’s a guest bedroom across the hall.’ Cristiano pushed open the door opposite his own. She turned to glance at him and that was her mistake. Her breath came out in a rush as heat flared between them. He put his hand on her wrist. ‘Don’t, Cristiano,’ she whispered. ‘Don’t what?’ ‘Don’t touch me.’ ‘Don’t tempt you?’ He stroked the silky skin of her inner wrist with his thumb. ‘Is that what you mean?’ Laurel remained frozen, her pulse hammering. ‘Why deny what is between us, bella?’ ‘There’s nothing between us.’ She had to nearly gasp the words out. ‘Your body begs to differ.’ Cristiano could see the indecision in her fractured gaze…the desire as well as the doubt. ‘Stop worrying so much. What are you afraid of?’ he murmured, his lips very nearly brushing hers. ‘This…’ she whispered, and then Cristiano kissed her.

About the Author After spending three years as a die-hard New Yorker, KATE HEWITT now lives in a small village in the English Lake District with her husband, their five children and a golden retriever. In addition to writing intensely emotional stories, she loves reading, baking and playing chess with her son—she has yet to win against him, but she continues to try. Learn more about Kate at kate-hewitt.com . Books by Kate Hewitt Mills & Boon Modern Romance Moretti’s Marriage Command Inherited by Ferranti One Night With Consequences Engaged for Her Enemy’s Heir Larenzo’s Christmas Baby Seduced by a Sheikh The Secret Heir of Alazar The Forced Bride of Alazar The Billionaire’s Legacy A Di Sione for the Greek’s Pleasure Secret Heirs of Billionaires Demetriou Demands His Child The Marakaios Brides The Marakaios Marriage The Marakaios Baby Rivals to the Crown of Kadar Captured by the Sheikh Commanded by the Sheikh Visit the Author Profile page at millsandboon.co.uk for more titles.

Title Page The Innocent’s One-Night Surrender Kate Hewitt www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dedication To Jenna, Thanks for spurring me on with this book! Love being able to chat with you. Love, K.

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

LAUREL FORRESTER BURST from the hotel room like a bullet from a gun, aiming for the lift down the hall. Her breath came in tearing gasps and she stumbled in the heels she wasn’t used to wearing—stupid, sky-high stilettos her mother had insisted on.

She heard the sound of the door to the executive suite being wrenched open behind her and then heavy footfalls.

‘Come back here, you stupid little—’

With a mewling gasp of terror, Laurel put on a burst of speed, racing around the corner. The gleaming black doors of the lift shimmered ahead of her, a promise of freedom.

‘Wait until I...’

She closed her mind to Rico Bavasso’s threats and stabbed the button for the lift with a shaking finger. Please, please open. Save me...

Bavasso came round the corner, moving swiftly for a man pushing sixty. Laurel risked a glance back and then wished she hadn’t. Three diagonal cuts slashed one of his lean cheeks, where she’d scratched him, blood oozing down his face in crimson, pearly droplets.

Please, please open. If the lift doors didn’t open, she didn’t know what she’d do. Fight for her safety, for her life. Go down kicking and screaming, because go down she would. Bavasso might be older but he was big, strong and angry, and she was five-foot-four and just a little over a hundred pounds soaking wet.

With a glorious ping the doors opened and Laurel threw herself inside, bruising her shoulder against the far wall before she scrambled upright. She pushed just about every button she could, anything to get her away from the hell that had erupted with Bavasso’s demands and grabs, his insistence that he would get what he’d paid for. What her mother had promised him.

Bile rose in Laurel’s throat at that memory and she choked it down. She didn’t have the luxury of memories or even thoughts in this moment. This was about basic survival. She pushed the ‘door close’ button repeatedly as Bavasso stumbled towards the lift, a smile of triumph curving his cold mouth, his glowering face thrust forward. His bow tie was askew, his tuxedo shirt straining against the buttons as he reached one hand forward to keep the doors from closing. Laurel shrank back against the lift wall, her heart beating in her chest like some wild, winged thing.

‘I’ve got you, you little slut.’

Laurel kicked off one of her wretched stilettos and swung it at Bavasso’s grasping hand. He let out a howl of outrage and yanked it back, his palm impaled by the dagger-sharp heel. The doors closed and then the lift was soaring upwards and Laurel was safe, safe.

She let out a sob of both terror and relief, her senses overwhelmed by what had happened—and what had almost happened, but thankfully hadn’t. Her trembling legs felt weak and watery and she sank onto the floor, drawing her knees up to her chest as shudders wracked her body. That had been so close.

But she wasn’t out of danger yet. She still had to get out of this hotel, out of Rome. Bavasso had her handbag in his hotel room, as well as his security detail waiting down in the foyer. Laurel had seen them when he’d been playing baccarat, standing around like stony-faced gorillas, eyes darting around the casino floor, looking for threats. And now she was one.

What would he do? Over the last two days’ acquaintance he’d been sleek and charming, although admittedly paying her more attention than she’d have liked, considering he was her mother’s latest love interest. He also seemed arrogant and entitled, and she feared he might not let this lie. And what about her mother? Was Elizabeth safe? Would Bavasso turn on her—or had she really been part of it all along, as he’d implied? I’m only taking what your mother promised me.

Surely not? Surely her mother wouldn’t have sold her off like a cow at auction? With another cry Laurel covered her face, the tumult of the evening too much to bear. She should never have agreed to come to Rome, to play a part so she could get what she wanted. And yet she had. She’d weighed it up in her mind and she’d decided it was worth it. One last favour and then she’d finally be free. Except she wasn’t free now. She didn’t feel remotely free.

The doors opened and Laurel lifted her head, shrinking back, half-expecting Bavasso to be there, waiting. But, no; the lift opened directly into what looked like a private suite, twice as elegant and spacious as the one Laurel had just fled.

She scrambled to her feet, pulling on the hem of the short sparkly dress of silver satin that had also been her mother’s choice. Bavasso wants to see a lovely young woman in her prime, not some dowdy wallflower. He’s a discriminating man, Laurel. Now she was afraid she understood all that had meant.

Laurel knew she couldn’t stay in the lift; the doors would close and then the lift would start heading down again, back to Bavasso or his goons, somewhere she definitely didn’t want to be. Cautiously Laurel took a step out, onto a floor of polished black marble. Floor-to-ceiling windows were visible in every direction, giving a panoramic view of the Eternal City, lights shimmering in the darkness.

Modern-looking sofas of black leather and gleaming chrome were scattered around, the soaring space lit only by a few minimalistic table lamps, so it took Laurel a stunned second to realise there was someone in the room with her.