‘Don’t look at me like that when it’s a lie,’ Rio urged with staggering abruptness, fiery sparks illuminating his stunning eyes to smouldering gold.

      The sudden apparent change of subject disconcerted Ellie. ‘What’s a lie?’

      ‘You looking at me with dislike when you would really much prefer to rip my clothes off me!’ Rio contended, without an ounce of doubt in his dark, deep drawl. ‘I don’t do pretences, Principessa.’

      Ellie stared back at him in genuine fascination. ‘Oh, my word, Rio—how did you get through the door with an ego that big?’

      ‘I hate the way you beat around the bush,’ Rio told her, lounging back against the bedroom door, his sudden slumbrous relaxation screaming sex and the kind of bad-boy attitude that set Ellie on fire with fury. ‘I was talking about us having angry sex.’

      Ellie reddened again, her green eyes luminous with disbelief. ‘You did not just say that to me!’

      Rio laughed with unholy amusement. ‘I did. Why wrap it up like a dirty secret? We may not like each other but, per meraviglia, with the chemistry we’ve got we would set the bed on fire.’