Page 21 of Thin Lines (Donati Bloodlines 2)

Emma bent down to hook the strap of her kitten heelsaround her ankle, only to find Affonso kneeling down in front of her. His handsstopped hers, and he offered her a charming smile.

It was far too sweet to be true.

What did he want at eight in the morning?

“Let me help,” Affonso said.

Emma let him hook the straps, and ignored the way hisfingers danced up her calves before coming to a stop on her thighs. His handswere still under the skirt of her summer dress.

“Smile, Emma.”

She did.

“Beautiful,” her husband praised.

It did nothing for her. Just the same way as his handsstroking her bare thighs did nothing for her. Despite worrying the night beforethat Affonso might want something from her, the man hadn’t actually asked for alot since she found out she was pregnant a month earlier.

They’d had sex once.

Nothing else.

That was weeks ago.

Instinctively, Emma reached for Affonso’s waist. It washer go-to trick to sedate and please him if he wanted, something withoutactually having to do very much. She much preferred taking him that way thanneeding to fake her way through an entire round of sex.

It wasn’t that Affonso wasn’t attractive. At his age,fifty, he appeared a decade younger. He had the virility of a much younger man,and the stamina to match.

Emma just … couldn’t.

She tried.

She couldn’t.

Affonso stopped Emma’s wandering hands, and put themback to her lap with a smile. At least his hands were gone from under herdress. She took that as a win.

“Don’t you want me to—”

“Not today,” Affonso interrupted with a grin.“Besides, sweetheart, you’re not exactly up to the task lately. Hmm?”

Emma blinked, surprised he had noticed. “No, I guessnot.”

That wasn’t a total lie.

She was never up for it.

“Hormones. It’s fine.”

Emma smiled back, and it felt honest instead of thefake one she usually wore. “Maybe. I’m tired and sick a lot. It doesn’t help.”

“You don’t need to worry about it. That was somethingI wanted to talk with you about this morning before we met the girls downstairsfor breakfast.”

“Oh?” she asked.

Affonso nodded. “I won’t be coming home tonight. Idon’t think you’ll find yourself bored without me, but I figured you shouldknow where I am, in case you need something.”

Emma’s brow furrowed. “You’ve gone away for the nightbefore. What’s different about this time?”

He pulled a card from his slacks pocket, and set itface up on Emma’s lap. A quick glance at the card showcased a woman’s name andphone number written in Affonso’s neat scrawl.