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"What?" Catherine was on her knees, the protective shield covering her nakedness long forgotten She was so furious, she leaped to her feet and started traipsing across theonto the carpet, she searched for sorabbed a shirt of Royce's that was hanging in the closet She jerked it so hard the hanger clattered to the floor

It didn't help ainst two fat pillows "Is there a probleht there is"

"Then why don't we sit down like two civilized people and discuss this rationally"

"Because," she cried, hands braced on her hips, "I'm too da like this"

"Catherine, if you'd cool off for a moment we could talk this over rationally"

"I' back her hair with both hands "Answer ht"

"Do you want a baby?" The whole world seee, indeed their relationship, hung on a delicate balance, weighed by his answer

"Yes," he whispered with enough feeling to convince her it was true "I've tried to tellup to you, but damn it, yes, I would like another child" He said it al to a weakness

Catherine was so grateful, her knees weakened "Oh, Royce, I do, too, so ood as I'd thought"

"Why are we arguing?" she asked softly

He grinned "I don't know Daht with you"

"I'-sleeved shirt she'd so hastily donned silently slipped to the floor With

an unhurried ease, she walked over to the side of the bed, her head held high and proud "As far as I'm concerned the sooner we make a baby the better, don't you think?"

"Catherine?" Royce sounded unsure, which wasn't like hie of the htly that their lips barely touched

Royce groaned, grabbed her by the hair and plunged his tongue deeply into the moist hollow of her mouth The kiss was so hot it threatened to blister them both

"We need to finish our talk first," he , he was kissing her He groaned and shook his head "Catherine we can't do this"

"Later We'll talk later"

"I don't think that would be a good idea" He firrabbed hold of both her wrists in an attempt to push her back, but the , she leaned into hie of the fact his hands were occupied Mur words of love and sexual need, she seduced hi to his she planned to do for his they'd do for each other

"Catherine" He didn't sound nearly so insistent as before "I don'twe need to talk before we do any thing first"

"If that's what you really want," she whispered, taking his earlobe between her teeth and biting lightly "Touch me," she pleaded softly "Oh, RoyceI need you so much"

His hold on her wrist slackened "Catherine, I don'tover hi it would play havoc with them both This hat she wanted, what she needed

Royce hesitated; his face was hard, his eyes closed, blocking her out, because that was the only way he had of resisting her The power she felt was strong enough to intoxicate her

Neither moved Neither breathed The pleasure was too intense for either There was no beginning No end The pleasure, once it started, only grew better The joy burst forth in Catherine's heart until it filled every ounce, every pore of her being

Joy Pleasure The tenderness so sweet it was violent The beauty of their love she had ever experienced

When they'd finished, Royce cradled her in his arms Neither spoke After what see theainst his hard chest He kissed the crown of her head, and whispered that they would talk in theCatherine's eyes slowly drifted open, and she snuggled against Royce's cozy warmth He must have sensed that she ake, because he ran his hand over the top of her head, sain?" he whispered

"That depends on how unreasonable you intend on being," she said, rolling onto her back and arching her body, yawning "I'ht" She was embarrassed now at the brazen way in which she'd co their physical need for each other as a weapon to twist his as not a tactic she'd ever intended to e properly

"I want a child, Royce," she told him, her voice low and deter as you're out of the Navy"

His stubbornness stunned her "Why should I be the one to give up my commission?" she asked, in what she hoped was a reasonable tone Her e around like a shteousness slapped roughly against the sides It was all so unfair She had to ive up your co he'd see the foolishness of his logic

He didn't answer her right away "You agreed before ere married We discussed it and--"

"We didn't," she denied vehemently

"and you chose to stay in the Navy," Royce finished as though she'd never spoken "Obviously it wasn't as clear as I'd thought it was, and that's unfortunate, but the fact re to be the bestto prove to you that I can also be a daood lieutenant cory