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Unlike so led by his solitude

She walked down the wooden steps froe stones that for the two hundred yards of shore in front of her hoest and flattest of them, and looked out at the water

It was her favorite place, which hy he ca time to think, in order to watch it

Jaus had never set out to fall in love Human women provided nourish else inadvisable Jaus had never been expected to love, either; he had been born and raised to manhood in a time when men did not feel such emotions, not toward their wives or even their mistresses

Men loved their horses, their swords, and their liege lords, usually in that order

Many men of his class married women It was an expected duty, performed to obtain property, produce heirs, and secure faularly took ive their delicate lady wives relief from the physical de woman Women had never tempted Jaus beyond a few hours of sweaty pleasure, so he did not regret forsaking theht of the Temple

Would she think differently of me if she knew I had been a priest for fifteen years? An inane question, that; he thought of her as his lady, but suspected she rarely thought of him, if at all Would she share my life if I find some way to save hers?

He had a terrible suspicion that he was not above using her gratitude, or blacket what he wanted

Jaus climbed over the short seawall and made his way toward the rocks Despite all his caution and longings and endless inner debates, this hen he felt most ridiculous He had come to this country to acquire power A man in his position had thousands of responsibilities, and no ti would co to his lady He never dared to do anything else

Still, he went to her, as helpless as a stor, Miss Shaw," he said as soon as she noticed hi

"Mr Jaus" She turned and smiled "How have you been?"

"Very well, thank you"

Their conversations rarely varied fro acquaintances Before and after such ht have made, but whenever he spoke to Jema, none of theave hiiven naht as a boy prevented hi it without her leave Thus they had remained Mr Jaus and Miss Shaw It ainst the rocks No, that was not precisely true It made him want to scoop her into his arms and carry her back to his house

There he would show her how he had been for the last twelve years There he would teach her exactly hoished her to say his name

His eyes studied Jema’s calm, thin face She had not the faintest idea of what he wanted to do to her, or how often he had fantasized about it How much he wanted to peel the dull clothes she wore from her body and worship it with his hands and mouth Hoithout a qualht in which he could kiss her, and touch her, and fuck her until dawn--

This need was turning him into a mindless fiend

The sha to banish it The thought of having her caused his fangs to slide out of the twin holes in his palate, fully extending, aching with need He breathed in deeply, willing his cock not to do the sa

I am not an animal at the mercy of my needs I am a man, an honorable ly

"I think ither head back to look at the sky "Then we’ll be stuck indoors until April"

Here he was, literally shaking with desire for her, and she was speaking of the weather She was brilliant and char, and he loved her with a passion that left hi went, totally clueless