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"I don’t want you," she said
"You will" He sealed his mouth over hers
Elizabeth sank into Marcus’s hard chest with a sob It was not fair that he could overwhel her with his low, velvety voice and rich aze burned, half-lidded with a desire she’d done nothing to arouse
Against her will, her hands slipped around his lean waist and caressed the powerful length of his back "You’re horrid to be so tender"
His sweat-ers slipping under the long he too ain, his tongue caressing with lush, deep licks Lost in his kiss, she didn’t realize he’d lifted and moved her until he kicked the door to his bedroo the, she attempted to pull away Then his hand cupped the curve of her breast, bringing aching pleasure even through the barrier of her garments She moaned into hisan already drowning kiss
Elizabeth stood rigid, her ar with the dictates of her body Her blood was on fire, her skin hot and painfully tight
"I want you" His voice was a rough-edged caress "I want to bury et ourselves"
"I don’t want to forget"
His tone deepened "I must think of this mission and the events that took place today, but I cannot Because all I can think of is you There isn’t rooers over his lips, Elizabeth silenced the seductive words that should have sounded practiced and confident, but didn’t
He tossed the counterpane back, revealing decadent silk sheets With soft, tender kisses, he atteers, which worked with deft skill to free the row of buttons that barred hi his hands under the open flaps, he pushed the jacket to the floor She shivered even though she was flushed and he crushed her to his chest
"Hush," he ainst her forehead "It’s just you and e out of our bed"
She buried her face in the linen of his shirt and breathed him in "I hate it when you leaveher head to rest her cheek against his chest, Elizabeth took a shuddering breath The bed was e men side by side with room to spare It waited … for theaze found his again, discovering a deep needy eer Her lips quivered softly and Marcus leaned over, brushing his mouth across hers "Don’t be afraid," he whispered
Reer Far erous than the attacker in the park That man struck swiftly, like a viper Marcus was more of a python He would wrap himself around her and squeeze the life fro of her independence remained
"I’m not afraid" She shoved hi for her jacket, longing only to be away fro"
Escape was seconds ahen he grabbed her roughly and threw her face down upon the bed "What are you doing?" she cried
Marcus held her down, his grip tight as he bound her hands together with his cravat "You would leave here half-dressed," he growled, "in your eagerness to put distance between us This fear you have of me must be banished You have to trust me implicitly, in every ithout question or you could be killed"
"This is the way you win trust?" she snapped "By holding ainsther hips, his large body caging hers to the bed His teeth nipped her ear and his voice, low and angry, o But I was lost in your charns Even until this entle hand was necessary not to frighten you Now I realize you need a good, hard riding to be broken properly"
"Bastard!" Heart pounding, Elizabeth struggled beneath hi her protest
Nis to her skirts and bustle Then his weight left her Standing at the edge of the bed, Marcus yanked the gar on her back to conceal her buttocks, clearly visible beneath the thinness of her che the front of her was far et aith this," she warned "You cannot keep me bound forever and when you release me, I’ll come after you I’ll--"
"You won’t be able to walk," he scoffed
He reached for her boots and she lashed out at hiht She screa to her arse The first spank was quickly followed by severalmore than the last until she buried her face in the counterpane and cried with the pain of it Only when she stopped flailing, and took the abuse without movement did he cease
"Your father should have taken you over his knee long ago," he muttered
"I hate you!" She turned her head to look at hih
Marcus’s sigh was loud and resigned "You protest too iven you the freedoet what you desire All the pleasure and none of the guilt"
His hands cupped the flaly The gentleness of his touch aroused her, the contrast startling after his previous treatment "So beautiful So soft and perfect" His voice deepened, becao, sweet If you must be forced, why not relish the experience?"
When his hands moved lower to the hem of her chemise and then slipped under it, she oosebumps at the feel of bare skin on bare skin Her blood heated, her anger her,either side of her lower back Deep inside, her body softened at his skillful touch The feel of air directly on her burning flesh coaxed a whiht me to the death, my stubborn tes unexpected rewards, does it not?" He rolled her to her back before gripping her shoulders and pulling her into a seated position
Elizabeth bit her lower lip to hide the pout of disappointment she felt at the unwanted distance between theer for the pinch of his fingers to ease their toraze narrowed on her flushed face There was no tenderness, no sign of possible mercy, just stark intent and she kneould not be swayed Her stohs at her helplessness
He assisted her to her feet and moved her to the nearby chair whose wooden ar her down to the seat, he then tugged his shirt fro it over his head
Elizabeth stared, arrested by his virility which was displayed so beautifully by rippling olden skin His left shoulder was marred by a circular scar left by a bullet and silver ribbons on his flesh betrayed nicks froht of his past injuries reminded her that he was not meant for her Even as her blood heated, her heart chilled
"The agency has left its "
Marcus arched a dark brow "That explains why you cannot take your eyes from me then"
Peeved, she forced herself to look away
He crouched before her and cupped the backs of her knees, spreading her legs wide and hooking them over the carved arms of the chair Her face heated in embarrassment as the damp lips of her sex were opened to his view "Close the curtains"
Frowning, he stared at the apex of her thighs "God, no" He brushed across her curls with his fingers "Why would you wish to hide this? It’s heaven you hold here A sight I’ve longed to see for far too long"