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"Youher breast with his hand, bearing down on his rigid cock with her hips "Roll ed, her voice husky ant "Fuck me deeply Let me hold you"

It was the last thather onto her back so he could loos wide in welcome and moaned aloud when he sank to the hilt inside of her

He stilled then, staring down at her in the faint light from the banked fire Backlit as he was, she couldn’t see his features, but his eyes glittered with an un Marcus Ashford belonged to her, and yet he would never truly be hers

At least she had this His passion, his desire It would have to be enough since it was all he would give her The feeling of his cock stroking in deep inner caresses, the clenching of his hard, muscular buttocks as he propelled himself into her, the scent of his skin, heated and dauttural cries of pleasure

She wrapped her aro, absorbing what she could of him, until finally, with silent tears, she sank into blissful relief with hih the darkness to the canopy above Against his side Elizabeth curled, her thigh atop his, her arm across his waist The warm, soft feel of her curves was heaven after the loneliness of their wedding night Dawn had arrived without hie to return to her, to hold her, as he had during the nights of their affair He’d thought the physical distance would help hione, he’d realized how hopeless that endeavor was

Their row, and the gulf it created, had shown hi her away Damn it, she was his wife! He’d waited all these years to have her, only to turn away from her once she was his

Elizabeth stirred, and then sat up Heedless of her nakedness, she settled back on her heels She presented such a vision of loveliness Marcus allory, he slid froht the bedside taper

"If you walk out that door, don’t visitthe urge to snap back While her threat to bar him from her bed was not one he would accept, ever, he understood it was his own churlish behavior that proauntlet

"I siht on the situation"

She made no sound, but he could sense her sudden relief and closed his eyes He had every right to protect her, and his goal had been worthy, but the execution had been a terribleof St John to hiry?" she asked hesitantly

He sighed aloud "I haven’t yet decided What happened today? Tell "

Behind him, she shifted uncomfortably and his hackles rose "St John approached me H-he claims to want to help me I believe he--"

"In ay did he offer to help?"

"He didn’t say Your "

"Dear God," he exclaiht of St John in such close proximity to his wife and his mother

"He knoho desires Hawthorne’s journal"

"Of course he does" His voice was gritty with renewed anger He should have killed the pirate

Leaving the bed, Marcus took a uished taper Then he returned to Elizabeth and eyed her suspiciously "You are not the type of woet I have seen you shoot afroaze met his

"Why didn’t you tellcross"

Marcus narrowed his gaze He knew she could be spiteful when angered, but she was not stupid Anger alone would not prevent her fro was a to conceal information and he considered all possibilities Perhaps the pirate had threatened her in some manner If so, he intended to discern the cause and attend to it directly More than he already had

"Where did you go?" she asked when the silence stretched out

"To locate St John, of course"

Her eyes widened and then dropped to his torso She gaped "Look at you! You’ve been hurt"

"He revealed even less information than you, dear wife But I’ you again"

"What did you do?" Her fingertips drifted with heartening concern to the spreading bruise that ed, coaze "St John and I sied in casual discourse"

She poked brutally into the swelling and he winced "That does not coued "And look at your hand" She exalance

Marcus grinned "Better you should look at St John’s face"

"Ridiculous I want you to stay away froreed, "If he stays away from you"

"Aren’t you curious as to what runted "Heyou, love Atteive the book to hiue further, then thought better of it It was best if Marcus didn’t dig too far into Christopher St John It was ed She marveled at her husband’s restraint That the pirate continued his activities chafed Marcus, she had no doubt, but he forced himself to wait For what, she was not certain There e wanted with St John, or they would have disposed of hio

She was startled when Marcus reached for her hand and tugged her face-first onto the bed He rolled over her, caging her to the mattress It was then she noted his erection, the tip of it pressing into the curve of her derriere

"You are rowled in her ear "I expect you to tell s with me, even if they seem inconsequential, but most especially when theto s from me Do I make myself clear?"

She pursed her lips The brute

He thrust his hips forward and his cock glided through the valley between her buttocks, his path eased by the weeping head "I will not have you putting your life in danger You should never leave the house withoutif you were in danger … wondering if you needed me"

"You are aroused," she replied, surprised

"You are naked," he said sih "You ainst her shoulder as he stroked himself with her prone body "I will try to be worthy of it"