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Biting her lower lip, she seethed, but held her tongue She should have known not to expect fair play fro whatever he desired At any cost

He strolled to the nearest chair and turned it about to face the bed, rather than the grate Then he sat, crossing one ankle over the opposite knee and adjusting his heavy silk robe with studious leisure The traitorous key was slipped into his pocket

"You are the ant man I have ever met"

"You are welcome to discuss my perceived flaws at a later date At the presentme from your bed"

She crossed her arms beneath her breasts "You knohy"

"Do I? Well then I appear to have forgotten Would you be so kind as to remind me? And be quick about it, if you please I’ve done my best to allow you ti has stretched rowled "I am not merely a cunt to rut in If you need sex so badly, take yourself in hand"

His harshly indrawn breath was the only sign she’d struck effectively "If all I needed was sexual release, I would have done just that Now, the reason for the locked door?"

She sat there for a long ti on his own But finally the pregnant silence was too y"

"I do?"

"Yes"

"For what, pray tell?"

"You knohy It rong to involve Williaize for that" His large hands, with their long, elegant fingers, curled over the carved wooden arms of the chair

She lifted her chin "Then we have nothing more to discuss"

"Ah but we do," he drawled softly "Because I’ht, my lovely wife, and I prefer it to be a pleasurable experience"

"I have feelings, Marcus, and a s and expect me to welcos, Elizabeth, and I respect your mind I could not have married you otherwise"

Her head tilted as she considered him, so tall and broad he dwarfed the chair he occupied "If you speak the truth, why didn’t you discuss your intent withwithoutyour actions"

"I concealed nothing When you asked, I told you And your opinion was known to me I a once and I’ll retain it"

"Then my opinion is of so little consequence it does not bear considering?"

He stood "I will always consider your opinion, and give it as ht as my own, but your safety will always co, Elizabeth slid froave her soainst him "And what of William’s safety? And his fa a hand, brushed the back of his fingers along her cheekbone His eyes closed, as if he savored the touch of her For her part, she shivered at the smell of him, that warm scent of sandalwood and citrus she knew and loved so well

"I worry for hiret I was forced to involve hi happen to hiuilt and I would ain, as close to me as my brothers" His voice lowered, became almost wistful "But I would survive I could not say the same were I to lose you"

"Marcus …" Stunned by his words, her hand came up to catch his and hold it to her cheek

"I don’t kno I lived those four years without you Looking back now, re, the sense I was o through that again And that was before Before I knew the many facets of your smiles, the war you next to me both in public and private"

Suddenly, she felt overwheled her closer and eentle arms "I aain, a hundred times over This is difficult for you, I know, and I understand you cannot collect how I feel I would sacrifice my own life to protect yours, because none of it would be worth anything without you And so I a my commission, because my work jeopardizes you"

"Wh-why …" She sed hard and held his to me I-I don’t kno to reply …"

"A ithout you was enough to realize it was best to explain myself plainly, so there would be no doubt"

"I never thought you would love me Not after all that I’ve done"

His cheek rested atop her head "I used to wonder why it had to be you I’ve met beautiful women, smart women, funny and bold women Why Elizabeth? Why not someone who could open her heart to me? Perhaps it was the chase Perhaps it’s that you are wounded and I wish to heal you" He shrugged "The Lord only knows"

"I still cannot help but wish you would have told h her upset was immeasurably soothed by his declaration of her importance

"In the future, I hope I have more time to convince you of the merits of my opinion, but in this case I didn’t have that luxury"

She leaned against his ar could it have possibly taken?"

He laughed "A sennight it see up at hi curve of his irl Time and intimate familiarity did not lessen the effect of his s like he did, so plainly and with such courage But she would do the best she could

Her hands slipped between the the body that ertips drifted over taut, warhs

"Feel what you do toshut as he quivered beneath her touch He licked his lips and clutched her waist, the crests of his cheekbones flushing with arousal "I ache for this, Elizabeth, burn for it" Reaching for her hand, he brought it to his cock, already hard and throbbing He drew in his breath sharply when she curled her hands around it

Awed, her gaze roarip of only exploratory caresses

Trust, he’d said to her once This is trust

She would have to trust that he would always do as best for her, even if she did not agree with his methods Would she not do the sas that had no outlet, she sank to her knees and opened herhim the pleasure she knew he desired

Ahhh … how she loved it as well The silky feel of hiers clenched in her hair