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As soon as he was alone, hty mantle He was a day’s ride away fro even ression of events, he prayed sleep would offer hi of Amelia, he did not hold outto close the curtains when the door opened behind hier hidden in his coat, he canted his torso to et

"Montoya"

Amelia’s sweetly feminine voice caused him to freeze in midturn He had hoped to be followed, but not by her Now the danger that stalked him shadowed her as well

"I had to see you," she e passed o"

Only years of training and living by his wits leashed his surprise, preventing hi her Instead he closed the drapes, di toward her If he was fortunate, the banked fire in the grate would keep his face nition

Mentally prepared only for her reaction to him, Colin was coht of her by the door--and near a bed--hit hirowl frohtened throat She shivered at the sound, her lips parting with quickened breaths

His hands clenched into fists at his sides Did she knohat she did to him?

She stood proud and undaunted before the door, a beribboned hat tied at a jaunty angle, her slender body encased in a gown of shi satin and delicate white lace The innocent cut of the dress made the years fall away, made him hard as a rock and hot to clai traces of his boyish adoration, but he also lusted for her with every drop of the wild Gypsy blood in his veins

"Tellto think of such beauty unattended She was a treasure to be secured and valued The thought of her on the journey without a guard, unwittingly in jeopardy, tied hilittered in the ry withwith rhythmic violence in his chest

"The mask" She inhaled audibly "Mostattire You--"

"Amelia--"

"--move me always Whatever you wear, wherever we are"

His eyes closed as her praise rippled through him He took an involuntary step toward her, then jerked to a halt The room was suddenly too small and airless; the need to divest the His craving for her grewin its desire to be appeased

"Are you happy to see me?" she asked in a small voice

Colin shook his head, his eyes opening because he couldn’t bear not to see her "It kills ht features and called to so I sense in you that lures ress before she ca as you want me, I ant you in return"

"I would have ceased wanting you long ago," he rasped, "if such a thing were possible"

Her head tilted to the side as she considered him "You lie"

Unable to resist, he smiled at that She was audacious still

"You enjoy wanting me," she said, with purely fe you aze shot to the bed, his cock swelled to full arousal Her tongue darted out to lick her lower lip, and a rough, edgy sound rumbled froaze returning to his "Meet my faues you, they can help to resolve"

Colin’s gut tightened He should say noHe should avoid bringing any danger into her life

But the possibility of having her nowNo ht, a bed was near, and they were alone His deepest fantasy made reality

He stepped toward her "There is so you will find difficult to understand Do you have tiloved hand and extended it to him "As much as you need"

"What of those who ca below" She smiled "I lied, you see I pointed out a different patron and said I suspected he was you So Ti him, while I inquired discreetly and found you You have a unique form--so tall and broad The maids noticed you when you ca wo inquiries about a bachelor"

"Once I learned where you were, I described reen"

Colin glanced down at his blue garments Dear God, was it true? Could he have her?

She beamed with obvious pride in her cleverness

"You have gone to a great deal of trouble to find e"

"Amelia," she corrected "And yes I have"

He smiled "Turn around, then, and face the door"

Amelia frowned "Why?"

"Because I need to approach you, and I aht" When she hesitated, he said, "You pursue me You want me I will be yours, in every sense, but in return you hten you?"

She sed hard, her irises overtaken by dilated pupils Then she shook her head

"It excites you," hethe relentless drive that set hihly arousing to lead the way in their bedsport, as well "Turn"

Co, she faced away from him, and Colin approached with a rapid stride, freed froainst her, breathing in the scent of honeysuckle, placing his palms flat to the panels on either side of her head

The vein in her throat fluttered with her increasing heartbeat, arresting his attention

The sound of the bolt sliding hoaze away

How si the door, but it aroused hi ever had She wanted him to take her, to strip her bare, to fuck her sweet little body until he was spent and conquered

Though he knew it, he still wanted her to say the words aloud

"There is no chance that you will depart this rooue stroking over her racing pulse

In answer, she reached for the chair by the door and pushed back hard against hie the spindle back beneath the knob