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"If there is, I’ll never find her And even if I did, who’s to say it would do any good? I was poisoned, Grace My spinal cord practicallyattached itself You don’t just fix souessing"

His mouth flattened "Why do you care so much?"

Grace had to look away She couldn’t let him see the truth in her face--how easily she’d fallen for him How much she loved him "You helped savewith Iain or Alexander, and they were both there that night, too"

"But they don’t need me," she whispered

"Neither do I, Grace" His words hit her like a fist and she barely heard the rest of what he said "I’ anyone All I want now is to be left to die in peace"

She grabbed his hand and pressed it to her cheek It was cold and li hiive it another feeeks Foras if suddenly dry "You don’t need to feel guilty My injury wasn’t your fault"

"It was at least in part If you hadn’t saved me and my brother, you never would have been in the position to be poisoned by that thing"

"I don’t blaood, noble man You’re better than that"

"I’m not as noble as you think I am," he said

She didn’t believe it for a second "You keep telling yourself that if you want, but you’re not going to convince me"

"Damn it, Grace! I’m not some kind of hero"

She flinched at his harsh tone, but held her ground "Yes, you are"

His cheeks darkened and his eyes lit with soerous and hypnotic "No, I’m not And if I could move, you’d know that for a fact because I would have already had you inher dizzy She grabbed his knees to steady herself and looked up at hi for a hold on reality "You mean" She couldn’t even finish the sentence The idea that he’d want her was too ludicrous to even consider

"Sex I mean sex, Grace I would have used your convenient case of hero worship to get between your legs I would have fucked you and gone out to fight the next battle--find the next conquest--before you’d even had tione"

She shook her head,her curls sway around her face "I don’t believe you You’re just saying that to scare me away so I’ll leave you alone"

"Wanna bet?" he asked "I’ot creative, I could stillworth sticking around for"

Oh God Grace’s insides vibrated and her skin felt like it was being zapped with an electric current She had to get away--put some space between them

She was halfway to the door when she realized what he’d done, and ca to scare her away He’d meant to make her run and it had nearly worked

Grace closed her eyes and prayed for strength She didn’t know if he’d a to call his bluff

She locked the door and closed the bolt so no one could walk in, then crossed the room and pulled the curtains shut over the sliders

"What are you doing?" asked Torr

Her body was quaking inside, and a fine sweat had beaded up over her back, but she was going to do this She couldn’t let hiers went to the buttons on her shirt "I’ive you what you want," she said, proud of how her voice was sure and steady

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

The first button popped free and she saw his eyes lock on her hands "Itto let youdo that to h "I’ll take off one ite for every bite of food you eat"

"What is this, some kind of joke?"

"No joke"

"Stop it, Grace"

Another button opened

"Don’t you want to play?" She had tried to sound seductive, but had no clue if she’d pulled it off She’d never undressed for a man before

"No" It eaker and less emphatic than before

Her hands stilled "Does that mean you don’t want to see me naked?" she asked