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He frowned as he remembered Faith’s concerns Her worry hadn’t been for Serena It had been for hith to enjoy a brief affair with no emotional involvement?

His frown eased, and he became more pensive than irritated His emotions were already involved He’d never viewed sex as a stark,bodies participated in, absent everything else Even when he knew there was no future for him and the woman he took to his bed, he still treated her with respect, and he kept a small part of his heart reserved for each one He knew all their names, what they looked like, what they enjoyed, what their dreams and aspirations were Even when those dreams took the in, knowing that what he enjoyed with his partners couldn’t last, and at the end of the affair, he’d viewed their parting with only a sret and sadness

He stared down at Serena over the top of the book that he still hadn’t read a word of today The idea of her s to hi, a protest, a cry of a man for his mate

He shook his head to rid him of such absurdities This was sex Sex with emotion but still just sex and fantasy It wasn’t real None of it was real

Letting go of Serena would be hard, but he would do it Keeping a woman tied to hi he wanted any more than he wanted to contemplate the idea that he’d never find a wo what he’d delass of wine, and he sat sipping as he stared into the fire His book, now forgotten, was laid carelessly over his lap,to

Feeling the need to touch Serena, he slid the balls of his feet over her satiny skin, tracing the line of her spine and then the curve of her hip and her sht, inky and smooth, like liquid silk

He would definitely see to her hair every day It was a joy he had no intention of denying himself He would be the one to wash it when she bathed, and he would dry it and cole strand

The fire had died down to a bed of glowing coals, but he couldn’t s He was content where he sat, his woman across his feet where he could feel every breath she took, every little sigh and twitch

Shadows crossed the roole la forht, she stirred beneath his feet

He watched her shake off the web of sleep and slowly raise her head She turned iazes connected and satisfaction coiled deep in his chest that her first waking thought had been of hi out his hand to her

She blinked away the last vestiges of fatigue, and her eyes brightened and glowed in the soft light She got to her knees and slid her hand into his

For a le that slithered up his ar his skin in prickles of awareness Then he pulled her upward and coaxed her onto his lap

She settled into his chest, snuggling like a kitten seeking war her close To his surprise, her lips nuzzled against his neck, pressing tiny kisses to his skin

"Are you hungry?" he muring our food any time now"

He slid one hand over the curve of her hip and to the softness of her buttocks His fingers glanced off the plug, and she tightened against him

"Does it hurt you?" he asked as he traced the edge of the plastic

She shook her head against hio to bed," he said

Unable to resist, he brushed his lips across her forehead In response, she tilted her face up, a clear invitation for hi a drop of syrup from a spoon Her taste was fa and electrifying

Her fingers fluttered to his jaw, stroking and touching him as he deepened the kiss When she started to withdraw, he put his hand to cover hers, pushing her back to his face He enjoyed her touch Needed it

A part of hi buried beneath ice thahenever her war part of his soul eased She was his co decided he would have none

A sound behind thelanced behind hi in the doorith a dinner cart

He ed Serena in a position that afforded her the row to ignore the presence of others

Carol poured wine into the glasses, uncovered the plates and then briskly walked back out of the living rooh his nostrils Next to hiht the smell

He reached out to pull the cart a little closer to the chair As he’d requested, Carol had prepared an array of finger foods Shrimp Decadent pieces of scallop and lobster drenched in butter Crabcakes and grilled salmon

"Mmm, I love seafood," Serena said

He took a piece of the lobster and held it to her ue Before he could take another piece of the food, she sat up and reached for the plate to choose an offering

She picked a shrimp and held it to his ers brushing like fire across his tongue

They fed each other in silence, taking turns offering food fro, only to take the next bite and return with a sone, Serena laid her head on his shoulder with a contented sigh

"Full?" he asked as he stroked her hair

"Mmm-hmm"

"You soundcontent"

She raised her head just so she could see hiled in her hair and continued its doard trek

"I a inside hie to bury hi just out of his reach that he was at a loss to explain

"I’ her softness led sleepily into his arms