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"It doesn’t matter," she said "I’m cold I want to be nearer the fire And you"

"Then put your hands on my shoulders" When she co her to sit on the anvil He kept his hand clenched and out of the way, to keep fro sweetly on his anvil

By God, he wanted to o, he would have sworn there was no sight on earth hwood in her china-blue frock

But he rong

There was a sight hwood in her china-blue frock, damp with rain

The cloak had protected her froh that her bodice ht as well have been a coat of paint Her nipples were hard and perfectly outlined

Her legs dangled above the cinder floor He caught a glis today, just sensible wool He still found the as hell

"I wasn’t expecting you" He wiped his broith his sleeve, then showed her his blackened hands "Sit here by the forge I’ll go wash up, find a fresh shirt, build a fire in the cottage Then I can warm you properly"

She reached for hi, he studied her, trying to decide whether her shivering was due to the daile e unable to help her

He couldn’t warm her with his hands But hands weren’t the only parts he had

"Your fingersdown at her balled fists

She nodded

She wore those knitted handwarerless gloves, he’d heard theerless" struck him as tantamount to "useless," but he didn’t pretend to understand ladies’ fashions

He untied his leather apron and cast it aside Then he jerked his homespun shirt free of his waistband and lifted it in invitation "Put them here"

She pressed her chilled hands flat to his torso Their coolness gave him a jolt

"Goodness," she said "You’re like a furnace"

Love, you have no idea

To be sure, her hands were cold But her cold fingertips had less chance of da on a bonfire

His whole body was afla before she’d burst through the door All he’d been able to think of since last night was her naked body under his Her sweet touch against his bared skin

Bending his head, he kissed the pink back to her lips, then her cheeks He nuzzled the frosty snub of her nose Licked a stray raindrop fro started" He pressed a kiss to her neck "But you had so to talk about?"

"It can wait"

"Good" He trailed kisses lower "Good"

Her fingers slid around his rib cage, spreading over the planes of his back, drawing him close Instinctively, he moved to reciprocate and embrace her, too--but he re her frock with soot Instead, he let his hands drop, and he gripped either end of the anvil

Her neckline thwarted hiive So he dropped his head lower, nuzzling her breasts through her bodice

She sighed andmore contact

He knew she wanted ive it to her, too He just wasn’t sure she was ready to receive it

No way to find out but to try

He sank to his knees, ducked his head, and burrowed under her skirts

She went completely still Not aHer breath ca

She didn’t tell hi-clad slope of her calf and knee, nosing his way through the tunnel of petticoats When he reached her ribbon garter, he knew paradise was close He laid his tongue to the bare silk of her inner thigh, then swept boldly upward As he s apart

Her thigh gave a sweet quiver against his mouth

He found her center, nestled close, and parted her with his tongue

She sucked in her breath

He paused, giving her time to adjust or object if she wished--and he drew a deep inhalation of his own He breathed the scents of spring rain, andfeminine essence So pure, so sensual It made hi before she surrendered to the pleasure, relaxing into his kiss He explored gently, tenderly, learning what pleased her and what didn’t He would have loved to bring her to clied at his shoulders in a silent plea for hith to object

With his teeth, he dragged her skirts to her waist, and he wedged his hips between her spread legs, grinding his buckskin-trapped erection against her aroused flesh

This was so good

And so wrong

A flicker of doubt chased down his spine It was therain outside, yes, but so houseto do this?

Her slender legs locked around his waist The heel of her slipper dug into his flank--like a spur, prodding his inner beast