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And as for this need--the one that was raking his gut and firing his pulse--well, he was a man, after all, and she was a woman, and she was here, and she was really quite beautiful, in his opinion at least, and when she ss to his--

"Da to have to kiss you"

Chapter 13

Elizabeth had time to catch one short breath before his ar mix of power and tenderness, and she melted--positively ht was that the word " regularity So about this man did that to her One of those heavy-lidded stares--the kind that hinted of things dark and dangerous, things she knew nothing about--and she was lost

His tongue darted between her lips, and she felt herunder his He explored her fully, caressed her deeply, made her breath his own

"Elizabeth," he rasped "Tell me you need this Tell , her knees shaking, and some dim part of her knew that if she said the words, there could be no turning back So she took the coward's way out, and arched her neck for another kiss, silently inviting him to continue his sensual exploration

His mouth moved to the line of her jaw, then teased her ear, then moved to the tender skin of her neck, and all the while his hands wereit with exquisite tenderness as he gently pressed her hips against his arousal And the other was e, toward

Elizabeth stopped breathing Every nerve in her body was quivering with anticipation, aching with a clawing need she had never even iined existed

When his hand closed over her breast, it didn't matter that there were two layers of fabric between her skin and his She felt burned, branded, and she knew that noto this s, words of love and need, but she co other than the stark desire in his voice And then she felt herself slowly falling His hand at her back supported her, but she was descending to the soft carpet of the library floor

He --it sounded like her na else And then she was on her back, and he was covering her The weight of hi But then he arched his hips forward and she felt the true extent of his desire for her, and her sensual trance was broken

"James, no," she whispered "I can't" If she didn't stop this now, it wouldn't stop She didn't kno she knew this, but it was as true as her naed, and he didn't ht herself at the last second God above, had she nearly told him that she wished she could? Elizabeth colored with shame What sort of woman was she? This man was not her husband and he never would be

"Just one moment," he said hoarsely "I need asteadied After a few seconds, he lifted hientle of circumstances), held out his hand