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"Some people think so"

"But you don’t"

Sweat trickled down Beth’s back, despite the clouds cutting the sun’s heat The trouble with Ian Mackenzie’s questions was that he asked the unanswerable And yet she should kno to answer--everyone should But they couldn’t, because everyone simply knew Everyone except Ian "Desire is part of it," she said slowly "The love for another’s body But also love for their heart and their s they do, no htens when they walk into a rooain You want to be with the beloved so you can see him and touch him and hear his voice, but you want his happiness as well It’s selfish, but not entirely so" "I can feel desire and wanting I find you beautiful, and I want you"

She warood forfor her?"

"Nothing at all"

Beth heaved a sigh "And that, Ian Mackenzie, is why I said you’ll break aze strayed out theto cloud-strewn Paris "Wanting is not enough? Desire so strong you’ll do anything to fulfill it?"

"It’s lovely in theview, 1 think, no"

"In the asyluer Ian, lanky and not yet grown into his man’s body, bewildered and alone The bewildered boy reirl who found herself abandoned at fifteen with predators roa for her to become their victim Even noith a respectable name and a fortune, Beth never felt entirely safe

"I admit that I, too, have learned to take the short view," she said

"You feel the wanting" Ian took her fingers between his, pressing their palether "You felt it at the duchesse’s" Her face heated "Of course I felt it You hadroom with my skirts up to ain?"

Exciteh her "If I were a lady, I’d protest that of course I don’t want to feel like that ever again But I do, actually Very much"

"Good, because I want to see your body" Beth sed "You’ve already seen a good portion of it"

He sent her a dark sht now"

Beth darted a glance to the door "Mac ht return any minute"

"He’ll stay away until we leave"

"How do you know that?"