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I’ at him I’m like a shrewish harpy and I hate it Hate ht now I hate Das seem to fall out fro me down to my knees The irony isn’t lost on ht he would Now I don’t know, and for the first tiht about it" His voice is low and as serious as I’ve ever heard

I freeze I never knew that hope could feel so cold and lifeless, but it does "Thought about what?" I ask cautiously

He hesitates so long that I begin to think he’s not going to answer When he speaks, the words co," he says "And now that I have you, I’ there is between us"

Yes, I want to shout Yes! I realize that I’ernails into the soft, damp earth, and I force myself to relax as I try not to anticipate his next words As I try not to getwhat Richter did to me is the panacea you and Maynard and the rest of them think it is But o away, then maybe I should sacrifice the privacy that I’ve spentto maintain"

I hear the bitterness in his voice, and I want to reach for hih I stay absolutely, perfectly still

"There is no shaht? So why should I care if the world knows the vile things he did to me? Why should it hts in s I haven’t even told you Things that I wish I could forget"

He les of his face "If it means that I can walk to you as a free man, shouldn’t I want to shout that story from the rooftops? Shouldn’t I want it plastered everywhere? On television, on talk shows, on the front page of newspapers? Shouldn’t I want to makecool brushes

"No," I whisper, hating the truth even as I say it But this is the heart of who Damien is A man who lives by his own code, and it is that core of him that I fell in love with "Not even for me," I say "Not even to stay out of prison"

I squeeze my eyes shut, and fresh tears spill out over my lashes

The pad of his thumb brushes my cheek

"You understand?"

"No," I say, but I mean yes, and when I open my eyes I can see that he knows it He moves closer totears as his entle and sweet Then his hand cups the back of s asp with surprise at the , his tongue findingI twine h his silky hair and lose myself in the sensual firuesMy , but I cannot resist this kiss that is setting us both on fire

I a hard when he finally pulls away My lips feel swollen and used and spectacular I wonder if I’ve ever truly been kissed before, even by Daht then, all I want is more

I lean toward him in silent demand, but he catches me with a firm hand under my chin I stay there, my position aard, , Nikki You have to know that You have to believe it"

"I do," I whisper I see the trehten as he pulls ainst him and holds me close I melt into his arms, so in love with this ," he repeats "But I can’t be true to you if I’ainst the cotton of his shirt "I get it" I tilt my head back and look up into his eyes "That doesn’t mean it hurts any less"