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Suddenly, it was critical she believe hi her in his lap, and broke the kiss Sophie sighed her disappoint stole another kiss Shefor hi that she wanted this ashe had

But there was so more important than what he wanted He tore his lips from hers "Sophie"

She opened her eyes, their blue deeper and darker than it had been earlier in the evening Changed by his touch His kiss Him

She er a title, a fortune, an heir Sheto make love to her He couldn’t He wouldn’t ruin her She deserved a better man A man who could love Awould do the right thing

For this wos herself

"You’re so beautiful," he said, knowing the words revealed too much That they were too reverent He sounded like a schoolboy He felt like one Sheto him?

She stiffened in his ar her escape "Where are you going, love? We’re not done here"

She shook her head and pushed him away "Stop"

He released her, and she stood He captured her hand, and she let hiaze "Sophie--" he started, wanting to say the right thing

"I’m not one of the other women you’ve had I’m not like them," she said

"The other women?" He didn’t like those words Not at all

She stared down at their hands, fingers entwined "You needn’t lie to me"

Except it hadn’t been a lie He didn’t want to lie to her He wanted her to hear the truth "It’s not--"

She sighed "Stop King You think I do not hear the things they say about me? That the beauty ran out by the time I was born? That my sisters are the pretty ones? The pleasant ones? The talented ones?" She looked to him "I’m not beautiful You know it You’ve said it before"

What an ass he’d been then What a blind, horrid ass

She continued "You’re kind to say so now, and I suppose I understand the i about it won’t make me enjoy"--she waved one hand between them--"this more In fact, it will make me enjoy it less" She released his hand "It makes me enjoy it less"

He didn’t knohat to say It wasn’t an ined to make her more likely to clirab her by the shoulders and shake sense into her He wanted to tell her again and again, until she believed him Until she saw it herself But it wasn’t what she wanted

And he wanted her to have everything she wanted Forever

Good God Forever

The word curled around hiely in his chest as he watched her, and he reached for her hand, taking it once more She allowed it "Look at me, Sophie"

She did, and he could see the wariness in her eyes

One day, he’d have the head of the person wholess than the beauty she was "I’ to tell you you’re beautiful"

Wariness turned to relief and soone so quickly that he couldn’t be sure

He lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles "Let me be clear That doesn’t mean that I don’t fully intend for you to leave Lyne Castle believing that you are quite beautiful"

She blushed and looked away

"There will come a day when I tell you that and you don’t look away"

She looked back "You plan to do quick work, then?"