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"You didn’t intend to tell rimaced and then slowly shook her head "No How could I? You were Carson’s best friend I thought your loyalties would be with hiined if you knew, you wouldn’t approve And I couldn’t bear your disapproval, Dash I couldn’t lose you Not over so so"

She trailed off, obviously unsure of the word to describe her wants and needs He leaned forward, catching her gaze and holding it

"First of all, I hope we’ve gotten past your fear of less, Joss They’re who you are They e that Not for me Not for anyone You shouldn’t have to I understand why you suppressed that part of yourself while you were one You said it best He’s not co your wants and needs, who you are and what you are Even if I weren’t who I a but who and what you want to be But as we share the sae ahead and discover a neorldtogether"

She sed visibly and then leaned back, running a hand through her silky hair "So what happens next, Dash? I was being honest when I said I’otten to this point, admitted to myself and to you what I want and need, what do we do?"

He ser stand the distance between theot up and slid onto the couch next to her It was a co of keeping neutrality between the down a path there was no returning fro ter friendship they’d maintained for so many years Part of Dash embraced it wholeheartedly while another part of hi a rift that could never beto take, even if it required the utmost caution By nature he was cautious All the risk he incurred was in his business life His personal life had always been carefully ordered, strictly maintained His dominance exerted itself, and he always kept his emotions and actions in check Except when it caht out another side to him, one never seen or experienced by others

She made him want to throw caution to the wind and revel in the storm

Never had he iined that the part of hi she wanted the most He’d always assumed that he’d have to suppress his natural tendencies if he wanted any chance with her Never would he have dreamed that she’d not only accept it--and him--but that she would overtly seek it out

He didn’t knohether it made him the luckiest bastard alive, or perhaps the most stupid Only time--and Joss--would tell

If only he had ainto the future Just a gli between the the right choice for the into the future Nothing but here and now and his instincts and heart’s desire to guide him He just prayed for the wisdom to differentiate bethat he craved most and what she actually wanted and needed

Desire and frustration could color a man’s perception for sure They were two e Joss the first ti she would never be his That she belonged to another man His best friend

Fate, the fickle bitch, was finally set the last laugh

He pulled Joss into his ar her so she cuddled against his chest,his chin And her scent God, she s hi roo him as next All he had to do was take the leap Close his eyes and jump

"As I said, I don’t want to overwhel to collect his scattered thoughts "So it’s i I want is to scare or hurt you But I’ and now that you’re here and the gloves are off, I’m ready to move forward"

She slid her open hand over his chest, stopping right over his heart He picked up her fingers and kissed the tips of each, enjoying the way she shivered in reaction

So responsive So expressive God, what she’d be like in bed His bed

His dick roared to life and swelled against the confines of his jeans What had been a comfortable position was now torture as his body screahten me," she said quietly "You don’t have to worry, Dash I know you I trust you"

His breath caught because he sensed there was more to her statement than just those si, honey? Be honest withto tellherself so she stared down into his eyes Her dark hair, such a startling contrast to her sapphire-colored eyes, tu onto his chest until he ached to bury his fingers in it and kiss her until neither of them could breathe

She licked her lips and then nibbled delicately at her botton of her nervousness But her eyes were earnest as she stared down at his slow I know you don’t want to rush or make a mistake But I don’t want to wait I want to feel, Dash I want to live again I want to feel like a woain I’ve been so alone andcold," she whispered "So very cold for so very long I want to remember how passion feels How it feels when a man makes love to me, when he touches me And I don’t want you to ask Does that sound stupid? I want you to takecontrol I just want you to do whatever it is you want to do I want you toHis heart was pounding so hard that he was surprised it wasn’t h his veins with such force that he felt lightheaded

She was handing hi he’d ever dreamed of on a silver platter Her trust Her sub the baby-soft skin with his thu, Joss Very sure Because I want it I want it all And I’ll take it You have to be dah"

She shivered, chill bu across her arms and shoulders

"I’, her pulse thundering in her veins as she took in Dash’s dead serious expression There was soht now So intense So deterhtness of his jaw and features, that gave her a giddy thrill

Like she’d just unleashed the lion A very hungry lion And she was about to be devoured whole

She shivered uncontrollably at the iht white teeth into her tender flesh Of his she’d fantasized about with a doined Dash in the role of theher, and now? It was all she could think of Dream of Fantasize about

He’d eous, alpha male he was He’d forced her to see beyond the veil of friendship and she liked what she saw Anticipated what she saw and no to be true