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He flinched but kept talking "You believe they were cory and confused But along the way, I’d forgotten how close I ithto Paris on a weeknight, leaving fa , but I wasn’t ready to accept it Now I realize it doesn’t make sense"

"People rarely do," he muttered "Especially when sex is involved, which is too often ainst the sudden chill "Love would’ve brought them back"

"Lovea romantic fool because it’s easier to believe You’re still denying the idea of your father going after my family’s money?"

"Papa wasn’t interested in money--not that way He lived for his art and everyday pleasures We were poor, but it never felt like it We were happy"

"Maybe that was a e, too"

"No Just like I don’t believe your mother hated your father so badly she decided to cut her sons loose She loved you"

"You know nothing about my mother," he whipped out

She fell silent, caught betords that couldn’t reach hi him back

"Cal told me he kneho you were"

She blinked in surprise "He knew about h"

"Why?"

His face revealed a flicker of pain Her heart swelled with the urge to reach for him, comfort him, but she kept still "Guess he’s come to the conclusion you have--that our parents fell in love and were co back He told me I looked so happy with you, he wanted you to tell me the truth yourself"

She choked back a sob "Dalton, I never wanted to hurt you Never This connection between us has always been there, and I’ve been fighting it froer I realize you’re the h it’s been a short time There’s an emptiness in my core that’s filled when I’m around you I’ve traveled the world and met a thousand people to try to slake that emptiness, but it all went ahen I first saw you"

His jaw tightened "I did, too But as real and as a sick way to get closer to the memory of your father?"

She jerked back "It wasn’t like that!"

"Maybe Maybe not"

The rage was back, shaking his body like a stor a weak tree branch Her body hurt, and she moved toward him, desperate to take away the pain and convince hi on his knees "This is about you and me," she said "This is about how you make me feel when you take me in your arlittered like water droplets hitting stone, brilliant under the glare of the sun "Prove it toto crash through her, and there was nothing left to do but reach for him

Still on her knees, she pulled his head toward hers and kissed hiue deep into his mouth, drunk on the taste of chocolate and a touch of whiskey, his dark, ed her onto his lap and she straddled hiainst his muscled chest He yanked her tank top doith her bra and sucked on her breasts, his teeth rough, his tongue hot She arched into the sting, opening his belt and freeing his erection, her hands squeezing and stroking until he groaned and jerked under her touch He raised her up just enough to tug her jeans and underwear off, splaying her open to his plunging fingers She gritted her teeth against the i him to be inside her, and scraped her nails down his chest, half-crazed

"Take what you want," he corasped his cock and pushed hi entrance, then sla fullness of hihtness as they connected on the deepest level, and tears burned her eyes as she fought for ed her head back hard, his lips fastened to the delicate line of her throat