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She couldn’t The shamed syllables stuck in her throat, and she could only moan in frustration

And Leo, the h

"I’," she said furiously

"I do," he assured her, his voice thick with laughter "Oh, Marks, we have so far to go with you"

"Don’t bother," she snapped, trying toher easily

"There’s no need to be stubborn," he coaxed "Go on, say it Forsilence passed She sed and made herself say, "Kiss"On my pussy Please"

Leo fairly purred in approval "What a naughty girl you are" His head lowered, and he nuzzled into the damp softness, and she felt his mouth cover the most sensitive part of her in a wet, open kiss, and the world caught fire

"Is that what you wanted?" she heard hiue traced her in fluid, savoring strokes Her body drew taut as he began to tug and flick, and the voluptuous expanding pleasure went all through her She was suffused in wet sensation, each slide of his tongue opening her to greater pleasure His hands cupped beneath her,her toout, her nerves dancing with exquisite heat His ered softly, as if he were reluctant to stop For a scaldingout a last few quivers

She was soon chilled as rain-scented air froht Leo would satisfy his own needs then, and she moved toward him in exhausted confusion But he settled her in the crook of his arm and pulled the quilts over them both She was replete and enervated, unable to stay awake

"Sleep," she heard hihtmares … I’ll kiss theht had yielded to a dae yard co of horses Athe hallways as people left their rooms and went to the tavern for food

Leo’s favorite part of a romantic rendezvous had always been theHis least favorite part had been the ht was how quickly he could leave without causing offense

This , however, was different from any other He had opened his eyes to discover that he was in bed with Catherine Marks, and there was nowhere else in the world he wanted to be She was still sleeping deeply, on her side with her hand pales of an orchid She was beautiful in the , tuaze traveled over her He had never confided so much in any woman, but he knew that his secrets were safe with her And hers with him They ellwere over They knew too much about each other

Unfortunately, the question of their betrothal was not at all settled Leo knew that Cat was not nearly as convinced of the rightness of theirto have an opinion about it, and so far Leo had rarely liked his opinions It was even possible that Harrythe Continent

A frown tugged at Leo’s brow as he pondered how she had gone through life virtually unprotected until no could a wo of affection have received so little? He wanted to ive her whatever she had been deprived of The trick would be convincing her to let hihtly parted Curled ali everywhere, she looked like a confection placed amid swirls of whipped creaer hoisted hi Catherine’s side She stirred and yawned, and fumbled to pet him The ferret curled by her hip and closed his eyes

Catherine awakened slowly, her body lengthening in a tre stretch Her lashes lifted She looked at Leo in bewilder why he should be there with her It was a stare of disar him while her mind collected itself Hesitantly she reached a cool hand to his cheek, investigating the bristle that had grown during the night Her voice was low and wondering "You’re as scratchy as Beatrix’s hedgehog"

Leo kissed her palainst him cautiously Her breath stirred the hair on his chest as she asked, "Are we going to London today?"

"Yes"

She was quiet for a moment "Do you still want to marryto insist on it"

Her face was angled so that he couldn’t see it "But … I’m not like Laura"

Leo was somewhat startled by the comment "No," he said frankly Laura had been the product of a loving fae She had known nothing like the fear and pain that had shaped Catherine’s childhood "You resemble Laura no more than I resemble the boy I was then," he continued "How is that relevant?"

"Perhaps you would be better off with someone like her Someone you--" She stopped herself

Leo turned and braced hiray eyes "Someone I love?" he finished for her, and watched her frown and chew her lower lip uncertainly He wanted to gently bite and suck that perfect little e of her lower lip with a gentle fingertip "I’ve told you before, I love like a madman," he said "Immoderate, jealous, possessive … I’lide over her chin and along the front of her throat, where he felt the swift tattoo of her heartbeat and the flutter of her s No stranger to the signs of feminine arousal, he slid his pal the hard bud of her nipple, the curve of her side "If I loved you, Cat, I would have you for breakfast, lunch, and dinner You’d never have any peace"

"I would set limits And make you heed them" She drew a sharp breath as he pulled the sheet away from her "You want a firer slid off the bed indignantly and went to hop into Catherine’s carpetbag

Leo nuzzled the warue "Perhaps you’re right," he said, catching her hand, drawing it down to his hard flesh

"I … I didn’t mean…"

"Yes, I know But I’rip and stroke hi her in the ways he liked to be touched They lay together in the war fast as she explored hiers How many times Leo had fantasized about this moment, the prilorious

Her hand tightened on his stiff length, and the delicious pressure nearly sent hie

"God … no, no, wait…" He pried her hand aith a gasping laugh

"Did I do so?" Catherine asked anxiously

"Not at all, love But one rather hopes to last more than five minutes, especially before the lady is satisfied" He reached for her breasts, kneading gently "How beautiful you are Bring yourself higher and let me kiss your breast" As she hesitated, he closed his thuer over her nipple in a playful pinch

She jerked in surprise

"Too hard?" Leo asked contritely, his gaze intent on her face "Then do as I asked, and I’ll soothe it" He didn’t miss her quick double-blink, or the altered rhyth out, he drew his hands slowly over the slender curves of her body, learning more about her by the second

"You are intolerable," she told hi pressure of his palht and supple, her skin like silk, the blond thatch of curls brushing crisply against his stomach