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"John, it wasn't your fault" Her words were soft, but they were filled with love and faith

He didn't turn around "You weren't there"

"I know you You wouldn't have let so like this happen if you could have prevented it"

He whirled to face her "Weren't you listening to me? I was drunk If I'd had my wits about me I would have been able to fulfil et to her You couldn't have guarded the girl every minute of the day"

"I could have- I-" He broke off "I don't want to talk about it"

Belle stood and crossed the rooentle hand on his arm "Perhaps you should"

"No," he said quickly "I don't want to talk about it I don't want to think about it I-" He choked on his words "Will you still have me?"

"How can you even ask?" she whispered "I lo-" She stopped, too scared of upsetting the precious balance they'd achieved to voice her true feelings "I care for you so ood and honorableher roughly into his ar her face with kisses "Oh, Belle, I need you so much I don't kno I survived without you"

"And I you"

"You are such a treasure, Belle Such a gift toher in a dazzling waltz They twirled about, turning circle after circle until they both collapsed on the bed, laughing and out of breath

"Look at asped "I cannot remember the last ti without knohy I clih your , and here I a with hiht, and yet here I a perfection in hed, unable to think of any words to express her feelings

He touched her chin with his fingers and drew her closer, ever closer

Belle's breath caught in her throat as his lips swooped down to claim her own The kiss was different than any other they had shared There was a fierceness to it that hadn't been there before, a sense of ownership And Belle had to admit that this possessiveness was not one-sided The way she kissed him with all her passion, clutched at the sinewy muscles of his back-all this was ed to no one but her

John's hands roah the thin own He strayed down to her bottohtly to him so that she could feel the hard, physical evidence of his desire "Do you realize how much I want you?" he rasped "Do you?"

Belle couldn't speak, for his lips had covered her own She couldn't nod because one of his hands had stolen back up to her thick hair and was holding her head immobile She responded in the only way she could, which was to reach around to his buttocks and pull him even closer to her A harsh moan was his answer, and Belle felt a feminine thrill at her power over him