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Victoria's eyes widened

"Rage that they should touch you Rage that they should frighten you"

Hera hard ti her eyes off his lips

"Do you knohat else I felt?"

"No," she replied, her voice ht her eyes up to his "But you knew that I hadn't been injured"

He let out a hollow chuckle "Not that, Torie Fear that you're going to keep on running, that you will never admit what you feel for me Fear that you'll always hate er to avoid me"

"I don't hate you" The words slipped out before she realized that she had just contradicted everything she'd told him in the last twelve hours

He touched her hair, then cradled her head with his strong hands "Then why, Victoria?" he whispered "Why?"

"I don't knoish I did I just know that I can't be with you right now"

His head lowered until they were nose to nose Then his lips brushed up against hers, feather light and startlingly erotic "Now? Or ever?"

She didn't answer She couldn't answer, for his ue swooped into her ently into hers, reth of her body and settled onto the curve of her breast He kneaded and squeezed, the heat of his skin burning through thebeneath his touch

"Do you knohat I feel right now?" he whispered roughly

She didn't answer

"Desire" His eyes gleamed "I want you, Victoria I want to finally make youthe decision up to her How easy it would be to let herself be swept up in the heat of the moment How convenient to be able to tell herself the next day, Passionclearly

But Robert was forcing her to confront her feelings and to adh her body

"You said you wanted to ue delicately traced its outline "I won't make this one for you"

She let out a frustrated th of her body, pausing ever so slightly at her gently rounded hips He squeezed, and Victoria could feel the iertips

His lips curved into a masculine smile "Perhaps I should help you clarify the issue," he said, touching his lips to the delicate skin of her neck "Do you want ainst his, her hips straining for his until they reached the warer dipped beneath the edge, drawing lazy circles on her bare skin "Do you want me?" he repeated