Page 8 (1/2)

He gave a shrug “Just like any wonant after such protestations would have That it just happened I’m sure the statistical failure of contraceptive measures has come to the rescue of countless women in your position” Those ruby lips tre protest Before he closed them with his own, he plowed on, “And then I’m well aware of the facts of life, and if I’d wanted to be positive I didn’t inate you, I would have handled protection myself, not left it up to you and your assurances of safety But I didn’t”

And hoell he reht, by the end of their dinner, he’d been in agony But he’d been willing, for the first time in his life, to wait for a woive her tiive hi for The unprecedented feelings of closeness and rapport, the sheer delight in everything about her had been incredible enough; he would have savored them without fulfillment of the carnal proht with a kiss and no ed his intentions, pulverized his expectations

She’d offered herself with such a mixture of shyness, passion and resolve that he’d almost refused She’d aroused in him what he’d never felt toward a female outside his faony of eer she couldn’t control She’d treht stand for him but she had to have it, would settle for any taste of hi how, had too late remembered protection, had been loath to send for it He’d told her he’d still pleasure her, and she could pleasure hi to him, said she was safe, in every way

He hadn’t even questioned her honesty, his relief sweeping He’d wanted her to be his first The first woman he experienced to the fullness of inti the heat and moistness of her need for him, without barriers The first woical six weeks he’d done that, had each glorious time abandoned himself inside her in the throes of coust, at what even memories did to him “I didn’t,” he repeated “So whatever blame there is, I share it in equal measure Not that the word blame applies anywhere in the conception of a child Certainly not ainst the entryway, as if fro you could have felt this way You didn’t want ht you couldn’t possibly want the baby I accidentally got pregnant with…”

He growled a laugh “Accidentally? Really? But no nant, I don’t care I don’t care how hter was conceived, I don’t care who conceived her, not even if it’s you She’s mine And I want her”

Her reaction to that was spectacular

Springing from the entryway, she advanced on him like a lioness ready to defend her cub to the death

“No,” she growled There was no other way to describe it She growled “She’s not yours She’s mine Mine”

He frowned This felt too real

But nohis fangs in dehter who’d been kept from him His body bunched with the ele on fury and challenge

“You want to fight me for her?” he snarled “Do I need to tell you that nobody wins in any kind of battle with ainst me are below nonexistent?”

The contortion of horror and desperation that cru similar behind his breastbone