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"Open your eyes, Anne I need to see the he’dheart The stubborn will Tenderness Passion Love

Anne s yet, but he could read the love in her eyes

"Why didn’t you coh "Why did it take you a hundred years to apologize?"

"So we’re both stubborn We knew this already" His eyes locked with hers "What now then?"

"I don’t know exactly, but I want the past to be past"

Her eyes were lit again, this tier He reached up and loosened the tie he earing, pulling it away from his neck Her eyes fell to his hands as they worked the silk that concealed his throat

"There is one more issue we need to discuss"

"Oh?"

"You’ve been starving yourself I’ry about that"

Her eyes didn’t stray froers at his throat "You’re the one who laid down the feeding restrictions"

"And I was the one person you could have co trouble"

"I know"

"But you didn’t" He pulled the tie off and let it fall to the ground Then he started unbuttoning his collar

Her breath came in soft pants, and she took two steps toward hi for hi in her mouth

"Patrick--"

"You’ve starved yourself instead of drinking fro his shirt at the collar, sitting like an offering before her "I do not approve of this"

"It’s not your--"

"It ishis ar

He sat, braced for her rejection His tipped his chin up, arrogance warring with supplication The water in the room drew to his skin as he waited for her response

He didn’t wait long

Anne leapt on hi his neck to her ripped her hips, bracing his legs to keep balance in the chair as she sat astride hi into the flesh of her thighs Murphy’s back arched when she struck