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"Lovely," she said, and kissed it again

It was a dream Sweat tickled down his neck His abdo theth of hi to enjoy it

"Put it in your ers into loose desert sand

Making a little noise of contentment, she moved to comply And those plump lips opened over hiue Unpracticed but effective

Weakly, he lifted his head to look down at her The sight nearly undid hirowl "Deep In and out"

She sucked hi, wet pull that nearly made him blind with pleasure Liquid heat scorched his veins His hps lifted in little thrusts, helping her as she worked his cock Her hand clutched his thigh as she moaned

"Harder"

The pressure increased

With a tre hand, he cupped the back of her neck and steadied her as he pumped himself into her clever ht, the heat within hied, easing her aith shaking hands, then pulling her up "Coh riding a wave Long li his chest as he pulled her close And then he was tunneling into her tight, wet heat Heaven

Her red-gold hair surrounded them like a curtain He shuddered, and his arrunt "Miranda" Her neck arrant with the scent of roses He nuzzled it, and she sighed

"Archer" Her slender ar him close as she moved on him

His throat convulsed A hot prickle behind his lids disarain"

She undulated, riding hi him mad

"Then come back to me, Archer"

"I cannot I am not whole" She deserved hi his head up Their eyes ot to move "I love you, Benjamin Archer More than my life"

He came with a shout of pleasure, and the world hite

Chapter 6

London, May 15,1879

Miranda woke feeling as if she’d been plucked from her drea in the bed as her eyes opened Her heart pounded as she blinked up at a cracked ceiling, trying to place just where she was for several pained er, was occupying her rooht him here, and since then, had cursed her and this house seven ways to Sunday

"How do you think I bloody feel, you stupid cow! I’ve been roasted like a ot pain on top of pain!"

He’d thrown the water ewer at her when she tried to get near "Get out"

Miranda had ignored hinored the temptation to tell him that it was her house and he was free to leave it

While the rotten blighter had no qual her, he see her about whenever she visited

She sighed, wishing she hadn’t come fully awake On the heels of full wakefulness came a bone-deep sense of loss Her hands curled into the sheets, as if she could

soain, the dark stranger Her brsts felt heavy, her niles tight and tender A blush of heat stole over her face as she re on her niles Such a thing Martin had never done that Indeed, he’d never been given a chance Their coupling was a furtive thing, not allowing for her to undress Surely, Martin had caressed her brsts, touching her niles through the thick layer of her bodice, but it had been nothing cos Wonderful things

On a sigh, Miranda sat up, trying to shake the rip her waist Of being filled by his big, strong…

"Bloody hell," sheday Vigorously, she splashed her face with icy water

A violent shout brought her up short, sending water into her eyes It was Billy, crying out in pain, and another masculine voice… Martin!

"Help!"

Billy

"Who the bloody hell are you!"

Miranda scra in as Martin hauled Billy up by his shirt and gave hio! You’ll hurt him"

Martin dropped Billy as if the lare on her "Who is this?"

"Billy Finger," she said baldly

When Martin’s brows rose, she gri held captive in a madhouse," Billy muttered But there was real and deep pain etched into the lines of his face Gingerly, he eased himself into a better position on the bed Miranda went to him and offered up a packet of pain powders

"Why is he convalescing here?" Martin asked as she moved to pour Billy a cup of water "And why did you not tell me about hihtened on the tin cup "I meant to tell you The other day When Father found us" Slowly she turned "We were distracted"

Martin nodded, but his gaze slid over Billy The line of his jaw bunched He turned back to her with a pointed look Miranda took an unsteady breath

"Go on," Billy said with an ugly smile "Tell him, or doesn’t he know about you?"

"Shut your mouth," Martin said to him before he looked at Miranda once ht in her throat

"What?" Martin said it so flat and thin that she ht have missed it But she didn’t Her heart pounded a fearful rhyth so didn’t pierce her soul with guilt As if it didn’t hurt to see Martin wince

Martin took a step back "Good god, Miranda Why?" He glanced at Billy, who lifted his chin as if to say, you see who you want to wed? Billy’s burns were still angry and raw Ugly scars would cover his arms and upper torso till the day he died Martin’s olden eyes were cold "Why would you do such a thing?"

"He was about to rape me!" Her hands fisted "I had no choice" Oh, but it wasn’t true She’d chosen to face Billy Her pride had led her to hurt another

"Oi!" Billy struggled to rise "I was just after a bit o’ fun Followed her when she was fanning--"

"Shut up!" shouted Martin

Billy glared

"It was a mistake," Miranda said "One I’ll never--"

"You’ve said that before, Miranda"