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"Yes," Ied He had one of her hands, where no one could see it She could feel the calluses on his hands fro horse

"Because I have to tell you, Lady Maitland, that I have thought of little all day but kissing you"

"You never showed--" she said, her voice a gasp

"I would no more risk your reputation than I would rob a bank"

"Oh," Iood actor"

The theater was packed now, every seat filled with so and fighting with thefro soon" He was still holding her hand

Had she really considered not coen felt as if her blood were infla down her spine, and her co to her

Seducing her, that’s what he was doing

She’d known, Ien realized suddenly Of course, she’d known Why had she taken a long bath? Dressed so carefully, if ostentatiously? Why else but that she could be seduced, and her coht before if she hadn’t fallen into a cask of wine?

What’sto allow it to happen It was an adventure, a change froht, she told herself One night and then she would return to being a sober , care for Josie, care for her reputation, and stop this wild adventure

Meanwhile, he had started a slow asped

"Gabe," he said

"Gabe," she repeated slowly

He bent forward and whispered in her ear "A Whitefri-ars nun is on intien"

She licked her lips nervously The orchestra was actually playing in tune now He ss that a nun of any sort--nay, a proper lady--and certainly a divinity professor should know nothing of

"I thought you studied the Bible," she said

"People remind me of that all too frequently"

At that hts at the side of the theater doused them There was a roar from the crowd And Gabriel’s lips took hers There was none of Rafe’s gentle approach, sweet hu kiss that pushed her head back and sent an instant wave of heat over her body This was an erotic friction that had nothing to do with the taste of sun-wars: this was a deep merciless possession And she--

The curtain snapped up as the boys standing at the gas laen found she had her hands clenched in his hair, holding hi at her

From the row before her she heard a scandalized, "Well, I never!" and guessed that the matron in the purple bonnet had ventured to turn around in her seat

Two seconds later, the stage exploded with a group of whooping, screahbor