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‘I won’t ask as My point stands’

‘What is your point?’

‘That you’re a h one ain

‘I’ll stay in ree of his anger and with his belief she reallyto be charood at it and it is al your disapproval You may tell them I always become ill once we pass Gibraltar’

As if to ain She reached out to steady herself and her palms met his chest The ship rolled back, but she stayed there The urge to move closer and sink into his warretted it She was behaving ridiculously She was a , not a newly deflowered virgin

If anything he’d re-flowered her that night in Cairo That hat it had felt like with the scent of the gardens weaving into the warm air around them as he’d coaxed her into heaven He’d made her body blooainst his chest His pulse wasn’t as fast as hers, but it still felt swift and harsh

‘I apologise for forcing e Can we not start over?’

She searched his face for so His eyes fell from hers and suddenly he looked more sulky than furious and her heart eased a little Before she could press her advantage his gaze flickered to the cot, away, and then back

‘Where is your mattress?’

‘My mattress? Over there—I roll it up after I use it, it takes up too much space if I leave it on the floor’

‘On theyou are sleeping on the floor?’

‘That way if I fall off there isn’t far to go’

‘Why didn’t you tell ?’ he dee she could cope with

‘Because I hate when people say I told you so I have heard that enough times from you to last me several lifetimes Besides, it is not so very uncomfortable’