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He could make her squirm and shudder and cry out his name

If he were a gentleo to bed

He’d go for a swim to cool off and he’d swim until he burned off this terrible need

If he were a gentleman, he’d wait for her to fall asleep before he returned to her father’s rooht

But he wasn’t a gentleman He didn’t know very much about himself, but he knew that much

Head dropping, his lips brushed hers, not because he was being careful with her but because he was feeling cruel

He wanted her to ache for him

He wanted her to crave him the way he craved her, and so he teased her lips and teased her with touches that were light and unsatisfying, his caress brushing her shoulders, the sides of her breasts, the outside of her hip, every touch designed to make her arch and flex, her slim back a bon taut

She was breathing harder now, short gasps, and herto find his She wanted his kiss She wanted him

He grazed the pebbled nipple of one breast with the back of his knuckles, a fleeting touch that yrate on his lap Her eyes were cloudy, the pupils so dilated her eyes looked almost black now

He brushed the other just to ain, and she did

He nearly groith pleasure She was his

Finally he took her er barely leashed As he took her roan of pleasure Her mouth was both hot and cool She tasted fresh and iue traced the seaed in, sweeping, stabbing, punishing

He didn’t knohy he wanted to punish her She was nothing short of heaven, an angel here on earth

Maybe that hy he was angry—and not with her, but with himself

He didn’t deserve her

He shouldn’t take her

He shouldn’t be the one to steal her innocence

For God’s sake, she’d kept a hope chest, filled with desires and dreaht out a special tablecloth, and noas going to take her virginity?

He shouldn’t do this, he shouldn’t He didn’t even know if there were other clai; there was no tan line—but could he have a significant other waiting for hi about him?

Missing him?

He broke off the kiss and lifted her, putting her on her feet before walking away, putting distance between them so he couldn’t reach her easily

For a moment the only sound was the crackle of the fire and the hum of the ocean as waves broke on the shore

The rising low and he knew if he turned, he’d see her where he’d put her She hadn’t

Wondering

“I can’t do this,” he ground out “I can’t just take your innocence because I want to It’s wrong, at every level”

“Not even if I give you permission?” she said

He heard the wobble of hurt in her voice and he glanced over his shoulder to see that yes, she was exactly where he’d left her She looked rooted to the spot, except she no longer glowed Her lips were pressed together and she looked pinched Wounded

And he’d done that to her, as well

Pain twisted within hiht to know better He was a man, not a boy

“You should be protected,” he said roughly “It’s what your father would want for you, and what you need I can’t just wash up on your beach and claim you—”

“Why not? Why not if it’s what I want?” The bruised tone was gone, replaced by soer, fiercer “I’es I a to a man I can decide for myself what is best for me”

He laughed, the soundand unkind “And you think I’m best for you?”