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“Do you want to hear the truth?” he said, his lips an inch from hers “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a ar”

Her lips parted, but before she could speak he kissed her again His hand threaded into her hair, held it wrapped like a copper flame around his wrist His ainst her lips

Angelica made a soft sound of pleasure Her eyes closed, her lips parted, and her fingers curled into his shirt

Cade groaned softly He touched hisher flesh until he reached the hollow of her throat His hand slid up her ribs, moved under the cotton camisole He felt her tremble and he whispered her name and cupped her naked breast in his palm

His brain was shrieking out a , aching with the need to possess this soft, sweet-selica who burned like fire in his arms

He sat down on the bed beside her, sliding his hand over her belly, over the foolish cotton panties, and he cupped her through the soft fabric

Angelica groaned and strained toward hi around his neck

Sensation after sensation swept over her, each electrifying The feel of Cade’s ainst hers, and the taste The stroke of his fingers against her nipple And oh, the heat of his hand ainst her so that she was suddenly flooded with dampness

“Sweet,” he whispered, “sweet Angelica”

She whispered his name, reached up to him, took his face in her hands…

And cried out in pain

Cade sprang back He stared into her flushed face, into her stunned eyes

My God, he thought, what ay from medication?

He hadn’t e, hadn’t even meant to kiss her

“I’m sorry,” he said, “I didn’t ht?”

She wasn’t, she thought, she wasn’t all right How could she be, to have let herself be carried away like that? It had to be the medicine, and exhaustion

“Angelica?”

“Yes,” she lied, “I’ day, and the medicine… I think— I think it’s time you left”

“All right” He rose from the bed “But I don’t think you should be alone for a while Suppose I go downstairs and call Emily? I’m sure she’ll be happy to stay with you for a couple of days”

“No, I don’t need—” She hesitated There was no point in pretending What had just happened was proof that it was all catching up to her, the stress and the pain, and with a little shrug of her shoulders, she gave in “OK Maybe you’re right Her number is tacked to the wall next to the phone in the kitchen”

Outside, in the hallway, he took a deep breath, cursed hi seven times a fool and decided that his decision to leave Dallas had been a very wise one

Whatever had happened in that bedroom just now only proved that when you reached overload, anything was possible

He found E, he tried to concentrate on the wo in that narrow bed upstairs

What was her name? What did she look like? It upset him that he couldn’t re up to him

“Co What was taking so long? The tiny roo to crush him

Finally, a voice croaked brokenly in his ear

“Hullo?”

“Emily?” he said, puzzled

“Mr Landon? Is that you?”

“Yes, it’s ? You sound terrible”

“I feel terrible, Mr Landon I’ve got the flu”

Cade closed his eyes It never rains but it pours, he thought wearily No, he said cal terribly important He’d just—he’d just…