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"You would like to believe that" Jasper tossed his cravat on the floor, then yanked his shirtsleeves over his head

Eliza’s knees weakened and she staggered over to the nearest chair, half-sinking and half-falling into it

Dear God, he was beautiful Astonishingly, breathtakingly so She reed her to touch him the first ti fingers, like stone She could see why Her hand lifted to her throat As dry as her mouth had been, it was now flooded withof aofof dark hair that thinned into a fine line were new to her And delightful Her gaze followed the trail to where it disappeared beneath the placket of his breeches

Then lower…

He was hard there, too Cupped by the expertly tailored doeskin, the outline of his erection was thick and prohtened He was such a blatantly masculine creature Primitive in the most vital of ways A male whose appetites were undoubtedly fierce and expansive How could she, a wo her own femininity, sate such a aze upward to find hi a seat on the opposite settee He had allowed her to look her fill, she realized Unashamed of the visible proof of his lust Unabashed

Jasper rolled down his hose, one leg at a time "I need you to be adventureso if you were not"

"I dolost the strength to speak louder

He stood, and her eyes stung She was enaht she could never be There was nothing she would alter about hi she found fault with In that moment, she was certain she would pay any price for the pleasure of looking upon hiing and addictive She wondered helplessly if there was any way she could feel like this every day

Approaching her with hand outstretched, he said, "From the moment I first saw you, I desired you and knew I had to have you Since then, I have co that drives , Eliza I want you I’ve never wanted anything in ? Gaining and losing a possessionto me There is always a replacement"

"I understand" She allowed him to pull her to her feet "But I don’t knohat conclusion to draw froestured for her to face away fro to find reason in it I cannot waste anyto puzzle out what I don’t know Iin the world I want, and I can have you I’ whatever is necessary to keep you The details can be dealt with later, when I can once again think about soers went to the buttons that secured the back of her gown and released them with laudable dexterity

"Have I no say in the matter?" she asked

He pressed his lips to the top of her bared shoulder "If you intend to say you have no objections, speak away Otherwise, I ask that you give ht make my task ht ahead, which was a straight-line view into Jasper’s bedroom The bed was directly in front of her, custoaped open and he pushed it free of her shoulders, then down to the floor "Step out," he ordered

She obeyed, too overwhel aze frohed softly, the hten so on her "Would you prefer to be ravished?"

"I would prefer not to have these fits of nerves"

"I should like to ravish you" He loosened her stays "Not tonight, when I need both of us to have no doubt that you ca her arms over her chest, she held her loosened corset to her breasts Jasper rounded her and backed up, putting distance between the hi so far away? Even if he extended his arth, he wouldn’t be able to reach her

"I a down, he stroked hi the length of the pronounced bulge