Page 58 (1/2)

She was in Slayde’s arainst his body, her heart pounding against his His , savored every tingling surface His hands swept over her, cupping her breasts, stroking her nipples until they hardened against his thumbs

&nb

sp; “I can’t keep ers in her hair, tilting it back to give him access to her throat, her shoulders, the pulse in her neck “Every time I’m near you, this is all I want” He felt her shiver and raised his head, frowning “A you? Your ribs?”

“No” She caressed his jaw, the soft hair at his nape “You could never hurt me Slayde, I—”

“Listen towith deter to answer all the questions you ca to turn around and leave—before I lock that damned door and take you to bed Do you understand?”

A surge of heat shot through her “I understand Whether I comply is another story”

“You must comply I won’t let this happen, Courtney I will not do this to you”

“You wouldn’t be doing this toit to each other”

Slayde s”

“Why? Because your reputation doesn’t matter and mine does?”

“Because of all the reasons I enumerated yesterday Because I want you to know only happiness for the rest of your life” A spasm of pain crossed his face “Because I’ersJust let me talk Then walk out of here After that—” He sed “I’ll be leaving for London at first light I’ll be away froain my damned self-control”

“You’re going to London?” Courtney was still reeling from the impact of his declaration He loved her He loves reatestthe joy she longed to express “Why are you going? Because of me?”

“No—although, Lord knows I can’t seeoing to London because of what I learned today froator Apparently, Bencroft made a trip into Newton Abbot yesterday He met with his banker and solicitor, who, I soon discovered, left for London i I intend to find out why”

“Do you think there’s a connection between their actions and the black diamond?”

“I’m sure of it” Slayde pivoted to face her “Consider all the facts—which you now have—and suppose for the uilty If he’d made an attempt to trade the diamond for money, he would have discovered it to be a fraud Word would have reached us Morland would have reached us So, obviously no exchange has been randfather’s original objective: to turn the stone over to Russia—to the royal fa two ends: reaping his fa them of the curse”