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"I'll bring them in later" He unlocked the door and waited on the wide, rustic porch for her to join him When she would have walked past him, his hand stopped her "There is an old custo a bride across the threshold"

Her first i arainst his chest Her pulse stirred for an instant at the hard contact with his rip on her icy coed the door open with his foot and carried her into the house

"The custom has been observed Youcalmness

His face was very close to hers, his gaze steady and unreadable She could make out every detail from the faint, sun-weathered lines at the corners of his eyes to the harsh grooves carved near hisseconds, he held her A peculiar tension vibrated along her taut nerves

Slowly the ars slide to the carpeted floor The other arranite wall of his chest She held herself rigid, neither struggling n

or sub

Rolt tipped her chin upward

"Welcome home, Mrs Matthews"

His mouth descended on hers with slow insistence Controlled passion edged the possession Alanna blocked out the hard strength of his arhts on Kurt, the man she should have nore the persuasive pressure of his kiss

There was a tightness to the line of his jahen he raised his head "You're not going to try to make this easy, are you?" For all the coolness of his voice, his eyes were sapphire chips of fiery blue

"It was nevereasy for you," she replied

His aro She stepped smoothly away from him, aware of a faint quiver in her knees, but she had successfully repelled his kiss She was determined it would he the first of many times

Ignoring Rolt, she glanced about the room Smooth, unfinished cedar paneled the walls, broken often by large ith a fireplace of large sand-colored stone The carpet of creah texture in keeping with the style of the ho sofa was in front of the fireplace, covered in a rich brown velvet, andlove-seats flanked the sofa in a crea was concealed in the bea

An extra wide hallway allowed her a glith of one wall The planks and railings of a sun deck were visible through the panes There was asootten his presence, which was an impossibility The look in his eyes invited a comment about the house

"It's very nice," she said indifferently