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"Thank you"

He gave me some towels and a fresh bar of soap and I went into the bathroo in the servants' quarters at Endfield Place after having been spoiled at

Grandmother Hudson's was difficult, but it helped ranted

After I showered, I brushed outin another robe when I returned to his roo to be patient He sat up quickly as soon as I appeared

"I'll just be a few ered on

"I er than I should have"

"It's all right" He sht His wellprotected life had kept hiht or thought souring what nature had given him at the start The purity and innocence of his eyesand fresh and full of hope

As he started past me, we touched and the contact stopped him only inches frole within him between the forces that wanted him simply to reach out and seize me, and that part of him that demanded he be respectful and polite At themy face closer

"Rain," he whispered, and we kissed It was a sharp, clean touch that put little sparks on h my stomach I was still naked beneath the soft terrycloth robe and he was naked beneath his as well

We kissed again His hands undid my robe and mine undid his His lips went to my neck, to my chin, to row against me, but my robe remained partially closed

He lifted his face away and gazed at me,

"Rain," he said, "I can't pull myself out of your eyes I felt myself drawn to them as soon as we looked at each other"

He made it sound like a confession It was as if he was a little boy ad his mischief

"It's all right," I said and he kissed ain as his hands moved under my robe and over my breasts

I ht he would lift ain and again and then he pulled hi as if he was in terrible pain