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It took the passing of another month before Marianne’s father ruined them completely This pleased Darius for it worked into his plans rather seamlessly

Darius suuise of a su, he figured an opportunity would likely result There would be others attending as well, of course, friends and neighbors, Mr Jeretons, and the Carstones

Darius felt hi so e for hie would be here at his ho was over She was co for a picnic, true, but he had other plans in mind for his Marianne

Yes, mine

Darius could not help the sway of his heart He wanted Marianne and only her, for he found her to be perfect,any other but her He drea her his, of clai his body all over her body, of being inside her His dreams of Marianne were always erotic and very vivid These and sie obsessed him

He’d only co away for years Darius had thought he e aside during the long absence, but that’d proved false the second he’d laid eyes on her again

Waiting for her had been a challenge while she grew up And through the years he’d ever ad hirown up a most beautiful woht her silky, dark hair, blue eyes, and lush figure nificent, but there were other reasons for the attraction

She did not throw herself at hie was a co woman, and Darius was sure he understood the reason There was more to her than youthful beauty, much more

She had fire in her waiting to be stoked This he could tell He also suspected that sub to him, to his dominance, would appeal to her He’d noticed that he could make her look at him when he stared at her, and that she definitely waited for his gaze The looks she returnede for a rush of air to fan them into flame

Darius was certain The doly bestowed of course If Marianne craved it, then he needed to be the one to give it to her He would offer to her that which she desired

Marianne’s cheeks burned hot She could only iht next to her, she could sense Mr Rourke’s eyes staring because her neck tingled Nothing new there This gaone on for weeks and needed to cease Today

She braved a glance His black eyes glittered at her He s to say and came up with very little except, “The day is lovely You picked a good one for your party, Mr Rourke”

“Yes…so lovely,” he answered, his eyes roa over her

She got the i to the weather and felt supremely stupid She would do better just to keep her mouth closed before more half-witted nonsense left it

“I’m so happy you’re here, Miss Marianne I hope today is just the first of many visits”

She shook her head “Oh, I don’t—”

“I say it’s tih,” Miss Byrony Everley announced her opinion to the group

Marianne thought her dear friend’s interruption especially timely

“Byrony! It’s Mr Rourke’s party and for him to say,” her mother admonished

“No worries, Lady Rothvale,” he said, rising frorass “I am not in the least offended, and I venture that Miss Byrony’s suggestion is a good one” His voice turned rich and his words slower “I’d hate for the full sweetness of the strawberries to be ht at Marianne’s mouth

Oh, dear God! Marianne sed hard, thinking she was in very deep trouble

“’Twould be a tragedy to pass up the sweet” He held his hand down to her “Shall we?”