in his hand, and the ice cubes clinked softly against the glass. He swallowed the remaining liquid,

ower, and everything that he was willing to give it all to her. Hell, he had been willing to give a lot more than that t

disgusting to her?

r, Levi's familiar voice, said, "Excuse me

elf another whiskey. "Surely she just

ll," Lev

said. "Don't disturb me no mat

evi said. "Bu

s had been drawn shut, but thousands of candles in small glass jars bathed the room in glowing golden light. Red

ell is this

ons you asked for," Levi sa

t all down,"

y, sir," L

p the petals. They blew out the candles and swept the jars into giant black tra

r room for me,"

ly and then added, "Mrs. Blair continues to ask for yo

*

his hair was messy, but his icy eyes flashed. He marched to the side of her

hating the way her voice trembled.

o her, cold and still as a statue, and she wondered if she'd m

oft mattress and

hung around him, and she flinched. In her last years with Marco, he had taken to

*

e bed and watched as Cathe

d noticed the way she moved around him. When he leaned closer

f friends and admirers—the center of attention. She laughed and smiled, and her bright green eyes twinkled

ey widened when she looked at him, the way her mouth opened slightly in a silent gasp, the way the fl

er lips were soft and yielding. He forced them open and pulled her slight bo

at," she asked. "I sa

ed to press his lips to that shoulder, to tear the shirt and expose the rest of her, to press himself into

"What do you wa

," she wh

oked at her. She was staring down at her hands, twisting the fi

lips, kissing her as hard as he could. With a slight groan, she opened her mouth and let him

thin fabric. His fingertips found the clasp of her bra, and he unhook

er arms crossed protectively over

ht," he said. "And I

*

, and she shivered with a strange mixture of fear and desire. No man had ever looked at her that way before. Catherin

herine," Sean groaned

top of her, tugging her pants from her legs. He moved up her body, pulling her hands away from her chest and pinnin

to bite her neck. She groaned as his teeth sank into the sensitive skin, arching herself up into him. He growled and released her hands

his trousers. The strength of his desire strained against the front of his pan

e gaze. Hot embarrassment flooded through her—she'd wanted to talk to him but ende

back to the front of his pants. She looked at her small pale hand n

he wanted it. She wanted to feel his large hands on every inch

"We have to stop.

ing," he said, pressin

he said. "Get off me, le

th clothes on," he said

trying to be serious, okay? I k

rrowed his eyes as if trying to read her. His hand tightened, but the grip felt more

out?" he asked i

ings out," she sincerel

ed down, "I see what's happening. You think I'll f

trying to tell you that I don't want to be

to me," h

she said. "I

e said, roughly pi

s moods changed as unpredictable as the wind, and he never reacted the way she thoug

d to push his hand a

d. "It's our weddi

ying to think of an excu

ed, and he grabbed

"I don't want to like thi

elieve you

e, he dipped one long finger into her most intimate place. It was stained red when he pulle

slammed shut behind him. She's almost forgotten that she had her period. Her cousin Madison Stewart had convinced h

rying to get Sean for herself. That's why she'd encouraged Catherine to run away with Marco, and that's

d. "If Sean caught me, the