she’d crossed lines she could never repair.
He stroked his thumb across her lower lip. “I have no right to ask, to want you this much, but damn me, I do.” Patrik searched her face. “Tell me you do not want this and I will leave you alone.”
Tears burned her eyes. After being raped during her youth, Emma had believed the only man she would ever care for was Father Lawrenz. Now, she understood her feelings for the priest were those of a girl searching to be accepted. Nothing compared to the depth of a woman wanting Patrik’s touch.
Long moments passed. Still, he held, waited, giving her every opportunity to step away.
And if she did, if she allowed her assault of ten and two summers to guide her decision, smother what he made her feel, she would never know the joy of being with a man who made her feel desire.
She was wrong to consider intimacy, especially when it would be tangled in lies. But the desire in his eyes, his need for only her, filled an emptiness inside she’d never believed any would touch.
Bedamned the consequence. However wrong, for this one night, she would hold what destiny would deny her.
On a shaky breath, Cristina reached up to kiss him.
Chapter 6
Patrik met Cristina’s mouth halfway, soft, steady, firm with intent. He gently backed her against the smooth wall and pressed his body flush against hers. Heat exploded inside, poured through him, engulfed him until it was as if his body was on fire.
He groaned as Cristina’s body molded against his. God in heaven, their earlier kiss had but hinted at the breadth of the woman within, of her desire. She was a woman crafted by the fantasies of many a man.
With his blood pounding hot, he drew on her tongue, savored her taste. Would even this night be enough? Aye, he would make it so.
He took the kiss deeper, wanting her whimpers of need, her mews of pleasure as he slowly made love to her.
The force of his need left his fingers trembling as he slid his hand down the silk of her throat. With slow enjoyment, he unbound the first tie, and then cupped the curve of her breast.
At her gasp of pleasure, desire ripped through him. He ignored the urge to strip her, to take what his body demanded. He’d wanted to make love to her, but their joining would be more than finding release. More than he’d ever expected.
As if life ever gave you what you expected?
Now, he’d been given the gift of this woman, a woman he must let go on the morrow.
With infinite care, he teased her bud, skimmed his fingers over the taut flesh as he claimed her lips. He savored the softness of her mouth, amazed at how she gave back, more than he could have ever believed.
Her body trembled, shifted restlessly against his.
He hardened, painfully so. Patrik cupped the back of her neck, turned with her until his back pressed against the wall. He caught her hand and laid it over his hard length to show her how she pleased him.
Cristina stiffened, jerked her hand free.
Stunned, Patrik broke their kiss. Within her passion, he caught a hint of fear. “You are safe with me.” He kept his words soft, gentle so as not to alarm her further.
Her mouth swollen with his kisses, she stared at him, her nerves easy to read. “I-I thought you wanted to make love to me?”
Damn him, he’d pushed her too fast. “I want you, never doubt that. But what we share this night is your decision. We are both tired, our desires tangled with fatigue.” She wet her lips; his body trembled with wanting her. “Neither can I forget the attack of two days past, nor the loss of your husband, a man you loved. As much as I want you in my bed, never have I taken advantage of a woman, neither will I begin now.”
“I . . .” Cristina looked away.
With his entire body aching, he released her. “I will retrieve the blankets to make a pallet.”
“Patrik—”
He stopped, did not face her. “Say naught unless you mean it. I am but a man.”
Shaking with what she’d almost allowed, aching
He stroked his thumb across her lower lip. “I have no right to ask, to want you this much, but damn me, I do.” Patrik searched her face. “Tell me you do not want this and I will leave you alone.”
Tears burned her eyes. After being raped during her youth, Emma had believed the only man she would ever care for was Father Lawrenz. Now, she understood her feelings for the priest were those of a girl searching to be accepted. Nothing compared to the depth of a woman wanting Patrik’s touch.
Long moments passed. Still, he held, waited, giving her every opportunity to step away.
And if she did, if she allowed her assault of ten and two summers to guide her decision, smother what he made her feel, she would never know the joy of being with a man who made her feel desire.
She was wrong to consider intimacy, especially when it would be tangled in lies. But the desire in his eyes, his need for only her, filled an emptiness inside she’d never believed any would touch.
Bedamned the consequence. However wrong, for this one night, she would hold what destiny would deny her.
On a shaky breath, Cristina reached up to kiss him.
Chapter 6
Patrik met Cristina’s mouth halfway, soft, steady, firm with intent. He gently backed her against the smooth wall and pressed his body flush against hers. Heat exploded inside, poured through him, engulfed him until it was as if his body was on fire.
He groaned as Cristina’s body molded against his. God in heaven, their earlier kiss had but hinted at the breadth of the woman within, of her desire. She was a woman crafted by the fantasies of many a man.
With his blood pounding hot, he drew on her tongue, savored her taste. Would even this night be enough? Aye, he would make it so.
He took the kiss deeper, wanting her whimpers of need, her mews of pleasure as he slowly made love to her.
The force of his need left his fingers trembling as he slid his hand down the silk of her throat. With slow enjoyment, he unbound the first tie, and then cupped the curve of her breast.
At her gasp of pleasure, desire ripped through him. He ignored the urge to strip her, to take what his body demanded. He’d wanted to make love to her, but their joining would be more than finding release. More than he’d ever expected.
As if life ever gave you what you expected?
Now, he’d been given the gift of this woman, a woman he must let go on the morrow.
With infinite care, he teased her bud, skimmed his fingers over the taut flesh as he claimed her lips. He savored the softness of her mouth, amazed at how she gave back, more than he could have ever believed.
Her body trembled, shifted restlessly against his.
He hardened, painfully so. Patrik cupped the back of her neck, turned with her until his back pressed against the wall. He caught her hand and laid it over his hard length to show her how she pleased him.
Cristina stiffened, jerked her hand free.
Stunned, Patrik broke their kiss. Within her passion, he caught a hint of fear. “You are safe with me.” He kept his words soft, gentle so as not to alarm her further.
Her mouth swollen with his kisses, she stared at him, her nerves easy to read. “I-I thought you wanted to make love to me?”
Damn him, he’d pushed her too fast. “I want you, never doubt that. But what we share this night is your decision. We are both tired, our desires tangled with fatigue.” She wet her lips; his body trembled with wanting her. “Neither can I forget the attack of two days past, nor the loss of your husband, a man you loved. As much as I want you in my bed, never have I taken advantage of a woman, neither will I begin now.”
“I . . .” Cristina looked away.
With his entire body aching, he released her. “I will retrieve the blankets to make a pallet.”
“Patrik—”
He stopped, did not face her. “Say naught unless you mean it. I am but a man.”
Shaking with what she’d almost allowed, aching
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