snapped, taking her to the bedroom and placing her on the bed. Keeping me in the dark was a damned stupid thing to do! Despite his anger, his hands were gentle as he undressed her.
Sarah lay quietly as he cared for her. Finally shed understood the reason for his anger. Her inexperience wasnt what hed expected. She only wanted to know if hed been disappointed, or if he was angry because hed been caught off balance. When hed dressed her in a nightgown and propped her up on the pillows, he sat down on the bed beside her, the light from the single lamp throwing harsh shadows across his roughly etched face. He drew a deep breath, as if reaching for control.
A rather inappropriate hint of humor made a smile tug at her lips. She fought it, knowing that he wasnt in a humorous mood, but it spread anyway. Her soft mouth curved in a tender smile, and she teased gently, Having sex hasnt turned me into an invalid. I couldve undressed myself.
He glared at her, then saw the tenderness in her smile that invited him to share the moment with her. Realizing that hed been treating her like someone whod been wounded, he lost the hard edge of his temper, then found himself feeling sheepish. He fought off the feeling, keeping his expression grim. Then youre luckier than you deserve to be. I couldve hurt you, really hurt you. Damn it all, you should have told me it was your first time!
Im sorry, she apologized gravely. I didnt know the procedure.
For a moment he looked as if he would explode, pure fury burning in the dark depths of his eyes. But he was a man who controlled his temper, and he exerted that control now, refraining from even speaking until he trusted himself again. He finally thrust his hand roughly through his tousled hair, ruffling it even more. Youre thirty-three years old. Why in hell would you still be a virgin?
He sounded totally baffled, as if it were beyond his comprehension. Sarah shifted in embarrassment, fully realizing what an anachronism she was. If shed been born even one generation earlier, she wouldnt have been so obsolete; chastity would have been expected of her until she married. But instead she was a not-so-modern woman locked into a more progressive society. It wasnt that she lacked the normal curiosity and desires, or that she was a prude; her deeply ingrained need for security had kept her from risking her all, as it were, in any relationship that would be too casual and transient to satisfy her instincts. Then shed met Rome, and that had stopped cold any other mans chances with her, but Rome had also been off-limits. If she couldnt have him, she hadnt wanted anyone else; it was that simple, and totally impossible to explain to him.
She didnt even try to answer; she just looked at him, with the shadows once more gathering to dim the light that had been in her eyes.
Suddenly Rome quivered as if hed been struck, staring down at her with an expression of torment on his face. What would Diane say, if she knew hed just seduced her best friend? Pain clawed at his insides, pain and guilt, as he suddenly realized that the physical act of release hed sought with other women, which had meant an act of physical betrayal, had been nothing compared to the way hed just betrayed Diane with Sarah. Sarah hadnt been just a faceless body to him. Hed been aware of her every moment; hed wanted her for the qualities and characteristics that made her peculiarly herself. Not only that, the pleasure hed had with her had been shattering, totally wiping out the memories that usually plagued him after sex, memories of making love with his wife, of lying in the darkness with her afterward and talking their hearts out. He hadnt thought of Diane at all; Sarah had filled his mind and his senses, which was the greatest betrayal of all.
He had to move away from her. He surged to his feet and paced restlessly across the room, once again thrusting his fingers through his hair. Why did she have to lie there and look at him with those
Sarah lay quietly as he cared for her. Finally shed understood the reason for his anger. Her inexperience wasnt what hed expected. She only wanted to know if hed been disappointed, or if he was angry because hed been caught off balance. When hed dressed her in a nightgown and propped her up on the pillows, he sat down on the bed beside her, the light from the single lamp throwing harsh shadows across his roughly etched face. He drew a deep breath, as if reaching for control.
A rather inappropriate hint of humor made a smile tug at her lips. She fought it, knowing that he wasnt in a humorous mood, but it spread anyway. Her soft mouth curved in a tender smile, and she teased gently, Having sex hasnt turned me into an invalid. I couldve undressed myself.
He glared at her, then saw the tenderness in her smile that invited him to share the moment with her. Realizing that hed been treating her like someone whod been wounded, he lost the hard edge of his temper, then found himself feeling sheepish. He fought off the feeling, keeping his expression grim. Then youre luckier than you deserve to be. I couldve hurt you, really hurt you. Damn it all, you should have told me it was your first time!
Im sorry, she apologized gravely. I didnt know the procedure.
For a moment he looked as if he would explode, pure fury burning in the dark depths of his eyes. But he was a man who controlled his temper, and he exerted that control now, refraining from even speaking until he trusted himself again. He finally thrust his hand roughly through his tousled hair, ruffling it even more. Youre thirty-three years old. Why in hell would you still be a virgin?
He sounded totally baffled, as if it were beyond his comprehension. Sarah shifted in embarrassment, fully realizing what an anachronism she was. If shed been born even one generation earlier, she wouldnt have been so obsolete; chastity would have been expected of her until she married. But instead she was a not-so-modern woman locked into a more progressive society. It wasnt that she lacked the normal curiosity and desires, or that she was a prude; her deeply ingrained need for security had kept her from risking her all, as it were, in any relationship that would be too casual and transient to satisfy her instincts. Then shed met Rome, and that had stopped cold any other mans chances with her, but Rome had also been off-limits. If she couldnt have him, she hadnt wanted anyone else; it was that simple, and totally impossible to explain to him.
She didnt even try to answer; she just looked at him, with the shadows once more gathering to dim the light that had been in her eyes.
Suddenly Rome quivered as if hed been struck, staring down at her with an expression of torment on his face. What would Diane say, if she knew hed just seduced her best friend? Pain clawed at his insides, pain and guilt, as he suddenly realized that the physical act of release hed sought with other women, which had meant an act of physical betrayal, had been nothing compared to the way hed just betrayed Diane with Sarah. Sarah hadnt been just a faceless body to him. Hed been aware of her every moment; hed wanted her for the qualities and characteristics that made her peculiarly herself. Not only that, the pleasure hed had with her had been shattering, totally wiping out the memories that usually plagued him after sex, memories of making love with his wife, of lying in the darkness with her afterward and talking their hearts out. He hadnt thought of Diane at all; Sarah had filled his mind and his senses, which was the greatest betrayal of all.
He had to move away from her. He surged to his feet and paced restlessly across the room, once again thrusting his fingers through his hair. Why did she have to lie there and look at him with those
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