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«See?» she asked softly. «No real difference. Now do what the water did, Whip. Let me go.»
«You’re still shivering.»
«I’ll be fine as soon as I get some clothes on.»
«The water is warmer than those rags you wear.»
The protectiveness of Whip’s arms around Sha
It was a heady feeling to be cared for, to be cherished, to know that she wasn’t alone, if only for a time.
The temptation to give in and rest her head against Whip’s chest undermined Sha
And then she remembered what Whip had said the last time she reached out for him.
Don’t touch me.
Echoes of shame and humiliation swept through Sha
«What the hell?» Whip asked. «Why are you fighting me? You act like I’m going to rape you!»
Sha
«You wouldn’t have to rape me and you know it,» she said bitterly.
A shudder went through Whip.
«Dangerous words, honey girl.»
«Why? You don’t want me. You can’t even bear my touch.»
The pain and shame in Sha
«Now,» Whip said through his teeth, «tell me again that I don’t want you to touch me. I’d kill to have you and you damn well know it.»
Shocked sapphire eyes looked at Whip.
«Then why do you keep pushing me away?» Sha
Abruptly Whip dragged Sha
«I can’t,» he said.
Sha
«You most certainly can,» she said.
Whip’s breath hissed as Sha
«You’re a virgin,» he said through his teeth.
«I’m a widow.»
«I could make you pregnant.»
«I’d love to have your child.»
«I couldn’t leave if you were pregnant,» Whip said. «Is that what you want? To force me to stay?»
«No. You would hate me.»
«I’d hatemyself. Oh, God…stop.»
Gently, relentlessly, Whip recaptured Sha
«What did you do with your other widows?» she asked in a husky voice.
A tinge of red appeared on Whip’s cheekbones.
«Honey girl, you ask the damnedest questions.»
«Were they all too old to get pregnant?» Sha
Belatedly Whip realized that Sha
«No, they weren’t too old to get pregnant,» Whip said. «They were old enough to know hownotto get pregnant.»
«Celibacy.»
The disappointment in Sha
«There are other ways,» he said.
«Truly? What are they?»
«Not coupling.»
«Sounds like celibacy to me.»
Whip’s smile was slow and very male. «Not quite, honey girl. More like half a loaf. Like you under the tarpaulin with hail hammering down.»
A shudder of memory and anticipation went through Sha
«Is that what you want?» she asked.
«It’s a hell of a lot better than nothing.»
«But…»
«But?» Whip asked, gathering Sha
«I want to touch you, too. I want to make the world catch fire around you,» Sha
Whip’s heart kicked and blood slammed through his veins. He could barely force words past the heady rush of passion that was closing his throat.
«Did I make you feel like that, honey girl?»
«Yes,» she said in a low voice. «Only better. I don’t have words to tell you. Except…»
Whip nuzzled Sha
«I wanted more,» Sha
Every muscle in Whip’s body clenched at Sha
He knew exactly what had been missing.
«Is that wrong of me?» Sha
«No, it’s not wrong,» Whip said huskily. «It’s damned wonderful. Some women are happy just to be petted a bit from time to time, but men want more.»
«Just a bit of petting? That’s all the women wanted?»
Whip made a rumbling sound of agreement.
Sha
Whip’s teeth closed gently over the top of Sha
«Well, it’s certainly better than nothing,» she said finally. «But if the, er, whole loaf is at hand, why be satisfied with less?»
Whip laughed silently and wondered if a man could die of desire while sitting naked in a hot spring with a virgin widow who was as curious as a kitten.
And as heedless.
«Women are more likely to get pregnant during certain times of the month,» Whip said. «That’s when the, um, whole loaf is best kept in the bread drawer. Or drawers.»
«You’re laughing at me.»
«No, honey girl. I’m laughing, period.»
«Why?»
«You delight me,» Whip said against Sha
Sha
«I’d like to kiss you the same way,» she whispered, «all over, head to heels. You have such a beautiful body, all sleek and powerful and —»
Warm, wet fingers sealed Sha
«No more, honey girl. You’re burning me alive.»
Slowly Whip removed his fingers, caressing every curve of Sha
«I don’t mean to burn you,» she whispered. «I don’t even know how. Will you teach me, Whip? Will you tell me how to turn the world into a glittering black rainbow for you?»
«No,» Whip said roughly. «Don’t you understand? I can’t.»