Her breathing quickened as his gaze fell to her mouth. He was going to kiss her. She could feel it. He stroked her cheek, tilting her head up toward his, and she could barely hear the roar of the ocean over the rapid beat of her heart.“I’ve never met a woman like you before,” he said softly, his black eyes searching hers as he stroked her bare forearm lightly with his fingertips. “You…amaze me.”This honeymoon cottage, so remote in the middle of a wide, distant ocean, seemed like their own distant world. His handsome, rugged face, the powerful curve of his body as he leaned toward her, the light feeling of his touch against her skin, made her brain stop working. She trembled, licking her lips. Would she fall into his arms when he kissed her? Would she fall into his bed? He glanced down at her half-empty plate. “Are you finished?”She stared up at him, unable to even say yes.He smiled, then took her hand in his own. “Come.”He led her from the kitchen to the large sitting room and s

Standing before her in yesterday’s T-shirt and jeans, Xavier held himself still. His hands clenched with the effort it took not to kiss her. “Why were you thinking about me? Why do you even care about me? You shouldn't because I kidnapped you.”“You try to pretend you’re selfish and cruel,” she said softly. “But I keep thinking about you and coming to one conclusion. You’re a good man. You are just in a bad situation and you need to save yourself desperately. You were placed in a terrible position by Arnold and I understand your actions.”He gave a low laugh, like thunder reverberating across the dark sky. “I am not good. I am the good man you think I am and I want you get that thought out of your head.” Something snapped inside him and he reached for her shoulders, looking down into her eyes searchingly as he whispered, “But you…you are. You have the purest heart I have seen in a while.”“Oh.” She blushed. “I’m not so very good. I’ve been feeling quite stupid, actually, driving you

Desperate was the right word, but he did not wish to be reminded of his latest failure. “And you?” he said bitterly. “Are you desperate to be back in Arnold's arms? Don't you wish to be far away from me? To be treated like royalty and enjoy his wealth?”She whirled back toward him, her blue-green eyes widening in shock. “You know I am not! How could you accuse me of that? You know very well I had no knowledge of his tricks and I would never sell myself for money."He knew that, but Sylvia believed the best of people. Could she, in time, grow to forgive the baron as well? The thought made him cruel.“You should know,” he said brutally, “that you were not the first woman he took as his lover since his marriage. He has quite the reputation of sleeping around.”She licked her lips. “I wasn’t?”“He’s had five or six.”She set her coffee cup down on the table with a trembling hand. “You must think I’m the biggest idiot in the world,” she whispered, blinking fast. “Believing Arnold would a

“Is she your cousin? Your niece?” She bit her lip. “Surely she’s not young enough to be your…your daughter?”Clenching his jaw, he looked away.“You aren’t going to tell me, are you?”“No,” he bit out.“Because you promised her you wouldn’t?”He gave a single unsteady nod.Familial. So she wasn’t his mistress. She wasn’t his lover. Laila was a member of his family, or at least that was how he felt toward her.Sylvia’s heart suddenly lightened. She took a deep breath. She looked up at him.“You also promised,” she said softly, reaching up to stroke his face, “that you would kiss me if I begged you.”Looking down at her, he sucked in his breath.“I’m begging you.” She let her hand slowly trail down his bare throat, placing her palm against his shirt, over the rapid beat of his heart. “Kiss me. Kiss me now.”She heard him gasp, then he grabbed her hands in his own. “All right,” he rasped. His voice was raw. “All right.”“All right?”“God help me—” He crushed his mouth against hers, hard

THE next morning, Sylvia lay cradled against him in the large bed as she stared out the bedroom window, watching the pink streaks of sunrise cross the sky.They’d moved into the bedroom sometime yesterday afternoon. They’d spent the rest of the night there, only leaving the bed to shower and scavenge and devour simple meals in the kitchen.She looked at him now as he slept. His peaceful face looked younger somehow, almost boyish. Sleeping with him all night, in his arms after the many times they’d made love, was utter bliss. It was exquisite.It was torture.Why did she feel this way—so completely infatuated, so enamored, so connected to him in every way possible? Was it because he’d taken her virginity? Was she deluding herself, like she had with Arnold, into imagining Xavier as the fulfillment of some romantic dream?“Don’t think I’m a good person,”he’d told her grimly. She didn’t want to believe him. How could she when every inch of her body down to blood and bone insisted differen