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very wise, Caledonia."
"Callie." She smiled gently. "My family and friends all call me Callie."
Sin stared at her, unable to believe she would offer him her nickname. In that moment, he could almost
let himself dream of a life with her. Of sharing endless nights like this.
But in his heart he knew better. He wasn't the kind of man a woman like her needed.
"Do you want children?" The question slipped out before he could stop it.
She blushed. "Aye. I would love to have dozens of them."
His groin tightened at the thought. At the moment, he would love to offer his services, but that was
another thing he could never do.
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"And you?" she asked. "How many children do you want?"
"None."
"Not even a son?"
He shook his head. "I don't want any children. Ever."
"Why?"
Sin clenched his teeth. He didn't want children because he refused to bring anyone so defenseless into
the world. Look at her little brother. Her father was dead, and she and Jamie were left to the hands of his
enemies.
He would never take such a chance. Never allow a child of his to suffer.
"Men like me don't father children."
"Men like& " Her eyes grew wide and more color flooded her cheeks. She pulled away. "Forgive me,
milord, I didn't realize you preferred the company of other men."
Sin choked. "I most assuredly do not, milady. My desires are definitely toward women."
The humor returned to her eyes. "Oh. Well, you said "
"But I didn't mean it the way you took it."
"Then why don't you want children?"
"This subject is closed."
Callie realized he wasn't going to give her anything more than that. Very well; she would work on that
later. For now, she would focus on other things.
"What did you do today?" she asked. "You said you went into town."
"I was making plans to leave for Scotland."
Her heart soared. "You're taking me home?"
"Aye."
"When?"
"Day after tomorrow."
Joy ripped through her. Thoughtless in her excitement, she launched herself into his arms and squeezed
him tight as her heart pounded.
Sin sat in shock as she wrapped herself around him. No one had ever hugged him before. Not once. He
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swallowed at the sensation of her bosom flattened against his chest, of her breath on his neck and the
tenderness of her arms around his neck.
She felt wonderful.
Awkwardly, he placed his own arms around her. His blood pounded through his veins as his body
roared to life with a heated demand so fierce it left him breathless.
All he could think of was the warmth of her body on his, the way her cheek felt pressed against his.
Before he realized what he was doing, he tilted her chin up with his hand and lowered his mouth to her
parted lips.
Sin moaned at the taste of her mouth. The feel of her breath mingling with his as her tongue hesitantly
swept against his. She smelled of woman and lilacs, of pure, blissful heaven. He cupped her face in his
hands, and just inhaled the scents and feelings of the only tender moment he'd ever known.
His blood rushed in his ears as his body burned for her, and it took every ounce of his strength not to
unlace her gown and sample more of her.
Sample all of her.
Callie's head swam at the taste of the man, of the power of his arms around her. His tongue teased hers
relentlessly. A deep-seated ache threatened to overwhelm her as he stirred feelings and sensations in her
body she'd never before known.
His arms tightened around her body and she could feel the muscles of his back flexing beneath her
hands. Goodness, but he was all solid muscle. All manly power.
And she wanted him in a way she'd never wanted anything. The female in her awoke with such a
ferocious demand that she was stunned it didn't incinerate her. What was this fire inside her? This ache
she had, to strip off his clothes and touch every part of him with her hands? Her lips?
For the first time in her life, she understood what her friends meant when they spoke in hushed whispers
about their husbands. No wonder they blushed and giggled.
Kissing was wonderful!
He ran his hands down her back to her ribs. Callie throbbed even more as she arched against him.
Instinctively, she rubbed herself against him. He answered her with an animalistic growl as he deepened
his kiss and moved his hand to cup her breast through the fabric of her gown. She moaned at the feel of
him.
Sin hissed at the way her breast overfilled his hand. At the way she tasted of such sweet innocence and
fire. Her hands sought out his body, stroking him, inflaming him. And all he could think of was laying her
back and&
He pulled back and stared at her half-open eyes. Her lips were swollen as she breathed raggedly. He
could just imagine how she would look in his bed. Imagine how it would feel to claim her.
Tomorrow, she would be his. He could take her then, over and over, until they were both spent.
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But in his heart, he knew that would never happen.
He would never allow that to happen.
"Why do you look at me that way?" she asked.
"What way is that?"
"Forlornly. You remind me of a wishful dreamer staring after something he thinks he can never have."
Sin blinked and forced all the feelings from his body as he released her. He gently extricated himself from
her and the temptation she offered. "I didn't realize I was doing that."
"You do it quite a bit, actually."
"Well then, I shall have to be more careful, shan't I?"
She leaned forward as if to impart a great secret. "I think you've spent way too much time trying to keep
anyone from seeing your emotions."
He snorted at her. "Except for you. You seem to be able to see into my thoughts with uncanny
accuracy."
"My father claimed it was my mother's blood. Legend has it her family came from the fey folk."
Sin looked away. "I don't believe in such tales."
"I figured as much. You strike me as a man who will only believe in what he can see or touch."
"Exactly."
"But you know, sometimes it's what you don't see that has the most power."
"Meaning?"
"Love for one thing. It's the most powerful thing on earth, and yet you can't see it or touch it. You can
only feel it."
He shook his head at her whimsical words. "Spoken like a true romantic spirit."
"You don't believe it?"
"Remember what you said. I don't believe in anything I can't see or touch."
"So, you've never been in love?"
"Nay. You?"
"Never."
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"Then how do you know it's so powerful?"
"Morna told me all about it. She has it for my father even though he's been dead nigh on three years."
Sin didn't like the direction of their conversation, so he sought to distract her to more familiar and
comfortable things. "I'm sorry about your father. How did he die?"
"It was an accident in battle. His horse threw him while they were under attack."
Sin picked at his food. He had seen many men perish in such a manner. "I'm glad you weren't there
when it happened."
"I wasn't, but poor Dermot was. He hasn't been the same since."
"That must have been terrible for him."
She nodded. "What of you? Were you there when your brother died?"
"Nay. I was in the Holy Land when it happened."
"Was it an accident for him as well?"
Sin swallowed. "Nay, he killed himself."
She gasped at the news and quickly crossed herself. "The poor lad. Why?" [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]