“I’m…I’m…”
“You’re what, my dear?”
Her spine touched him, and heat flowered between their bodies, licking its way up from his kneecaps to his ears. Dear God, he wanted this woman.
“I’m—damaged, Perry. I’mugly.” She sighed out the words.
Silent for a moment, he fought to find the right response. Then he surrendered to his own need.
He turned her to face him, and looked into the saddest pair of eyes he’d seen in—well, ever. This would not do at all. “Are you?” he asked. “Are you really?”
She swallowed and nodded, but did not stop him from putting an arm around her and drawing her into his embrace.
“If you were as ugly as you seem to think, Grace, would I want to dothis?”
His free hand slipped beneath her chin and raised it so that his lips could claim hers. Which they did.
Enthusiastically.
And the next moment, his body ignited into an inferno, the likes of which he’d never experienced before.
