He shuddered and hugged her, stealing her breath with the power of his embrace. “I went to prison,” he admitted harshly. “I guess you don’t know me as well as you thought.”
She covered his hands with hers, trying halfheartedly to remove them. “Please, Talon, don’t do this. Not this way.”
“What way then?” He moved his hips against hers, and his scent enveloped her. He smelled sinfully good, a mixture of soap and sea. “Would you have me beg? Because I would.”
She shook her head, past coherent speech. His lips moved against her neck, his long, elegant fingers working their tender magic on her breasts.
“Daniel doesn’t care. You know it as well as I do. He doesn’t want you. He doesn’t need you.”
“And do you need me? Will you ever give a thought to me once this passion between us has been spent?” She was crying, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“I need you like I need air to breathe.” He turned her in his arms and tenderly kissed her tears away. “You’re a fire in my blood. I could never get enough of you. Never.”
It wasn’t quite the answer she’d hoped for, but it no longer seemed important. She wound her arms around his neck and kissed him back, straining to get closer, offering herself to him without guile or hesitation. It was wrong and she would probably burn in hell for her weakness, but she didn’t care.
In a blinding flash, she realized how much she loved this man. Loved him with all her heart and all her soul. She was running out of time, and she wanted this one night for her own. One night of passion and love to sustain her through all the long, lonely years to come.
She didn’t want to spend the rest of her life wondering what she’d missed.
“Make love to me,” she whispered. “I need you, too.
