Created In Fire (Art of Love Series) by Donna McDonald Page A

Carrie told him, smiling into the dark.
    “Fine. I’ll take the concession because it’s hard to walk around feeling guilty all the time when I never meant to hurt you,” Michael said.
    Typical man , Carrie thought, but without malice. Michael might genuinely be shocked at how many of the women he’d bedded where she worked still hoped to win him back. Erin for sure was not going to be happy about their marriage. She had told Carrie many times that one day she and Michael would get together again because they were so compatible between the sheets.
    Yet even feeling resentful of his rationalization, the maleness of Michael Larson called to her anyway. While the attraction alone would never tip the scales toward him, his loyalty in front of her family had won him her respect today. The least she could do to show her gratitude was stop punishing him for a past neither of them could change.
    The least she could do for herself was give herself permission to take what he was offering.
    “Michael Larson, you are hereby granted dispensation from my resentment of your womanizing past. Stated dispensation will last for the duration of our personal arrangement. I’ll even let you amend the prenuptial agreement just so you have a way to hold me legally accountable to my promise,” Carrie said, trying to joke about it. “You may now seduce me. I know you like to be the one in control.”
    “Good to see you getting back to your usual bossy self,” Michael said dryly, stalling while he wondered how far dispensation was from the forgiveness he sought, and what Carrie really felt. Her words didn’t ring very true to him.
    “Bossy? Yes, I guess that’s fair. Kevin woke up the warrior woman in me today when he hit you,” Carrie said carefully. “Morning sickness has kicked my butt for a couple months now, but I’m tired of feeling sorry for myself.”
    “We all need a champion now and again. I’m glad I got to be yours today,” Michael said. “I’m thinking about adding dragon slayer to my business cards. I like the way it sounds.”
    Laughing when she laughed, Michael rolled over onto Carrie, forgetting her fragility as she wrapped her legs around him and pulled him down into her to hold him close. Their bodies were made to fit together every bit as well as their mouths did.
    “I’ve missed you every day we haven’t done this,” Michael told her.
    “I want you too, Michael,” Carrie said. “Just don’t ask me to pretend it’s more than that.”
    “Okay. If I have to believe you don’t want more than sex, then you have to believe that I want nothing more than to be buried inside you forever,” Michael told her sincerely. “Want to see my evidence? It’s pretty concrete.”
    Carrie laughed at his innuendo but had to agree with the description.
    Michael felt her heartbeat pounding in excitement against his as he pressed his whole body down on hers.
    “So, warrior woman, now that you’re feeling better—tell me what you want in bed so I can give it to you,” he demanded, bringing his hands to her breasts and kneading until she arched into them and moaned like he’d wanted earlier. “You’ve got about ten seconds to make your requests before I show you what a dragon slayer does after two months of celibacy.”
    Dizzy with desire, Carrie reached around Michael and slipped the loose band from his hair until it cascaded in a black curtain over both of them.
    “You,” she whispered, gathering handfuls of black silk as she closed her eyes in pleasure. “I want you.”
    Michael frowned as he worked on buttons, hooks, snaps and zippers as Carrie docilely stroked his hair. Her acquiescence disturbed him and had him growing more nervous with every barrier he loosened.
    When Michael finally paused long enough to notice Carrie’s expression, the look of awe on her face as she combed fingers through his hair had him tipping over the edge of rational, gentle behavior, and straight into hands trembling as they