“You were hurt.”
He glanced down and shrugged. “It’s nothing. Just a scratch.”
Tentatively, she reached for him, stroking his chest with trembling fingertips. The instant she touched him, he froze. A harsh sound rumbled in his throat, and he closed his eyes. A tense second passed. And then he looked at her again, and she realized that he’d lost the battle to hold himself in check. Gently, he reached for her. And just as gently, she surrendered.
Six
From: [email protected]
Date: 2008, August 05 22:08 CEST
To: [email protected]
Subject: Marriage Contract, Premarital Conditions…My turn;)
Lazz, I’m a little concerned about how we will eventually end our marriage. Romanos don’t believe in divorce, and I have no intention of becoming the first to change that.
Counter-Condition #2: I would like to have our marriage annulled when the time comes.
Ciao! Ariana
From: [email protected]
Date: 2008, August 05 14:36 PDST
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Marriage Contract, Premarital Conditions…My turn;)
Is this open for negotiation?
L.
From: [email protected]
Date: 2008, August 06 00:19 CEST
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Marriage Contract, Premarital Conditions…My turn;)
Not even a little.
Ciao! Ariana
L azz cupped Ariana’s hips and locked her against him, a delicious slide of male against female. Before she could do more than catch her breath in a soft gasp, he slid under her shirt and upward until he hit hot, satiny skin.
“I’ve tried.” His voice contained the same raw, gritty quality as sandpaper. “I’ve done my best to leave you alone. But I can’t. If you still want me to honor your request, you need to say so. Now. While I can still stop what’s about to happen.”
Common sense struggled to override base desire. Her motives for refusing to make love to her husband were sound. They were part of her core values, as vital to her well-being as her heartbeat. In addition, Brimstone was missing. How would Lazz view her actions tonight if her father was unable to recover the stone?
It didn’t take any consideration at all. He’d be furious and might even wonder if she’d sacrificed herself on the altar, as it were, in order to protect her family. But in this moment, her need to complete the bond between them overrode every last sensible thought. Whatever connection had formed when they stood before the altar and first joined hands had slipped into her heart and soul and become as much a part of her as those values.
As hard as she tried to resist, she’d have an easier time convincing the tide not to turn or the sun to dim its flames. She wanted him. Wanted his hands on her. Wanted their clothes off. “Don’t stop. Please, Lazz. Make love to me.”
He shook his head, regret reflected in his expression. “I don’t think I know how to love.” He swept her up into his arms once again and carried her to the bed. He settled her onto the mattress and followed her down. “But you make me want to try. And I swear what I feel for you is unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.”
He didn’t give her time to respond, but lowered his head and took her mouth in a kiss so tender, so warm and life-affirming that any remaining resistance slipped away. She opened to him, welcoming him inward.
A delicious humming darted through her veins. “More,” she murmured.
“Anything you want.”
“You. I just want you.”
He reached for her, then hesitated at the last minute. “I just realized. I have no way of protecting you.”
She stared blankly. “Protecting me?”
“From pregnancy,” he clarified.
She struggled to think straight, to admit—even to herself—that she’d considered that possibility over the course of the past week, despite her marital conditions. That she’d done the mental arithmetic…just in case. “It’s safe.”
He accepted her at her word. “Thank heaven for small miracles.”
He
He glanced down and shrugged. “It’s nothing. Just a scratch.”
Tentatively, she reached for him, stroking his chest with trembling fingertips. The instant she touched him, he froze. A harsh sound rumbled in his throat, and he closed his eyes. A tense second passed. And then he looked at her again, and she realized that he’d lost the battle to hold himself in check. Gently, he reached for her. And just as gently, she surrendered.
Six
From: [email protected]
Date: 2008, August 05 22:08 CEST
To: [email protected]
Subject: Marriage Contract, Premarital Conditions…My turn;)
Lazz, I’m a little concerned about how we will eventually end our marriage. Romanos don’t believe in divorce, and I have no intention of becoming the first to change that.
Counter-Condition #2: I would like to have our marriage annulled when the time comes.
Ciao! Ariana
From: [email protected]
Date: 2008, August 05 14:36 PDST
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Marriage Contract, Premarital Conditions…My turn;)
Is this open for negotiation?
L.
From: [email protected]
Date: 2008, August 06 00:19 CEST
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Marriage Contract, Premarital Conditions…My turn;)
Not even a little.
Ciao! Ariana
L azz cupped Ariana’s hips and locked her against him, a delicious slide of male against female. Before she could do more than catch her breath in a soft gasp, he slid under her shirt and upward until he hit hot, satiny skin.
“I’ve tried.” His voice contained the same raw, gritty quality as sandpaper. “I’ve done my best to leave you alone. But I can’t. If you still want me to honor your request, you need to say so. Now. While I can still stop what’s about to happen.”
Common sense struggled to override base desire. Her motives for refusing to make love to her husband were sound. They were part of her core values, as vital to her well-being as her heartbeat. In addition, Brimstone was missing. How would Lazz view her actions tonight if her father was unable to recover the stone?
It didn’t take any consideration at all. He’d be furious and might even wonder if she’d sacrificed herself on the altar, as it were, in order to protect her family. But in this moment, her need to complete the bond between them overrode every last sensible thought. Whatever connection had formed when they stood before the altar and first joined hands had slipped into her heart and soul and become as much a part of her as those values.
As hard as she tried to resist, she’d have an easier time convincing the tide not to turn or the sun to dim its flames. She wanted him. Wanted his hands on her. Wanted their clothes off. “Don’t stop. Please, Lazz. Make love to me.”
He shook his head, regret reflected in his expression. “I don’t think I know how to love.” He swept her up into his arms once again and carried her to the bed. He settled her onto the mattress and followed her down. “But you make me want to try. And I swear what I feel for you is unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.”
He didn’t give her time to respond, but lowered his head and took her mouth in a kiss so tender, so warm and life-affirming that any remaining resistance slipped away. She opened to him, welcoming him inward.
A delicious humming darted through her veins. “More,” she murmured.
“Anything you want.”
“You. I just want you.”
He reached for her, then hesitated at the last minute. “I just realized. I have no way of protecting you.”
She stared blankly. “Protecting me?”
“From pregnancy,” he clarified.
She struggled to think straight, to admit—even to herself—that she’d considered that possibility over the course of the past week, despite her marital conditions. That she’d done the mental arithmetic…just in case. “It’s safe.”
He accepted her at her word. “Thank heaven for small miracles.”
He
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