have to move on."
"You're wrong." She reached out to him. "I need you tonight. I need you to make love to me."
His body visibly shuddered and she heard a muttered curse under his breath. He took in her skimpy nightie, the candles, and the seduction scene before him. Then shook his head. "No, I can't do this. I told you I've never made love to a woman before who's been hurt. And I don't want to now. You're only asking for this because you feel you owe me something. You've transferred some feelings because I was the one able to get you to accept a man's touch again. It happens often, but you'll get over it."
He was lying. The truth showed in his locked muscles, his face carved from stone, the hard bulge between his legs. His words were another form of protection, and Selina swore she'd do anything to make him admit he wanted her. As a man to a woman.
"I don't want to get over it," she said softly. "I want you to finish what we started. I'm not offering my body because I feel grateful, or sorry. So let me make this crystal clear." Selina trembled with the force of her emotions. "I want you as a man. Your body on top of mine, thrusting deep inside of me until I become part of you. Not as a friend, or a healer, or a damn shrink. Get it?"
His temper broke. With a low growl, he thrust one knee on the bed so he towered over her. The strength and dominance in his aura should have set her into a deep panic, but she trusted this man on a deep level and knew he’d never hurt her. Her eyes widened as he grasped her arm and yanked her in. His breath struck her lips with every deliberate word.
"You don't get it, do you? I can't belong to anyone because I belong to everyone. How do you think you'll feel when I leave your bed, night after night, to touch another woman? How would you like to be having dinner with me, when suddenly I vanish like smoke and don't return for hours? How would you like to be reminded of the stench of evil every time I come home to you, a memory you only want to forget? This won't help bring us closer. This will only tear us apart."
"Then I want tonight. Give me that and I'll let you walk away."
"Why?" He gritted his teeth as he shook her. "Why do you want this so bad?"
"Because I'm in love with you."
The calm words caused him to stagger back, a look of devastation on his face. Selina forced a smile at his complete shock. "I'm sure you hear that from many women you've helped. But I mean it, Dante. I love your very soul, and saying I don't won't change anything."
"You don't know anything about me."
His emotionless tone broke her heart. "Why don't you tell me?"
"What do you want to hear? That I watched my mother get beaten, raped and killed? That I was maimed so I could be reminded every day of my inability to save her? That she gave me a gift as she died in front of me - the ability to save women like her, but never enough to stay and fall in love with one woman? I'm a ghost with the power of fire, half in this world, and half in another. You belong in the light, Selina. You don't belong with me."
Silence descended. She studied the man before her, head bowed. His past had made him; scarred him; changed him. She may not be able to convince Dante they could walk in the light, but by God, the night belonged to him, and she'd make herself a permanent part of his world forever.
In one swift motion, she removed her nightie.
He sucked in his breath. Selina knew the glow of the candles bathed her flesh, highlighting the curve of her breasts, her hips, the dark curls hiding her sex. She remained still, letting him drink his fill, gorging on his intense stare that made her feel beautiful and precious and whole.
"I want you." Her voice trembled. "I want you inside of me, want to become a part of you. Just for tonight." She paused. "Please."
He closed his eyes in despair.
Then moved.
In seconds, he had ripped off his shirt and covered her body with his. She arched upward, loving the hard length of him cradling
"You're wrong." She reached out to him. "I need you tonight. I need you to make love to me."
His body visibly shuddered and she heard a muttered curse under his breath. He took in her skimpy nightie, the candles, and the seduction scene before him. Then shook his head. "No, I can't do this. I told you I've never made love to a woman before who's been hurt. And I don't want to now. You're only asking for this because you feel you owe me something. You've transferred some feelings because I was the one able to get you to accept a man's touch again. It happens often, but you'll get over it."
He was lying. The truth showed in his locked muscles, his face carved from stone, the hard bulge between his legs. His words were another form of protection, and Selina swore she'd do anything to make him admit he wanted her. As a man to a woman.
"I don't want to get over it," she said softly. "I want you to finish what we started. I'm not offering my body because I feel grateful, or sorry. So let me make this crystal clear." Selina trembled with the force of her emotions. "I want you as a man. Your body on top of mine, thrusting deep inside of me until I become part of you. Not as a friend, or a healer, or a damn shrink. Get it?"
His temper broke. With a low growl, he thrust one knee on the bed so he towered over her. The strength and dominance in his aura should have set her into a deep panic, but she trusted this man on a deep level and knew he’d never hurt her. Her eyes widened as he grasped her arm and yanked her in. His breath struck her lips with every deliberate word.
"You don't get it, do you? I can't belong to anyone because I belong to everyone. How do you think you'll feel when I leave your bed, night after night, to touch another woman? How would you like to be having dinner with me, when suddenly I vanish like smoke and don't return for hours? How would you like to be reminded of the stench of evil every time I come home to you, a memory you only want to forget? This won't help bring us closer. This will only tear us apart."
"Then I want tonight. Give me that and I'll let you walk away."
"Why?" He gritted his teeth as he shook her. "Why do you want this so bad?"
"Because I'm in love with you."
The calm words caused him to stagger back, a look of devastation on his face. Selina forced a smile at his complete shock. "I'm sure you hear that from many women you've helped. But I mean it, Dante. I love your very soul, and saying I don't won't change anything."
"You don't know anything about me."
His emotionless tone broke her heart. "Why don't you tell me?"
"What do you want to hear? That I watched my mother get beaten, raped and killed? That I was maimed so I could be reminded every day of my inability to save her? That she gave me a gift as she died in front of me - the ability to save women like her, but never enough to stay and fall in love with one woman? I'm a ghost with the power of fire, half in this world, and half in another. You belong in the light, Selina. You don't belong with me."
Silence descended. She studied the man before her, head bowed. His past had made him; scarred him; changed him. She may not be able to convince Dante they could walk in the light, but by God, the night belonged to him, and she'd make herself a permanent part of his world forever.
In one swift motion, she removed her nightie.
He sucked in his breath. Selina knew the glow of the candles bathed her flesh, highlighting the curve of her breasts, her hips, the dark curls hiding her sex. She remained still, letting him drink his fill, gorging on his intense stare that made her feel beautiful and precious and whole.
"I want you." Her voice trembled. "I want you inside of me, want to become a part of you. Just for tonight." She paused. "Please."
He closed his eyes in despair.
Then moved.
In seconds, he had ripped off his shirt and covered her body with his. She arched upward, loving the hard length of him cradling
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