blaze of glory. Your life is going to be as fleeting and brilliant as an oil-soaked rag thrown into the fire. I prefer a slower burn in a man.
When death leers at you from every shadow, you look for someone dependable to hold the torch that lights your way. You, Romjha B'kah, want to wave it. You remind me too acutely of my own mortality."
Her chin lifted and she looked strong, but in that moment all she'd denied was revealed to him. He gave immediate thanks to the Great Mother, something he hadn't done in many years.
Taj loved him. And she feared that love with everything she was. Scrappy Taj Sai. Fear drove her denial now, just as guilt had driven him. She detested being afraid, and to beat it, she'd taken control of her life.
Taken control of everything. No wonder she was loath to let him in. She couldn't control him. The realization hit him head-on.
He'd been a fool, battling for her heart from the wrong vantage point, and with the wrong weapons. Armed with his new knowledge, he launched himself into the final battle with his infuriated lover. This time he would claim what was his, once and for all.
Chapter Eleven
Romjha released her. Taj stumbled backward, made fists of her hands and pressed them to her burning stomach.
He watched her, his long, powerfully muscled legs set apart in a wide stance, his handsome face utterly determined, his eyes unconquerable. But she could see the real man he kept hidden behind the warrior facade. Her heart fluttered. She k new what lay beneath.
And she was in love with both men.
Taj sucked in a breath as the knowledge exploded within her. Blast it all to hell! She was in love with Romjha B'kah.
She'd fought it for so long, confining her feelings to such benign terms as "admiration" and "respect" and
"affection."
Her pulse pounded; her hands shook. Fury sizzled out of every pore. She'd been in a bad mood for most of her adult life. But never had it been like this. Never had there been so much at stake.
Romjha's eyes were burnished gold, penetrating.
She scowled. "What in blazes are you looking at?"
He dipped his chin. "You."
Her frown deepened as his mouth curved inscrutably. "You use anger to defeat your fear," he said.
She felt her heart jerk in her chest. Crat. He knew. He k new she was scared. She took a swing at his face.
He caught her fist.
Snarling, she yanked her hand back. Her voice was low and deadly. "Get out of my head, Commander."
She turned away, muttering, "Trust me, it's a place you don't want to be."
"What makes you so sure?" he asked.
Her throat tightened. She could barely speak. "Because most times I don't want to be there myself."
He grabbed her by the biceps, dragged her close. "I don't think you understand. I want you, Taj. Inside and out. Everything." He spun her around and his mouth came down over hers.
She groaned and gave in to a new and uncontrollable hunger. The exhaustion of the past few days, the tension, the revelations—everything proved too much. The walls she'd erected to protect herself crumbled.
Romjha's arms closed hard around her, and she came apart. The terror and helplessness she so hated gushed out of the place where she'd long-ago stored it. She pulled her mouth away, buried her face against his chest and wept.
Distantly, she felt Rornjha crushing her in his arms. She clung to him as the full force of her fear tore at her, trying to drag her back into the dark abyss in which she'd wallowed after her father died. But she wouldn't do it. She wouldn't let it take her.
"I love you," she blurted out. Saying the words was almost an act of defiance, her last stand against the fear that threatened to render her helpless. "And it scares me to death," she whispered hoarsely.
Romjha framed her face in his hands. The dim light seemed overly bright. It took a few moments to see clearly, so long had it been since she'd wept. But when she could, she saw love shining in Romjha's incredible eyes. And something else. Something she could
When death leers at you from every shadow, you look for someone dependable to hold the torch that lights your way. You, Romjha B'kah, want to wave it. You remind me too acutely of my own mortality."
Her chin lifted and she looked strong, but in that moment all she'd denied was revealed to him. He gave immediate thanks to the Great Mother, something he hadn't done in many years.
Taj loved him. And she feared that love with everything she was. Scrappy Taj Sai. Fear drove her denial now, just as guilt had driven him. She detested being afraid, and to beat it, she'd taken control of her life.
Taken control of everything. No wonder she was loath to let him in. She couldn't control him. The realization hit him head-on.
He'd been a fool, battling for her heart from the wrong vantage point, and with the wrong weapons. Armed with his new knowledge, he launched himself into the final battle with his infuriated lover. This time he would claim what was his, once and for all.
Chapter Eleven
Romjha released her. Taj stumbled backward, made fists of her hands and pressed them to her burning stomach.
He watched her, his long, powerfully muscled legs set apart in a wide stance, his handsome face utterly determined, his eyes unconquerable. But she could see the real man he kept hidden behind the warrior facade. Her heart fluttered. She k new what lay beneath.
And she was in love with both men.
Taj sucked in a breath as the knowledge exploded within her. Blast it all to hell! She was in love with Romjha B'kah.
She'd fought it for so long, confining her feelings to such benign terms as "admiration" and "respect" and
"affection."
Her pulse pounded; her hands shook. Fury sizzled out of every pore. She'd been in a bad mood for most of her adult life. But never had it been like this. Never had there been so much at stake.
Romjha's eyes were burnished gold, penetrating.
She scowled. "What in blazes are you looking at?"
He dipped his chin. "You."
Her frown deepened as his mouth curved inscrutably. "You use anger to defeat your fear," he said.
She felt her heart jerk in her chest. Crat. He knew. He k new she was scared. She took a swing at his face.
He caught her fist.
Snarling, she yanked her hand back. Her voice was low and deadly. "Get out of my head, Commander."
She turned away, muttering, "Trust me, it's a place you don't want to be."
"What makes you so sure?" he asked.
Her throat tightened. She could barely speak. "Because most times I don't want to be there myself."
He grabbed her by the biceps, dragged her close. "I don't think you understand. I want you, Taj. Inside and out. Everything." He spun her around and his mouth came down over hers.
She groaned and gave in to a new and uncontrollable hunger. The exhaustion of the past few days, the tension, the revelations—everything proved too much. The walls she'd erected to protect herself crumbled.
Romjha's arms closed hard around her, and she came apart. The terror and helplessness she so hated gushed out of the place where she'd long-ago stored it. She pulled her mouth away, buried her face against his chest and wept.
Distantly, she felt Rornjha crushing her in his arms. She clung to him as the full force of her fear tore at her, trying to drag her back into the dark abyss in which she'd wallowed after her father died. But she wouldn't do it. She wouldn't let it take her.
"I love you," she blurted out. Saying the words was almost an act of defiance, her last stand against the fear that threatened to render her helpless. "And it scares me to death," she whispered hoarsely.
Romjha framed her face in his hands. The dim light seemed overly bright. It took a few moments to see clearly, so long had it been since she'd wept. But when she could, she saw love shining in Romjha's incredible eyes. And something else. Something she could
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