Tessa Dare

It's never been my desire to conquer you, Amelia. If you leave this room with me, it must be at my side. As my wife, my lover, my partner ..._ His thumb brushed her lip. __y dearest friend.

It was only a matter of time. She would love him before the week was out and it would be gloriously terrible, wonderfully hopeless.

I love you, Jeremy.__e still felt it, that wince of doubt. The urge to push her away. She said it so simply. As though there was nothing easier, more natural in the world. The words themselves hung in the air, so tiny, so bare.Jeremy felt as though she__ thrust a frail, delicate, birdlike thing into his big, clumsy hands, charging him to keep it safe. And God forgive him, his first impulse was to shove it away. He would destroy it, surely. In his desperation, he would grasp it so tightly it would break into a thousand pieces__nd his own heart would break along with it.

He rubbed his hands up and down, warming her. __hen that__ all you need to know. I have you. If there are beasties in the dark, they have to get through me.

The love of books was an instant connection, and a true boon for a girl who tended toward shyness, because it was a source of endless conversation.

Prithee," He protested, "if thou wouldst waiteth a goddamned second-

Why must this be so mortifying? Oh, that's right. Because its my life.

No, no. Don't make that face. Every time I propose to you, you make that twisty, unhappy face. It wears on a man's confidence.

Squabbling over too little is just human nature. But it says a great deal about a person, what they do with abundance.

Oh no. Don't smile. You'll kill me. I stop breathing when you smile.

This was her body. She had learned to take pleasure in it, even if no man had ever done the same. It was curved and generous and womanly and strong, and it was formed to do more than decorate a drawing room, or transfer wealth from one gentleman to another.She was made to tempt, labor, inspire, create, sustain.Despite the way Rafe held her bound in his grasp, a sense of power moved through her. For once, she could revel in her femininity and feel it as something other than a disadvantage to be overcome. A quality to be respected, worshiped. Even feared.

At some point, while you were roaming the globe, making treaties and dividing the spoils of war, I quietly declared my own independence. I am the sovereign nation of Clio now. And there will be no terms of surrender.

Have you been kissed before?_ __ don__ know whether to say yes or no. Which answer will make you do it again?_ __h, I__ going to do it again._ His thumb stroked her cheek. __ust wanted to know how slow to take things._ __ little faster would be fine.

At least you've brought gifts. What's in the basket?"She rummaged through the contents. "A few sweetmeats and lozenges. Packets of raisins. But mostly it's Aunt Thea's surplus cosmetics and remedies. She sends away for every product advertised in every ladies' magazine. I like to see them put to some use."He blinked at her. "These are your gifts?""Your men have depleted our stores of food, and I didn't have time to prepare anything else.""What are they supposed to do with-" he held up a brown bottle and peered at the label- "Dr. Jacobs' Miracle Elixir?" He plucked a small jar out next. "Excelsior Blemish Cream?""Women are women, Logan. Every girl needs a bit of luxury and a chance to feel pretty now and then.

Kate realized she had a grave problem. She was infatuated. Or mildly insane. Possibly both.

I never thought Greek philosophy could make a damn bit of sense to me. And most of it didn't, but those words just seemed right. 'Love is composed of a single soul, inhabiting two bodies.'" He took her by the shoulders drawing her close. "It rang true for me, in a way nothing else did. Whatever soul I had, Katie, I think I placed it in your keeping twenty years ago. And now, it's as if...every time we kiss, you give a little piece of it back.

Then she sighed. Just the faintest, softest release of breath. The sound swept through his chest like a hurricane, with the force to topple trees.

It started to rain. Fat, heavy drops of summer rain - the kind that always struck her as vaguely lewd and debauched. Little potbellied drunkards, those summer raindrops, chortling on their way to earth and crashing open with glee.