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a safe place where we can bathe and rest."

She wanted to just let go of him and drop to earth and shatter. Did other women feel this way? Wanting to please him, to do what he asked and yet feeling so terrified she couldn't breathe? And what was he asking? A simple thing. Bathe and rest. He hadn't said anything else. She could never, ever give her body to him. Not him. A shudder went through her body. Mutely, she shook her head.

He heard the quick intake of her breath as he lifted her. "Courage," he whispered against the nape of her neck. She didn't fear the method of travel he chose, he knew that. He also knew she didn't fear him--not Dominic the warrior. She trusted him or she never would have entered into battle with him. It was Dominic the man she feared, and he was the one who needed to earn her trust. More than anything else, he wanted all of her. He knew his need was selfish, but he'd had very little brightness in his life, and Solange shone like the brightest of stars. He took her into the skies, her body locked to his.

Solange jammed her fist into her mouth to keep from protesting. She didn't want to do anything wrong, but if she didn't have an idea of how to act, she was bound to make a mistake. Her cat prowled back and forth, one moment purring contentedly and the next hissing and growling as she sensed Solange's growing terror.

How was she going to shed her clothes in front of him? Why hadn't she listened to MaryAnn when she was trying to help Solange learn to be more girly?

He leaned into her and stroked his tongue over the exact spot where he'd taken her blood. Her mind lost its train of thought. Heat flooded between her legs. Her stomach muscles bunched beneath his palm and her breasts suddenly felt full and aching. On top of everything else, she was going to react to him like a cat in heat. Except . . . she could never lay with him, never give herself to him because he would swallow her up, leave her with nothing.

He nuzzled her neck. Stop thinking and just let yourself enjoy what is left of the night. Relax into me.

She was holding herself stiffly, terrified of feeling his immense strength, petrified of the commitment just accompanying him meant. How much further would she go to please him? Would she lose her sense of herself?

Is it so difficult, kessa ku toro --my little wildcat, to relax for me?

Was it? She was being silly. She took a deep breath and let it out. She forced her eyes open and looked up at the night. They were out of the heavy canopy in open sky. High. Higher than she'd ever been before. She'd never been out of the rain forest. She'd never flown in a plane. For a moment she was frightened and she clutched at him.

Spread your arms out, minan-- my own.

She swallowed hard. There was that low purr in his voice, as if all she had to do was stretch her arms out like wings and she'd please him beyond anything else. Was it so simple? She had to trust him to keep her from falling. She'd trusted him in battle implicitly. Of course he would keep her safe. It was ridiculous to think that he wouldn't. And she would have the experience of flying, for maybe the only time in her life.

She let out her breath and pried each finger from his arm. Only then did she realize she was hanging on to his forearms with her claws. She gave a soft inarticulate cry, ashamed.

No worries, little cat. Just let go and fly with me.

It was a seductive whisper. She felt the warmth of his breath on her neck somehow giving her reassurance. To please him--to say she was sorry for inadvertently hurting him--she let go and spread her arms to the wind as if she were a great bird. The wind touched her face and ruffled her hair. Above her was a sea of clouds, rolling and turbulent, but so beautiful. Around her was open sky. Below her were the tops of the trees, some shooting past the thick cover to emerge triumphantly from the crowd. The earth below dazzled her eyes. She'd never felt so free in her life.

His mouth nuzzled her neck, a whisper really, yet she felt