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softly. "Show me your breasts first."

She straightened and looked down. The low neckline had a drawstring. She began to tug it loose, then with a wicked smile, she took three blossoms from the bowl and tucked them there, between her breasts.

Cold water trickled down her belly as she turned back to him, carefully unfastening the tie. She moved the silk down, letting the blossoms slide lower until they nestled between her naked breasts, which were pushed up by the neckline running tight beneath them. The darkness of his eyes and the warm perfume made her sway.

"I like this," she said, meaning the look in his eyes.

"So do I. Come here. Just like that."

Chapter 16

She knew she would feel less wanton naked, but she obeyed, enjoying feeling wanton with him. When she was close enough, he grasped the fullness of the front of her shift and drew her closer, eyes fixed on the flowers between her breasts.

The still desire in his face, the strong pull of his hand, started the tingle inside that she knew was desire. Desire she could finally satisfy tonight.

If she found the courage.

According to Elf's pamphlet, this close to her courses she was unlikely to become pregnant. But it wasn't certain. Nothing was certain. It would be an extreme, unnecessary risk to him and to her.

His lips brushed breasts and blossoms, and she heard him inhale slowly. Her hands rose of themselves to cradle his head there, her rings sparkling among his dark hair. His tongue stroked across to her right nipple, and she inhaled. Their eyes met, and it was as if he read her wonder. He smiled, then licked, then gently sucked.

She gasped, and he tumbled her onto the bed. His mouth played against her breasts again, teasing and sucking one then the other until her head was swimming and her muscles went limp.

"This isn't fair," she gasped.

His mouth stilled against her skin. "You want me to stop?"

"Never. That's why it isn't fair."

"A potent weapon in the male arsenal. Something a woman can't do for herself."

She knew she was red again, but she wouldn't deny that she gave herself pleasure. "There are things a man cannot do for himself," she pointed out.

He smiled. "I love a well-read woman. But not tonight. Tonight is for you, Diana." He took one of the scattering flowers and stroked her with it, around her breasts, up her throat, across her lips, perfume dizzying her, then back down, to tease her nipples...

But then he stopped.

When she looked at him, he said, "You have to tell me now, whether you want to take risks or not."

"Or you won't be able to stop?"

"I will stop. But you can't decide this in passion, when you are beyond reason."

"I'm already beyond reason," she whispered, feeling her body's aching need, and a burning hunger simply for him. To be as close to him as humanly possible. She closed her eyes and savored the heat and hardness of his body against hers, the special smell of him, and her, and perfumed blossoms. "I've never felt like this before. Never."

"I'm glad. But you must choose, now."

She opened her eyes to look at him. "I can't."

"Then we take the safe path."

Inside, her body wailed, but she agreed. "The risks are too great."

"Yes, they are."

He silenced unborn protests with his lips. No handclasp of a kiss this time. A burning, branding kiss that arched her and set the world afire. She hooked a leg over him, feeling his erection hard between her thighs.

Oh, how she ached to surrender. But she could not. They could not. No matter how she burned.

She thrust her hands into his hair, and protested when he broke the kiss. But not when he slid down to put his mouth again to her breast. Silk and flowers in his hand slid up to rub against her other nipple and she released a choked moan of pleasure, burning with desire.

She'd been wrong. The risk was slight...

No!

He'd been right before.

She'd been right before.

Tangled in fear and desire, she felt his erection stir, and tensed, breaking the wonders that had been gathering.

He raised his head to look at her, the edge of his handsome features and the wave of his loose, dark hair, both gilded by the guttering candle. Lucifer. But Lucifer before the Fall.

"Trust me," he said. "For this brief while, my brave warrior maid, lay aside your burdens of power, dismiss your guards, and surrender in trust to me."

Caution clamored, instinctive and well rooted, but she