“He was ready to embrace a radiant new world. She was ready to snap his head off.”

“She loved his laughter. She loved that he faced the world with a reckless smile on his scarred face. Her heart crashed against her chest. A revelation descended. A revelation unrelated to the desire heating her blood.”

“You promise to stop if I say so?" she asked doubtfully, even while she lay down."I promise. Though never trust anything a man tells you when he's got his head between your legs.”

“She shook her head. “No, Jonas.”“ ‘No, Jonas’ is all you ever say,” he responded with a hint of savagery. He knew he was unfair, but he was just so damned miserable.Her smile wavered into a warmth that calmed his anger. “Not always.”He shut his eyes as the memory of wild nights overpowered him. Good God, at this rate, he’d be bawling like a motherless calf.”

“Then she'd stared at him with those radiant blue eyes and asked him to let her go.And bugger, bugger, bigger, he'd suddenly imagined he was sodding Sir Galahad.”

“Miss Smith, your suspicions wound me,' he said with a smile. He drew her, stiff and unwilling, against his side. Immediately her warmth seeped into his veins. He’d known he’d missed her, but only now did he realize how much. 'I mean no harm.''You lie.''Often,' he agreed amiably, feeling the resistance leaching from her. 'Not this time.''I’m in no fit state to fight you,' she muttered, curving into him as if created to fit his body. 'I know,' he acknowledged ruefully, wondering why of all the women in the world, she was the only one who ignited any glimmer of chivalry in his soul. 'But it’s no fun when you just give in. I’ll wait until you’re up for another bout.'She hid her face in his shoulder. She inhaled on a shudder, as if she hadn’t taken a full breath in days. 'You’re an evil devil, Ranelaw.''Absolutely,' he said softly, firming his hold as she shifted, not away as she should, but closer.”

“The tension drained from her face and she softened in his hold until she was again the fluid, responsive woman who had kissed him within an inch of his life. This time he knew better than to restrain her when she slipped from the bed. He bit back an appeal for her to stay with him. If his life depended on it, he couldn’t say whether he wanted her to stay an hour, a day, or forever.”