“That if he were killed in the next few weeks, it would assuredly be near her. At her feet, in her bed. Inside of her.Unfortunately, that last thought just made him think that if he had to choose his final moments, beinginside Charlotte would really be the way to go.”

“Good morning.” His lips quirked. “I nearly expired from old age, waiting to see if you would actuallyknock on the damn thing. My heart couldn’t take it any longer.”She lifted her chin and stepped inside, brushing past him as she did so. “So you are saying that if only Ihad had a few beats more, I would finally have been rid of you?”She caught his lazy grin as she passed. “I plan to haunt you even in the afterlife,” he whispered, the air ofhis words brushing her ear, the door engaging behind her.”

“Oh!” This was said brightly, as if she was happy he had noticed. “I decided I needed my own workspace, instead of constantly infringing upon yours. So I had a few of the boys move a desk in here.”He stared at the petite, feminine, desk that was pushed against his. And wondered how the bloody hell she had managed to convince men who were terrified of him to move the desk inside his domain.“Absolutely not.” ***Two hours later, he was still scowling as she happily worked on . . . whatever the hell it was she was working on. Across from him. At her desk. How the hell . . .He remembered saying no. He remembered cursing. Threatening her unborn children. Then there was a sort of hazy period of smiles and calm words. Then she had touched the back of his hand with her naked fingers.And now, here he was with . . . her desk . . . pressed to his—surreptitiously watching her scratch her paper, the tip of her tongue poking from the side of her mouth as she worked.”

“You are the least sane person I’ve had themisfortune to meet.”The corners of her eyes pinched a little, just for thebarest second, then cleared. “Well, there are plentymore people for you to meet, Mr. Merrick, so do notgive up hope yet.” But the tone of her voice was fartoo cheerful.He watched her for a moment. Watched as herface cleared of anything remotely hurt or upset. “Doyou object to being called insane or my saying that Ihad the misfortune of meeting you?”“Neither, of course.”He drummed his finger on the desk, irritated and,God, how did people live feeling guilty about things?“You are just fine as you are,” he said gruffly.Her expression froze for a moment, then bloomedinto a smile that would slay demons.”

“She gifted him with that soft smile. And it did thatstrange thing to his insides. He would probably leada revolt against the king if she asked him to do itwhile wearing that smile.”

“Shetouched his hand, and he went stock-still. Sheleaned over to examine it, the top of her headbrushing beneath his nose. Only his suddenimmobility stopped him from violently pulling away.“From the candles?” Had she bathed in bloodyhoney?”

“...Go somewhere else. Somewhere safer.”Anywhere else. God, please. Or he was likely to do something horribly awful, like surrender his sanity and kiss her.”