“His heart felt dangerously full, for the first time in years. That dried-up battered organ, suddenly flush with love. It could kill him.”

“At first, she could not talk. Perhaps it was the sudden bumpiness of love she felt for him. Or had she always loved him?”

“I peeked up at him one more time, and regretted it. He was glaring down at me again, his black eyes full of revulsion. As I flinched away from him, shrinking against my chair, the phrase if looks could kill suddenly ran through my mind.”

“Looking back at him was a man who was battered and broken.And alive, for the first time in his life.”

“Jack has been cracking the whip. Er . . . I mean . . .” I flush and fall silent.Christian says nothing for a moment.“Cracking the whip, eh? Well, there was a time when I would have called him a lucky man.” His voice is full of dry humor. “Don’t let him get on top of you, baby.”“Christian!”

“And she felt raw with love for him-her possessive, protective, warrior knight; her dangerous lord who had given his heart over to her to protect to keep safe. ”