“Keep your shirt on," she said with a laugh at her bad joke. "Your clothes are at the laundry. They'lldeliver them as soon as they're ready.""And in the meantime?""Looks like you're naked."His jaw worked as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I beg your pardon?""Beg all you want, you're still going to be naked." Tabitha paused at the wicked image in her mind."Come to think of it, a gorgeous, begging, naked man… that's the stuff of fantasies. Begging won't getyou your clothes, but it could get you something else." She wiggled her eyebrows at him.”

“Looks like you’re naked.”His jaw worked as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “I beg your pardon?”“Beg all you want, you’re still going to be naked.” Tabitha paused at the wicked image in her mind. “Come to think of it, a gorgeous, begging, naked man… that’s the stuff of fantasies. Begging won’t get you your clothes, but it could get you something else.” She wiggled her eyebrows at him.”

“Give me,” she said.“Don’t you mean please give me?”“You want me to beg?”That smile spread slightly. “Nah. I just heard you beg plenty.”“I did not beg.” But she had. She so had. Still grinning, still naked, he pulled her against him and pressed his mouth to her shoulder. “My panties, Mark.”

“Where the devil did you get her?""I beg your pardon?""I said: the weather is getting better.""Seems so.""Who's the lassie?""My daughter.""You lie - she's not.""I beg your pardon?""I said: July was hot.”

“You’re practically begging for it, aren’t you?” he murmured.“No.”His chuckle rasped over her senses. “I like begging, Reagan.”“I’m not going to beg.”He was silent for a moment, his fingers still playing, and she wondered if she’d said the wrong thing. Then he said softly, “Damn.”

“Hungry for love, He looks at you. Thirsty for kindness, He begs of you. Naked for loyalty, He hopes in you. Homeless for shelter in your heart, He asks of you. Will you be that one to Him?”