Page 73 of A Remarkable Rogue

She broke with a soft cry. Pleasure cascaded over her in throbbing waves, and she had no more strength than to lie boneless and let it seep over her. Never—neverwould another man ever make her feel like this.

He moved back up her body with the same attention he’d given her when he’d moved down it. When he reached her lips, the kiss he gave her held so much tenderness that it shook her to her soul.

“Nate?” she whispered.

“Yes, darling?” He placed a delicate kiss on her nipple.

“Please don’t leave me tonight.” Her fingers trembled as they stroked over his chest. “I couldn’t bear it.”

***

Nate stilled, his mouth lingering against her warm skin. Her soft plea nearly undid him.

He closed his eyes. The frantic urgency to make love to her that had consumed him earlier was gone now, replaced by something deeper, something tender…something that confused the hell out of him but that he knew his heart wanted.

He felt a soft tickle against his cheek.

He looked down to find her staring uncertainly at him, with her fingertip caressing lovingly along the side of his face. When he gazed into her emerald-green depths, he was lost.

“I’m not going anywhere until dawn,” he said quietly.

Her arms circled his shoulders, and she buried her face against his neck, as if to hide the happiness that small concession brought her. Could she feel his heartbeat against her lips, the quickening of his pulse, the heating of his blood? Did she realize what she did to him, how she laid waste to his senses and left him helpless?

Even now, she had him shaking.

He rolled onto his side and brought her up against him, her back to his front, and folded his large body protectively around hers.

She nestled against him. Now that she was in his arms, the fatigue of the last few days—and nights—overcame her, and her eyes closed heavily.

He lost track of time as they lay together silently like that, long enough that the fire died away. When he reached for the blanket to cover her to keep her warm, she responded with a half-asleep sigh.

“You’re exhausted,” he murmured. His chest tugged with concern, and not without a little guilt, that he was the reason she was so spent.

“Just…a little…tired.”

He grinned at her lie and nuzzled his cheek against her bare shoulder.

He listened as her breathing grew deep and even, and her body softened against his. She drifted in and out of dreamy unconsciousness. Soon, she’d be asleep in his arms.

“Go to sleep, darling,” he assured her. “I’ll watch over you.”

“You…always…” she whispered in words slurred from fatigue, “do.”

Her sleep-fogged mind meant in London, those nights when he’d kept guard in her garden. Those same nights that now seemed so very long ago. His smile faded. “I won’t let anyone harm you or Robert, I promise.”

She lay still, her breathing so soft and even that he thought she’d already fallen asleep. But when he brushed his lips against the back of her neck, she trembled.

“I…can’t…” Her quiet voice trailed off as she hovered on the precipice of sleep, completely unaware of what she was saying.

She was exhausted, barely able to hold on to consciousness and make sense with her whisperings. But he couldn’t resist asking, “Can’t what, darling?”

“Love…you.” The words were a soft breath on the darkness, so faint he almost couldn’t hear her, but his heart heard every word. “But…I do…”

Then she fell asleep with a sigh. Her body went limp against his as unconsciousness finally overcame her.

Not moving a muscle, Nate watched her sleep in the darkness. She breathed deep and even in his arms, but he had no idea how to slow the sudden somersaulting of his heart or free the tightening knot in his throat.

Love?Impossible.