Once She Was Tempted by Barton Anne

Author:Barton, Anne [Barton, Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance
ISBN: 9781455513307
Google: gltvmgEACAAJ
Amazon: 145551330X
Barnesnoble: 145551330X
Goodreads: 17264557
Publisher: Forever
Published: 2013-01-01T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Etching: (1) An impression taken from an etched metal plate. (2) The process of fixing a memory permanently in one’s mind, as in The sweet, soft pressure of her lips on his would be forever etched in his memory.

Ben pulled Daphne toward him and raked his fingers through the loosened waves of her hair, as warm and golden as sunlight. He tasted her, her lips ripe as berries, her tongue like a tart straight out of the oven.

Daphne kissed him as if imaginary bindings had fallen away, leaving her free and hungry for passion.

He no longer believed she was humoring him. She really did desire him.

God knew he desired her. He could barely breathe for wanting her.

Somehow, with a few herbs, a bucket of hot water, and her soothing touch, she’d banished not only the pain, but the darkness as well. At least for a while.

And that was enough.

Deep inside him the suffocating blackness still lurked, but as long as she was here, it couldn’t touch him. Her goodness acted as armor against it.

So he tried to put all he felt for her into the kiss. Gratitude, certainly. Caring, too. And perhaps… No. He was not capable of that. Even if he were, she deserved better.

But he could give her a proper kiss. Or, more precisely, a wicked kiss.

He ran a hand up her rib cage, lingered just beneath the curve of her breast, then made circles around the rigid peak until she was breathless.

“Ben.” Her voice, raspy and thick, heated his blood. The little sounds she made in her throat drove him mad.

When he stroked a thumb over her nipple and deepened their kiss, she arched her back and melted into him. Ben could have lain with her like that—cheek to cheek and chest to chest—forever and a day.

Though he’d had no sleep or food in the last twenty-four hours, he suddenly felt like he could take on anything. Anything for her.

He wanted her fiercely, for his own.

Forever.

But today wasn’t the right time. And his bedchamber—which felt more like a sickroom at the moment—wasn’t the right place. If he were honest with himself, he wasn’t the right man. But he didn’t want to be quite that honest.

“Daphne.”

“Hmm?” She pulled back slightly and blinked as though waking from a pleasant dream.

“If we continue with this, you will end up hating me, and I couldn’t bear that, so—”

She shook her head. “I could never hate you.”

“You say that now. Trust me, you would.”

Her brow furrowed. “Why must you always contradict me?” But she couldn’t have been too angry because she slipped her hand inside his robe and across his chest as she kissed the side of his neck. She had no idea what her touch did to him. Or maybe she did. But if he didn’t halt her immediately, she was going to be naked in a matter of seconds.

“Stop.”

She froze, her warm, smooth palm still splayed over his stomach. Good God.

“It’s not that I don’t want you to stay,” he said.

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