She said, "I want you. I want this. Don't make me ask again." She tried to smile jauntily. "Or I might just get up and walk away."

"The hell you will." He started moving, thrusting slow, fast, long, short.

His hands moved under her, lifting her to every thrust.

The tempo was feverish, primitive, almost animalistic. Gabe's lips were drawn back from his teeth, his cheeks hollowed with strain.

Ronnie could hear herself pleading mindlessly as she met thrust with thrust.

When the climax came, it was like being torn from darkness into brilliant sunlight. She was scarcely conscious of Gabe's low cry as he gained his own satisfaction and collapsed on top of her.

Pleasure. Madness. Closeness. Bonding.

Forever.

SEVEN

"Well, that was a surprise." Gabe drew her into the hollow of his shoulder. "In more ways than one. Would you care to tell me how it happens you were still a virgin?"

"You didn't seem to mind at the time." She raised herself on one elbow to frown at him. "Or did you? Were you pretending?"

"I assure you it's impossible to pretend under those circumstances."

Her frown cleared. "I thought so, but I had to be sure. I'll be better next time. I promise."

"Don't. I don't think I could stand it." He pulled her down again. "You were quite enough as it was. I was just curious. You've led a pretty rough life. It would have been natural for you to take comfort where you could."

"I could never see what all the shouting wasall about." She suddenly giggled. "Until I started shouting myself. I wasn't very dignified, was I?"

"No. You didn't shout; it was more like a seductive moan, but dignified isn't how I'd describe you," he said thickly. "Passionate, beautiful, moving."

"Well, I did plenty of moving."

"Stop being flip. I'm trying to tell you something."

"What?"

"This." He lowered his head and kissed her on the lips.

Sweetness. Dawn after the storm.

She closed her eyes. "Oh, I like that."

"Then open your eyes and look at me."

Her lids slowly opened and she dreamily looked up at him. "You've got wonderful cheekbones. They photograph like gangbusters."

"I'm glad I have one feature you like." His eyes twinkled. "No, two."

"Definitely two." Sweet heavens, she loved him so much. She suddenly hurled herself into his arms and held him tight. "It was good, wasn't it? It was good and real and-"

"Shh, it was all of those things." He gently stroked her back. "Why are you so panicky?"

"I want it to go on. I want it to last." Sheadded quickly, "Forget I said that. I didn't mean it. It's the stupid kind of thing a woman who had just had her first man would say. You mustn't feel any pressure. I don't really-"

He stopped her with his lips. "I've felt pressure since the moment you walked into my life. Why do you think I didn't drag you into bed last night? Because I've never felt like this before. I feel as responsible as hell. I want to guard you and take care of you and be everything to you that you want me to be." He kissed her gently on the nose. "Even Daddy Warbucks."

"I never meant to make you feel like that," she whispered.

"It goes with the territory when you love someone."

She looked at him in shock that was comprised of as much fear as joy.

"It surprised me too," he said ruefully. "I liked my life the way it was. No strings and the only responsibility strictly on the professional level. Then you appeared on the scene and suddenly everything changed."

"Yes, it did." Her voice was muffled.

He feathered a kiss on her temple. "I'd appreciate a similar declaration."

So he could feel even more pressure and moreresponsible for her. So that he would be bound to her no matter how much it cost him. Dammit, she should never have lost control and triggered this confession on his part. No, she was glad she had done it, she thought fiercely. It might be selfish, but it couldn't hurt anyone for her to know he loved her. She could fix the rest.

She buried her head deeper in his shoulder. "I can't tell you something that's not true. I don't love you."

He went still. "The hell you don't."

"I don't," she insisted.

He lifted her chin with his fingers and stared down at her. "You're lying to me."

"I'm not lying." She forced herself to sit up and look directly into his eyes. "I like you. And I love this, but if that's not enough for you, I'll have to leave."

"What are you afraid of?"

"Nothing. I'm not afraid of anything." She reached for the veil, which had landed at the foot of the bed. "And maybe it would be better if I did go."

"The hell you will." He roughly pulled her back into his arms. "You'll stay with me."

Relief surged through her. She had been afraid he would let her go and she didn't think she couldsurrender him without giving herself a little time. "Not if you expect me to swear undying love for you."

"Dammit, you do-" He stopped, then said, "I don't know what's going on with that convoluted thinking process of yours, but I won't argue with you right now." His voice hardened with determination. "Just know this, Ronnie. I'm not going to let you go."

"I don't want to go." She paused. "Not yet."

He shook his head. "Never." He rolled her over on her back and parted her thighs. "This is it, Ronnie, the real McCoy. Get used to the idea."

"This is wonderful," Ronnie said when she could talk without gasping. "Like a roller-coaster ride, but the ending is better. I've always thought that gliding slowly back into the starting ramp sort of took something away. They should find a way to catch the cars in the chute like they do jet planes on aircraft carriers."

"Well, which am I?" Gabe lazily circled the areola of her nipple with an index finger. "A roller coaster or a jet plane?"

"Neither." She kissed him lovingly on the mouth. "You're the bee's knees."

"Sounds minuscule. I believe I'm insulted."

"Don't be. You're just right. Delicious." She sat bolt upright in bed. "Which reminds me. I'm starving. How do you expect me to absorb all these new skills if you don't feed me?"

"If I recall, you're the one who decided to postpone dinner."

"I regarded this as more important." She reached for the veil. "Where's the kitchen?"

"Good Lord, don't you know you're supposed to be languid after sex?"

"Who made that rule? I feel alive. I want to go out and move mountains."

He looked at her glowing face and then smiled. "Not now. The mountains are a good hundred miles away. Stay where you are. I'll bring you something." He got out of bed and went toward the closet. "It's chilly and at least I have a robe to wear."

"I'm not cold."

He shrugged on the white terry robe. "No, you're not, thank God. I'll be back in a minute."

She watched the door close behind him before jumping out of bed and running to the closet. She grabbed a white shirt from a hanger and slippedit on. It came almost to her knees, but at least it covered her. She rifled through a bureau drawer and came up with a pair of white crew socks and pulled them on.

She padded out of the bedroom and wandered down the hall until she heard the sound of metal against metal and zeroed in on the kitchen. Gabe was standing in front of the stove pouring an egg mixture into a frying pan.

"Can I help?"

He glanced over his shoulder. "Don't you ever obey orders?"

"Not if I can help it. Besides, I'm too restless to sit still and be waited on."

His gaze traveled over her. "That shirt looks better on you than it does on me."

"Then it must look terrible on you." She made a face. "I hate cutesy outfits. They make me feel like Debbie Reynolds or Sandra Dee."

"What do you know about them? I'd think they'd be before your time."

"Are you kidding? The only movie theaters I got to go to when I was growing up were those in outback villages where Rudolph Valentino was still considered a current heartthrob." She moved to stand by his shoulder and peered down at the omelet. "That looks terrific. I'm so glad you cancook. I'm terrible at it. But I can make coffee," she offered.

"Then do it. The coffeemaker's on the counter over there. The coffee's in the canister." He took plates from a shelf in the cabinet and set them on the table. "I take it I'm going to do all the cooking while we're here."

"If you don't want chronic indigestion." She poured water into the coffeemaker. "Jed tried to teach me once, but he gave up. He says there's something seriously wrong with my culinary aptitude. I just don't have the gift. If you cook, I'll wash dishes."

"Sounds fair." With a spatula he lifted the omelet onto a plate, cut it neatly in half, and shifted one half to another plate. "Sit down and eat. You're going to need your strength later."

"Braggart." She could feel the heat in her cheeks as she sat down at the table. It was weird how he could make her blush when no one had been able to accomplish that feat in years. "You'd better be the one to shore up your reserves. I've decided I'm a nymphomaniac."

"Then you've decided wrong," he said quietly as he started to eat. "You're loving and sweet and passionate and I have bottomless reserves where you're concerned."

Her smile faded as she looked at him. "That's… nice."

"More than nice. Extraordinary. You're not eating." He looked up and smiled faintly. "Protein, remember."

"Sure I am." She picked up her fork and started on the omelet. "And you're the one who needs the protein." She had a sudden thought. "But you can't have any of that coffee. Why didn't you remind me before I started that pot? You need to sleep tonight."

"My dear, if I don't sleep tonight, I guarantee I'll never sleep again."