“Perhaps I was being picky, but I really didn’t think being able to spell orgasm without being spotted a vowel was asking too much.”

“Watching him, his hands buried in his pockets—to keep from circling her neck she supposed—she couldn’t help but marvel at the curious mix of Southern courtesy and male arrogance, the natural assumption he shouldered of being lawfully in control. “Engaging in a moral battle isn’t always hazardous to one’s health, you know.””Doesn’t look like it’s doing wonders for yours.””Saints be praised, it can actually be rewarding.”Looking over his shoulder, he halted in the middle of the room. “Irish.””I beg your pardon?””You. Irish. The green eyes, the tiny bit of red in your hair. Is Connor your real name?””Yes, why…” she said, stammering. Bloody hell. “Of course.””Liar.”She felt the slow, hot roll of color cross her cheeks. “What could that possibly have to do with anything?””I don’t know, but I have a feeling it means something. It’s the first I’ve heard come out of that sassy mouth of yours that didn’t sound like some damned speech.” He tapped his head, starting to pace again. “What I wonder is, where are you in there?”

“I looked at him like a stranger, someone I’d never seen before, and he looked at me like I’d been lost to him for a thousand years and finally found.”

“Angel clicked on a few more pictures on the screen, and Alex made small talk about the place. Then he finally walked away. He stopped just before walking out.“Did Valerie say anything else to Sarah?”Angel glanced back at him. “About what?”“You know about that guy she’s seeing.”Angel turned his attention back to the computer. “No, not really.”Alex frowned. He wasn’t one of those guys, so he wasn’t about to keep asking. If Angel knew anything, he’d tell him. He’d just have to wait until the rehearsal dinner.He started back out when Angel spoke up. “I’m not sure, because she didn’t actually tell me, but I overheard Sarah on the phone last night. It sounded like Valerie was telling her about him.” “Yeah, what did you hear?”Angel looked up trying to remember. Something seemed to come to him but he hesitated. “I don’t think you wanna hear it, Alex. I know I wouldn’t.”Alex squeezed the doorway with his hand. What the hell could he have heard? “Tell me.” Angel shook his head and looked back at the monitor. “Only reason I caught my attentions was because I overheard Sarah ask her something about wearing lingerie.”Alex felt the hair on the back of his neck rise and his gut tightened. He banged his fist against the doorway. He didn’t need to hear any more. Angel had been right that’s the last thing he needed right now. He charged back out of the office, infuriated with himself. Why the fuck had he asked?”

“Baby, where we’re going, you won’t need a shirt.”

“Ben was in his truck, window down, idling at the curb, dark lenses hiding his eyes from her, looking effortlessly big and badass.The way she wished she felt.”

“Oh dios mio, she makes me burn, she makes me need. She is etching herself into mi alma”

“She didn’t want soft and gentle. She needed his rough possession, claiming her, branding her, taking her in a firestorm of heat and flame that would end the world around them, leaving them nothing but ashes, clean and fierce and forever welded together.”

“Fuck me,” I whispered, giving him permission, taking him into my flesh, a soft invitation to madness.”

“Okay, first of all, I didn’t sleep with you to make amends. I slept with you because I wanted to.”He still didn’t say anything, and she pointed at him again. “And you know what? It was your own damn fault. It was those jeans you wear, and the tool belt. It was the size of your hammer!”

“I live for sex. I celebrate it, and relish the electricity of it, with every fibre of my being. I can see no better reason for being alive.”

“My panties were still on but he didn’t let that stop him, nosing them out of the way and tonguing my sex, making low, growling noises in his throat like a big cat purring with pleasure while it devoured its prey.”

“Oh diary, I love her, I love her, I love her so much. Jordana is the most amazing person I have ever met. I could eat her. I could drink her blood. She’s the only person I would allow to be shrunk to microscopic size and explore me in a tiny submersible machine. She is wonderful and beautiful and sensitive and funny and sexy. She’s too good for me, she’s too good for anyone! All I could do was let her know. I said: “I love you more than words. And I am a big fan of words.”

“Now turn around and go to sleep. I’m warning you that I plan to sleep with you in my arms all night long.”

“My toes are going to come,”-MariannThe Night Owl”