"Too tight," hemuttered. "You have to be fight—" His hips thrust powerfully forward.
At the sudden pain, her teethsank into her lower lip to keep from crying out.
His head snapped up and helooked down at her. "No!"
He was sheathed deep withinher, a part of her yet not part of her.
His light eyes blazed down ather. "I can't stop, dammit. It's too late now. I have to go on."
"I know you do." Sheswallowed. The pain was going away, leaving only an ache for completion in itswake. "I know... "
"You don't knowanything," he said harshly. "I wish to God you did." He drew ashuddering breath. "Jesus, this is going to—killme." He drewout and then thrust gently forward.
Gentleness, care, skill. Shecould sense the stormy violence brimming beneath the surface, and yet everymove was controlled, disciplined.
"Ruel… "
"Be quiet," hegrated between his teeth. "I have to think about what I'm doing." Helaughed desperately. "And not doing. Are you all right?"
"Yes."
"Then I'm going to takethe next step." He flexed, drew out, and then sank fast, hard like a swordthrust.
She gasped, her gaze flying tohis face.
His eyes were now unseeing,his lips heavy with sensuality, his expression revealing the same mindlessnessas she felt.
"Good," he saidhoarsely. "Now hold me, I'll try to have it over fast. Ride it out."
He exploded in a flurry ofmotion, thrusting, plunging.
Her fingers dug into hisshoulders as she held on as he had bid her. Dear heaven, what was happening toher? Total possession. She felt chained to him in body and response. Shecouldn't stop herself from taking, yielding to his every move, his everycommand. She was held captive by the pleasure, the need that kept soaringhigher and higher...
The pleasure mounted, crestedand then…
Was she screaming? She wasn'tsure of anything through the heat haze enfolding her.
He tensed, his back arching,and an expression of unutterable pleasure stamping his face. Then he wascollapsing on top of her, trembling as if he had the shaking sickness.
Dangerous... The thoughtemerged through the mist of languor and exhaustion enfolding her. She had beenright to resist Ruel, wrong to yield. It was too powerful.Hewas toopowerful.
She became vaguely aware ofRuel shifting off her, using to his feet and moving toward the far end of thecar.
"Where are yougoing?" she murmured. Dear heaven, she felt as limp and weak as if she hadbeen ravaged by the torrent pouring through Sikor Gorge.
"Lighting thestove." He knelt beside the pot-bellied ceramic stove and opened the door.
"Are you cold?" sheasked wonderingly. Her own body had never felt warmer, more heavily ripe.
"No." He lit thecoal and swung the door shut again. "But we may be here awhile and I don'twant you chilled. God knows I feel guilty enough without that burden." Hestood up and strode toward her. "How do you feel? Are you sore?"
"A little." She satup and brushed a tendril of hair back from her temple. "It was... morethan I expected."
"You were more than Iexpected too." He grabbed a paisley silk couch throw from the divan anddraped it around her. "And I have no liking for it."
Even through the mellow hazesurrounding her she became aware of the grimness of his tone. "You'reangry."
"I didn't wantthis." He dropped down on the rug, his hands tightly linked around hisknees. "It's a complication. You weren't supposed to be a virgin, dammit.I don't want the responsibility."
