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Doljen laughed, and he transformed into the most stunning man she’d ever seen. Her heart stuttered.
Lucifer was beautiful too, and look at how that turned out.
“You’re tougher than we’ve been led to expect,” he admitted.
She fought against the mote of pleasure that woke from his admiration. “I’m glad you noticed. Your presence is no longer required, then. You can run along.”
“Bernadette.” That supple note was in his voice again. His tone was caressing. The hairs on her neck rose. “You can’t get rid of me so easily. I’m going to get to know you. Fully. Personally.Intimately.”
He lifted her hair again and brought it to his nose as his stare drilled into her eyes. He sniffed it.
“You said you wouldn’t harm me.”
“Funny thing about what we think of as harm. When an addict can no longer have his drugs, the withdrawal is painful. Torturous, in some respects. He could argue he’s being hurt, when he’s actually growing healthier.”
Bernadette pressed her lips together.I can survive this. I will survive it.
“Children are the same, aren’t they? They rail against their parents telling them to eat fewer sweets, to keep clean, to play safely. They accuse their guardians of mistreatment, but it’s for their own good.”
While Doljen spoke, he released her hair. His fingertips skated down the voluminous sleeve of her gown, and up again. Pressing just enough to feel her arm within the fabric. Goosebumps greeted the contact.
“What you plan to do with me is mistreatment.”
“What is it you think I’ll do?” He walked behind her, his fingers sliding across a shoulder blade, her spine, the other shoulder blade. He stopped before her.
“You said you’d know me intimately. Since you’re touching me, I assume you mean sexual intercourse."
“Your lip curls when you talk about it. That isn’t a healthy response. Do you realize that?” He stroked beneath her chin, a caress as ephemeral as a butterfly’s wing.
“Sex with a stranger is far from natural.” She spoke between gritted teeth despite hating to show him any sign of her discomfort.
“Don’t worry. You’ll get acquainted with me. Then I won’t be a stranger.”
“I don’t care how familiar you become. I’ll hate it. It’s wrong.”
He leaned down so their faces were level. The warmth of his breath wafted over her lips, so close to his. His fingertips skated to the hollow of her throat, where her pulse beat wildly. “What’s wrong is shutting yourself off from the opportunity to love. As is refusing to give yourself fully, completely, to someone. Don’t you wish to share and allow others to share themselves with you as your god intended?”
For an instant, the vision of another man’s face replaced Doljen’s. A flash of hurt stabbed her heart.
“Blasphemer,” she choked.
A mocking smile slid his lips apart. “Let me remind you of a mandate from that which you worship. ‘Be fruitful and multiply.’ But let’s concentrate on who you lost. Or left you. Which was it?”
She gasped and staggered back a couple of steps. “What…how…”
“I recognize that look of betrayal, Bernadette.” He came close again, and the wall was suddenly at her back. She couldn’t retreat any further, and he loomed over her. “I too lost out on love. See? We already understand so much about each other.”
“I don’t want to understand you.”
“No?” His hands closed around her waist. Warmth radiated from the pressure in all directions. It was a man’s touch, a touch she’d once dreamed of.
“No.”
“We’ll find out.”
He was so close. Close enough that the heat she felt didn’t come from just his hands. Prophets, she could feel him right through her nightgown, the coarse fabric no protection. He stared down at her with the air of a predator. She was certain he’d tear her gown off and force her.
She was shocked when he stepped back and released her instead. “A meal will be arriving shortly. And a bed. I’ll talk with you again soon, Bernadette.”
