murmured endearments and praise, each one landing in a distant region of her heart that
she’d reserved only for him.
She soaked up each touch, each word like parched earth starved for water.
And when he cupped her to him, sliding carefully into her wanting body, she
knew she’d never loved him more than she did at this moment. For so long she’d waited
to have him like this. Focused on her, seeing her, touching her and loving her as she
loved him.
This time he urged her to completion before taking his own, and only when she
quivered with the last vestiges of her orgasm did he sink deeply within her and hold
himself so tightly that she could feel the tension rippling through his body.
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THE TYCOON’S REBEL BRIDE
69
MAYA BANKS
SILHOUETTE DESIRE 1944
THE ANETAKIS TYCOONS
He dropped his forehead to hers, their lips just an inch apart as he dragged in deep
breaths. She tilted her chin upward so that her nose brushed against his, and then their
lips met in a sweet kiss that she felt to her soul.
“Better?” he murmured.
She smiled. “Better.”
Theron woke to a sweet female form wrapped tightly around his body. As he
opened his eyes and blew a tendril of dark hair from across his lips, he realized that
Isabella was more draped across him than wrapped exactly.
Her breasts were pressed to his chest, and one arm was thrown across his body
possessively. Her limbs were tangled with his, and she slept soundly, her soft even
breathing filling his ears.
Reality was swift to come, and with it, the weight of what he’d done. It wasn’t
unexpected, this guilt and resignation. He could blame it on passion, lust—a whole host
of things—but he knew the truth.
He’d wanted her and he’d taken her, and he’d certainly known what he was about
in the heat of the moment. Not once in his thirty-two years had he ever lost all conscious
thought when making love, and he wasn’t likely to start now.
He hadn’t even used a condom, and for the life of him he couldn’t dredge up a
plausible excuse for his stupidity. It wasn’t even that he didn’t have one on him at the
time. He lived his life in a state of preparedness, and he always had not one, but two
condoms in his wallet.
And yet he hadn’t stopped to get one, hadn’t protected her, and worse, it had been
a conscious decision. There was no one to blame in this whole mess but himself, and he
damn well knew it.
Carefully, he extricated himself from her warm body. He tensed when she gave a
soft little sigh, but then she snuggled back into the covers and settled down once more.
He strode to the bathroom to shower, aware that there would be consequences for
his choices. Already he was mentally preparing and making plans. Through it all, there
was an odd sense of peace instead of pained resignation.
Still, he dreaded all he had to do. And say.
Wrapping a towel around his waist, he walked out of the bathroom and recovered
the clothing he’d worn yesterday. Thankfully he always kept several changes of clothing
at his office. That would be his first stop.
As he was pulling on his pants, Isabella stirred, her long hair sliding over her
body as she turned and reached out her hand as though seeking him. His body tightened,
and arousal hummed through his veins, a soft whisper that grew louder as he stared down
at her.
She opened her eyes sleepily, blinking when she saw him. He reached down and
touched her cheek, smoothing a stray strand of her hair from her skin.
“There are things I have to take care of, Bella. Important things.”
He bent and kissed her softly on the hair, and then without another word, turned
and walked out of the bedroom.
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THE TYCOON’S REBEL BRIDE
70
MAYA BANKS
SILHOUETTE DESIRE 1944
THE ANETAKIS TYCOONS
Isabella stood beside the bed, wrapped in just the sheet, the ends clutched tightly
in her hands. She glanced down at the discarded washcloth, at the evidence of her lost
virginity, and felt an odd stirring deep in her chest.
Where had Theron gone? And would he be back? Or was she just the temptation
that finally became too much, and he was rushing back to Alannis to make amends?
She closed her eyes and let her chin fall to her chest. She didn’t want to be the
other woman. She didn’t like how it felt, didn’t want to be responsible for someone else’s
sorrow. But why should she place another’s over her own?
Feeling quiet sadness settle into her heart, she went into the bathroom to draw a
hot bath. Part of her ached—a delicious ache—and she couldn’t help but close her eyes