Page 73 of The Highwayman's Bite

A creaking sound made her lift her head. The window had blown open. She began to rise from the bed to close it when strong arms enfolded her.

“Not just yet,” Rhys whispered, pulling her into his lap. “It will be the death of me, but I’ll stay until dawn.”

Vivian couldn’t summon the words to voice her joy. Instead, she covered his face with kisses and plunged her hands in his long, silken hair. He removed her dress and worshipped every inch of her with his hands and mouth. She tore at his shirt, impatient to have him bared before her one last time.

As he thrust inside her, he looked down at her and smiled. “It feels so good to have you in a real bed.”

And have her he did, long and well. He had her a second time, and a third, giving Vivian more memories to cherish.

“I love you,” he whispered again and again as he held her in his arms.

She fell asleep listening to the beating of his heart.

But when she awoke in the morning, a ray of white light streamed through the window across place where Rhys had been only hours ago.

Vivian had never hated the sight of the sun as much as she did that moment.

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