Page 129 of Her Beast

Malcolm dropped his hand and put some physical distance between them. “We can stop right here and now, Julia.”

“You mean—”

“I mean I’m grateful for the kisses. You needn’t do anything more to please me.”

Her brows knitted and she blinked her stained-glass blue eyes rapidly, as if she were fending off tears.

Good Lord.

“Iwantyou,” he assured her, relieved when her anxious expression eased a little. “Christ knows I want you,” he muttered more to himself. “But I’ve abducted you, forced you to stay in my house, exposed you to, er, lurid behavior, and now—”

“I’m young, but I’m not ignorant, Malcolm. Soon—too soon—I will be married to a man who despises me and doesn’t even want to look at me.” She took his hand. “Please, I w-want this, Malcolm.”

Her begging went straight to his already eager cock. Malcolm gritted his teeth. “You want what, Julia? To throw yourself away on a scarred, debauched old man who abducted you?”

Julia bit her lower lip but couldn’t hide her smile. “You’re notthatold.”

Malcolm barked an appreciative laugh. “You little witch.”

She moved her hand to his knee and every muscle in his body tightened, as if she’d grabbed his ballocks.

“I am a woman and I know what I want. I want to be with a man who wantsme.And I wantyou.

Malcolm growled like the beast he was, grabbed her waist with both hands, and lifted her onto his lap.

She gave a surprised yelp but didn’t resist. Indeed, once he’d settled her across his thighs she wiggled against him, like a small cat getting comfortable.

Malcolm ground his molars when her lush bottom rubbed against his hard shaft, visions of flipping up her skirts and plunging into her battering his self-control.

Patience.

Yes, well that was easier said than done.

She reclined against the arm that cradled her, her soft blue eyes flickering over his face, settling on his mask.

“I want to see you—Malcolm, all of you.”

∞∞∞

Julia felt his massive body stiffen beneath her. And not in a good way.

“No.” His tone was cold and she could almosthearthe slamming of doors as the warmth leaked from him gaze and his eye shuttered.

“That’s not—”

“Fair?” he guessed.

“I was going to say that’s not very flattering to me.”

“I don’t follow that logic.”

“Do you think I would agree to—to bewithyou and then change my mind when I saw your scars?”

“That’s not why I saidno.”

“Then,why?”

“Because it is not something anyone should have to see.”

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