in the corner. The shadows stretched long across the Persi
ured a generous amount of amber liquid. He didn't offer Clora a drink. He just turned and
them discreetly on her nightgown. The silence was suffocating. Sh
rink, his gaze heavy and as
ting per
n't believe her. Of course he d
ders slump. She had to commit to the bi
erves. "Every word? That's funny. Just three days ago, you were screaming that I was
ushed off the bar and walked toward her. Each step was del
orced herself to hold her ground. She couldn't show we
orce of his presence pushed her back. One step. Two step
nted one hand flat against the wall beside her head, caging her in. The hea
warm, smelling of expensive whiskey and mint. His eyes w
red, his voice a low, dangerous rumb
his eyes, the hardened edge of a man who trusted no one
ng drastic. Something
bed the lapels of his suit jacket, pulling herself up on her tiptoe
he kiss of a woman throwing herself off a
y locked up. For a split second, he was c
e beast
control of the kiss, his mouth moving against hers with a brutal, punishing force. I
g, his lips demanding. She felt like she was drowning, unable to catch a breath. But she di
ght actually pass out from l
His lips stopped demanding and started... searching. His grip on he
eyes were closed, but she could feel the tension radiating from him, a lifetime of sleepless nights and
disoriented. He wasn't accusing her; he sounded gen
oward the large leather sofa nearby. He practically fell onto it, pulling her down with him. He landed heavily on the cushions, his head lol
wave of peace, and had only succumbed once he was off his feet. Essex Langley, the insomniac tyrant who barely slept three h
She had known about his insomnia, the pills he took, the doctors wh
touch, somehow the one thing that could shut off his racing mind? She looked down at the dark head resting nea
ully formed, not yet a weapon, but a seed of an idea. This was more than a
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