"--than to make nice with ye."

"Hmm. Make nice. I like the sound of that. Could we explore thedefinition?"

The scathing look she sent his way made him feel like a long-tailed cat ina room full of rocking chairs. Yet danger had a certain intoxicating power he couldn't deny.

"If memory serves, you said I had a wee hint of a dimple and a glint in myeyes. Do I still?"

"I also said F d make ye sorry if ye persisted in proddin' me."

"And let me say you've accomplished that feat quite admirably. Never have Ibeen sorrier."

She stiffened.

Damn. He'd put his foot in his mouth again. Obviously, she had taken hisremark the wrong way. Where the hell had his finesse flown off to?

"I was kidding," he said, thinking himself insane to prefer her verbalabuse to her silent censure.

"I need no apologies from ye, and I want none, thank ye."

"Who said I was apologizing?"

That stumped her--for all of a second. " 'Tis regrettin' yer words, yewere."

"And don't you have any words you regret saying to me?" He could recitethem, if she had trouble recalling them all.

He bestowed upon her his most winning smile, certain to soothe any ruffledfeathers.

Yet no apology was forthcoming.

"Well?" he prompted.

"Well, what?"

"Have you nothing to say for yourself? Or nothing to say to me, rather?"

"And what could I possibly have to say to ye? Other than ye are a boorish,pigheaded, irritatin'--"

Nicholas drew Kdansk to an abrupt halt in a quiet side alley. A perfectspot to commit mayhem.

And if the girl didn't retract her words, mayhem was what she'd be getting.

"What are ye doin'?" she demanded.

A muscle worked in Nicholas's jaw. "You owe me an apology, and I'm notmoving another inch until I get it."

"An apology!" she shouted, attempting to shift around enough to glare athim. Finally, she tilted her head back, her hair puddling in his lap. "I oweye no such thing!"

He ground his teeth together. "Yes ... you do."

"I don't!" She tried to lift her head. His hand around her hair held her immobile. "Let me go!" she screeched.

He dropped his head forward, eye to eye with his irate pixie, and growled,"Not until you apologize."

For once, he had the upper hand. He had her trapped in a precariousposition, and beneath the layers of his anger, beyond his ever present desire,and betwixt his general confusion and the remaining shreds of his pride, hechortled with glee--and he was not a man known to chortle.

Dainty nostrils flared. "I wouldn't apologize to ye if ye were the last manon the face of the planet and sayin' those two words meant the differencebetween dyin' of thirst 'cause ye owned all the water or lettin' the elementsdry me into dust."

Nicholas's touted control began to slip in light of the girl's continualnudging, tweaking, goading defiance. He had rescued her not once, not twice,but bloody thrice.

And three times was a charm.

"Is that your final answer?" he asked, praying she'd say yes so he couldact, knowing what he wanted from her was driven more by desire than anger.

"Aye! Tis my final answer, ye arrogant pain in the arse."

A slow grin spread across his face. "Then this is my response."

Before she could draw a breath, he gripped her waist, lifted, shifted--andsettled her across his lap.

Facedown.

"What are ye--oh, ye wouldn't dare!" He was not going to paddle herbackside!

"Oh, but I would."

She flailed in protest and fury. A weighty arm settled across her shoulderblades. "The last man who dared lay a finger on me was nursing his wounds forthree months!"

"So you went easy on him, hmm?"

She screeched and the horse sidled. "Ye touch me and I'll carve ye intolittle pieces and toss yer mangy carcass to the four winds!"

He was unmoved by her threat, but never more determined. "You've beenasking for this since the moment I laid eyes on you. You've pushed me." Swat."You've prodded me." Swat. "You've beaten on me when your mother warned younot to abuse men." Swat. "You gave me swill that rearranged my vital organs."Swat. "And caused me to blot out what should have been a memorable evening."Swat. "You left me alone in bed and made me miss you." Swat. "You had mesearching the docks day and night to find you."

"Stop! No more!" A sob welled in her throat, more from humiliation then anypain his hand caused.

"Not until you apologize." But his words lacked heat, and she detected ahint of regret. Another swat to her behind was not forthcoming.

"I won't! I won't!" A tear slipped down her cheek.

"Damn," Nicholas muttered and quickly turned her over. Sitting her acrosshis lap, he pulled her to his chest. "God, I'm sorry." He sounded agonized. "Idon't know what came over me. It's just..." He shook his head, his armsholding her close, his face pressed against the top of her head. "Pleaseforgive me."

Sheridan's heart crumbled. She suspected her resistance would always waverwhen it came to this man. She sniffled, and hated herself for acting like aweepy female. She couldn't abide such women and vowed never to be one. But shecouldn't help herself. The tears flowed and they wouldn't stop.

Nicholas tightened his arms around her. "Did I hurt you, Danny? Pleasedon't cry. Hit me. Slap me. Do something. You're tearing me up."

She wiped her moist face on his nice clean shirt and hiccuped. " 'Tis justwhat ye deserve"--her bottom lip quivered--"ye brute."

"I know. I'm the worst sort of monster." He placed a finger beneath herchin and tilted her face up.

Sheridan's breath locked in her throat as remorseful green eyes stared downat her. She knew then as clearly as she had known that fateful night atPuddlebys that she would never be a match for this man. He was part of herheart and soul, no matter how much she fought it.

Gently, he stroked away a lone tear that escaped her lashes. "Tell me whatI need to do to make it up to you. I'll do anything."

Angry impulse made her want to tell him to jump in the Thames and pullLondon in over his head. Desire and longing, however, had a different idea.

"Ye ... ye can kiss me, I suppose," she murmured, anticipation andexcitement flooding her senses, making her realize that all the angry,prodding words she'd flung at Nicholas had been done with the hopes ofinciting him to action. She wanted his touch. She wanted emotion. She wantedhim. Only him. "Please," she breathed, " 'Twill soothe the hurt."

A heart-melting boyish grin edged up one corner of his lips, entrancing heras completely as it had the first time he'd bestowed it upon her.

"I remember another kiss that soothed my hurt. One I'll never forget. Let'ssee how adequately I can return the favor."

Unconsciously, Sheridan moistened her lips, watching the slow descent ofhis head, uncaring of their surroundings. At that moment, no one existed butthem. Her eyelids fluttered closed at the first press of his mouth againsthers.

Bliss. Pure, aching, consuming, heavenly bliss.

He molded, shaped, plundered, and drew every ounce of need from her. Shewrapped her arms around ids neck and held on for dear life, her body tinglingin all her secret places, remembering how finely he had played each part ofher, drawing her on passion's rack until shattering ecstasy exploded inside her.

"Danny," he murmured against her jaw. "Danny." Her name was a sweet caressas his mouth found her ear and he whispered words that made the blood thickenin her veins.

She wanted him. Oh, how she wanted him, to feel the weight of him, the heatof him, the slick satin and steel of him slipping inside her, making them one.

She tasted his flesh, exploring his textures, his heat burning her. Hiswords flowed back to her, telling her she had judged him too harshly.

You left me alone in bed and made me miss you.

You had me searching the docks day and night to find you.

He had looked for her. Missed her. The knowledge thrilled her and began toheal the aching place in her heart that had screamed she'd been callouslyused.

His hands slid over her body, caressing her as she wanted to caress him,communicating more clearly than words that he desired her, wanted her. Neededher. As she needed him.

"M'love," she whispered against the smoothness of his jaw, her tongueswirling in the dent in his chin before gliding across his lower lip.

He captured her tongue between his lips, drew it in again and again as hislarge hands cupped her buttocks and lifted her, straddling her legs across hislap, her skirt bunching up to her thighs.

Without removing his mouth from hers, he guided Kdansk into a darkenedalcove in the alley, cloaking them in shadows and sensual heat.

His mouth trailed down her throat. She threw her head back, allowing himbetter access. His hands cupped her breasts, teasing her nipples through thematerial of her blouse. She moaned.

Cool air touched her skin as he undid the buttons, his tongue trailing apath down the exposed flesh until it reached her chemise. He took the ribbonholding her chemise together between his strong, white teeth and pulled. Thelaces separated as if no more than moonlight held them together.

"I thought I had only dreamed how beautiful you were," he murmured in ahusky tone, his mouth drawing a taut nub into his mouth, teasing and soothing,flicking, nibbling, driving her to the brink.

He leaned her back over his arm, increasing the aching sensation in hernipples as he suckled them. His hand swept up her thigh. She throbbed inanticipation, knowing where his fingers were going.

The first touch against her wet, swollen pearl sent lightning soaringthrough her. "Nicholas," she groaned.

"Yes, sweet. Hold nothing back. I want everything. Everything."

He stroked, faster, bolder, slipping a finger into her just when she felton the threshold of that bright, spiraling place, prolonging the tension, theagony until she could bear no more.

"Please," she begged in a ragged moan, her hips rocking against his hands.He obliged her need with rampant grace.

His tongue flicked her nipple as his finger flicked her engorged nub. Heatculminated, pulling her inside herself, drowning her, coiling about hermuscles until a flood of liquid warmth cascaded through her, making herthankful for the strong arms that held her as pulse after pulse of her releasewashed through her.

"Danny," he murmured against her throat, his hands gliding through her hairwith sweet reverence. "You make me crazy. I forget everything and everyonewhen you're near. What are you doing to me?"

Sheridan felt languid, sated, drugged by passion, the world existing insidea hazy, pleasure-filled bubble.

She dug her fingers into Nicholas's hair, reveling in its cool texture,jubilation soaring through her at knowing this handsome, charming, virile manwas hers. She kissed him with all the love inside her.

A ragged sound escaped his lips. "Please... no more. Otherwise I'll takeyou here and now."

Brazen, hot blood danced through Sheridan's veins, her skin on fire, her desire for Nicholas a living, breathing entity, consuming her. She wanted hispossession, his bold demand. Her hands slipped inside his shirt, herfingernails scoring his silky pebbles.

"Stop, Danny," he said in a hoarse voice, his head bowing forward. "I don'twant to take you like a rutting animal."

Sheridan didn't heed the warning. Her fingers skimmed his ribs and hermouth feathered kisses along his collarbone. "I've dreamed of ye." Her tonguetasted his ear-lobe. "I've missed ye, angel of mine."

Nicholas's fists clenched at his side. Sheridan could feel his tenuous control slipping. She longed to break his restraint, make him weak, imprinther memory on his brain.

Wicked delight consumed her as she tried to make him touch her. Shesquirmed in his lap and his jaw clenched, his face a mask of agony.

Sheridan leaned forward, her breasts caressing his chest as she whisperedin his ear, "Touch me." He squeezed his eyes shut. "I need you." Air hissedbetween his teeth. "Love me."

Nicholas grasped her arms, holding her away from him. He had to end thismadness. He wanted Sheridan with a desperation he'd never felt before anddoubted he ever would again. But she was his cousin's best Mend, and thatchanged everything.

He should have let it go, left her alone, forgotten about her. But, damnit, she tormented him. Those beautiful eyes haunted him mercilessly; whisperedwords and fragmented memories wreaked havoc on him.

With one fateful encounter, she had become a potent drug he couldn'trelinquish. And if he took her now and she slid further into his system, hisheart, his soul, he might never be able to walk away, and he had to walk away.

The thought of making her his mistress filtered through his mind, butJules's angry face flashed before his eyes. His cousin would never understandor condone such an arrangement. With another woman, she might, though somehowhe doubted that Jules was liberated, opinionated, and strong-willed, adangerous mix that had earned him an earful about how to treat women on manyoccasions.

Therefore, any relationship with Sheridan would be out of the question.Jules would demand he make Sheridan his wife, and if things were different, ifhe were different, Nicholas might have considered it.

He could not risk a lifetime on a woman who might not be faithful to him.Passion was an integral part of Sheridan's nature. It consumed her when shewas angry, when she was happy, and whenever she touched him.

He couldn't bear to lose that passion, to have another man sample it, wantit... need it as he was coming to need it. He couldn't risk his heart.

Her luminous violet eyes gazed at him, confusion, desire, vulnerability allclashing within their depths. "Nicholas ..."

His name on Sheridan's lips nearly undid him, his consuming lust barelybridled.

Averting his gaze, he tugged her blouse together, trying not to notice therosy flush on her skin from her woman's pleasure, or the flawless beauty ofher flesh, a golden-tinted paradise--a banked fire lit from within, and hecould never possess her.

"Let's go get your things. Jules will be worried about us."