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Page 1
BREATHLESS
Mariah tried to pull away. Even in the odd-colored light, her palms appeared red and blistered. Her nails were chipped, and her fingers were too sore to open completely. "Please," she whispered, ashamed that the hands she'd once pampered now looked as if they'd passed through the fires of hell.
"They're" Thorn didn't finish what he was going to say. Instead, he lifted her hands, his head bowed . . . and she felt the soothing softness of his lips upon her burning palms.
She inhaled sharply, frozen while wanting to run. He raised his head once more and looked into her face.
There was sorrow in his pale brown eyes, and a glimmer of something she read as guilt.
"It's all right," she said quietly, pulling one hand away to touch his face. His skin was warm, roughened by the outdoors and by the hint of heavy masculine facial hair, though he was clean-shaven. No matter what he had done in the past, no matter how he castigated himself now because of it, she didn't want him adding her to the many burdens he bore. "I'm fine. This isn't so"
His mouth stopped hers from finishing. There was nothing gentle in his kiss, despite the tenderness when he'd examined her hands. The kiss robbed her of breath, of wanting to breathe, for she did not want to break the spell.

 
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