An ache centered in her soul, one filled with regret and sorrow for his loss. She slid her hands upward over his powerful shoulders. She cupped his face and felt the prickly, all male texture of his beard. "Oh, Ronan. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bring back bad memories."

His gaze stayed centered on her for a long time, as if he assessed her credibility, her genuine concern. "You believed I murdered her when you first had the vision, didn't you?"

She shook her head. "I didn't know what to believe."

She released his face, but his hands caught hers and he gathered them in his palms. Big and strong, his hands warmed hers. "Understandable. I was a stranger and you had no reason to trust me."

Glad he'd accepted her apology, she sighed and smiled. "Okay, now we have that settled, don't you think you should get this elevator started?"

Mental pain left his face, replaced by unquestionable male interest. "Not quite yet."

"But-"

"You haven't finished telling me your fantasies."

"Like I said, I'm too busy to think about sex right now."

He smiled. "Oh, I think right now is a perfect time."

"Ronan..."

"What about elevators? Have you ever wanted to fuck in an elevator?"

Heat warmed her face. With any other man his suggestion would have offended. Instead, the temperature simmering in her loins increased, turning into a scarcely banked inferno.

"Have you ever done it up against a wall?" he asked.

"No."

"In a car?"

"No."

"Tell me what you need. What you've always wanted," he whispered huskily. "And I'll make it come true."

Skeptical, she slipped her hands from his and started to pace the elevator. "No man can do that no matter how handsome he is."

A brash grin parted his lips. "You think I'm handsome?"

Okay, she could be honest. "I think you're the most gorgeous man I've ever seen. There.

Does that gratify you?"

He leaned back against one wall and crossed his arms. Wonder touched his eyes. "A woman's never told me that before."

"You're kidding me?" She walked toward him, amazement overtaking her caution as she came closer to him. "Are all the women in Ireland blind?"

"I usually scare women. At least initially."

She could understand that. He'd certainly frightened her the first time she'd met him.

"Even when you're rescuing them from harm?"

"Even then."

"Then they must be insane."

She meant it from the bottom of her heart. She couldn't be afraid of this man any more with the powerful need roaring inside her.

More than pure sexual necessity welled within her whenever she saw him. Dawning awareness made her pause, made her pay attention to emotions coursing through her.

Treacherous or not, mysterious or not, he'd kept her from harm on two occasions and he'd opened a gate inside she'd denied too long. She could spend the next fifty years pretending she felt no attraction to him, and that her heart didn't melt at the sight of the big Irishman.

ButGod help her, shedid have a strong reaction to him. The way he looked at her, touched her, talked to her made Clarissa a jumble of roiling passion. She felt agelessness within him, a wisdom coiled in among the bubbling attraction. His enigmatic nature made her want to know more. Ronan Kieran tasted like chocolate truffles, a sinful dessert impossible to resist and keeping her in danger of wanting more.

He uncrossed his arms and left his position against the wall. She couldn't help it; she moved as well. As they walked toward each other, everything paused in time for her but the continual flow and surge of yearning she felt.

"Clarissa," he said softly as he stood close, his gaze holding hers.

Without hesitation or leading up to a slow pass, he plunged in and took the kiss building between them since they'd arrived at the hotel. With gentle persistence his lips demanded a response, and she gave it. Easing into his arms, she allowed his embrace. He plunged both hands into her hair. Kiss after kiss, he bestowed everything she needed, just as he'd promised moments ago. As Ronan's powerful arms cradled her in intoxicating heat, she felt a prevailing desire to assent to any demand he made upon her body.

She craved.

She wanted.

Feel it, Clarissa.

His voice tantalized her mind as he kissed her, as his tongue caressed hers.Give in to the desire. Imagine again how it'll feel when I'm sliding deep inside your tight, hot channel.

Imagine me staying there, feeling your wetness and tightness holding me.

As he slipped the erotic thoughts into her mind, she knew what they had together would be extraordinary. Heat leapt, desire flaming as she twined her arms around his neck. Her will dissolved as her heart thundered, and her breathing quickened. She absorbed the sensation of his wide, hard chest through his open coat. Cold leather could do nothing to hide his powerful muscles. She knew the tantalizing erotic fantasy he'd planted in her mind in the tunnel under the crypt would pale in comparison to what they experienced next.

She didn't care where the hell they were or if someone opened those elevator doors right now and found them kissing.

Because that's what she wanted to do.

Immediately.

God, yes.His words, groaned softly into her mind, fired her libido into gear.

When they broke the kiss he wrestled his coat off in three quick moves she could barely see. He let the coat drop.

She blinked. "Wow. Can you...um...?"

He cupped her face gently. "What?"

"Make love that fast? I mean when you're..." Her face flamed. She couldn't say it.

Instead of answering verbally, he kissed her again. Then his mind whispered to hers.When I'm inside a woman I can fuck her as long as she wants it. As hard or as deep or as shallow as she needs. I can keep her hot and moist and make her want me so high up inside her she'll never stop coming.

She shivered and moaned softly at his arrogant and erotic words. She ached, mad with rising passion as her nipples tightened. Her breath rasped in her throat as she took the kiss away from him and thrust her tongue in his mouth. He tasted mint-fresh and delicious.

She wanted to lick him up, search every corner of his mouth, his body until no mystery remained. With yearning she plunged her fingers into his hair and enjoyed the soft texture. Silk spun and thick, his gorgeous hair seemed to curl around her fingers with a mind of its own, capturing her as sure as his seductive persuasion enticed her to leave common sense behind.