He moaned at the sight of her perfection, then moaned again when she crushed her hot little b.r.e.a.s.t.s against his stomach. Seconds later she was on her tiptoes, looking for another gentle kiss.

Blu didn't know how many more of those he had left in him-she was pushing all the right b.u.t.tons, sending his blood on a mad race in all directions of hisbody. Hewrapped his arms around her, then ran his fingers up her satin-smooth back. Pulling her close, he gyrated his hips against her softness. When she didn't resist, he knew she had just sent him another signal.

"I'm going to lose these," he said, setting her away from him. He sent his jeans to the floor to join her sarong. A half minute later he had her laid out in the middle of his bed. "It's never too late," he drawled as he kissed her lips. Keeping his eyes locked with hers, he placed his hand on her stomach, then began to move it downward, weaving his fingers through the silky blond V between her thighs.

"Make love to me, Blu. Make all the bad go away." He kissed her again, then feasted on her neck, her collarbone. Finding her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, his tongue licked, then sucked.

"Blu..."

"More?"

"Yes. Oh, yes." He took his time, savored her taste, put to memory her little panting gasps of pleasure. He worshipped her flat stomach with his lips, then his tongue. Headed for the downy curls between her legs, he heard her breath catch, whoosh out. She arched her hips. "It'll be good,mon ange. I promise," he murmured against her flesh, hoping he could deliver on that vow. "I trust you," she sighed, as if she understood his concern. Her voice sounded faraway, but there was no mistaking her unmasked desire or the truth in her words.

Blu moved back to kiss her lips and taste her sweet breath once more. He wanted to be able to give her what she needed. To give back what Maland had stolen from her. He started a slow descent again, kissing his way down her body, taking his time to gently touch her, all of her. Her legs were so beautiful, her tiny feet and ankles so delicate as they tangled around him.

He found the bruises on the inside of her thighs and kissed them tenderly with a whisper-soft touch that was more breath than anything else. It was at that moment she became completely his. Overwhelmed by the way she gave herself over to him, Blu ran his tongue slowly over her pulsing flesh, opening her a little at a time with each focused stroke of his tongue. Her hands found his hair, and she bent her knees slightly and pulled up her legs, opening wider so he could send his tongue deeper. Her anxious moans and her sudden urgent twisting on the bed, warned him that he was nearly sending her into a climax.

He backed off, withdrew his tongue, wanting to drag it out, to savor her.

I trust you. I trust you.

On his knees, Blu tugged her up. Rolling onto his back, he set her astride him. She looked beautiful

sitting on him, her small firm b.r.e.a.s.t.s exposed to his eyes, her fairy-tale hair teasing his hips and chest.

Make love to me, Blu... I trust you. I trust you.

She arched her back, then lifted her hips and slid herself against his hot s.e.x. The friction jerked Blu

upward into a sitting position, splintering his resolve. In a husky voice he said, "I thought you might need to go slow."

"Because I've been hurt?" She was looking straight at him, demanding an honest answer.

Blu gave it to her. "No, because you're very small."

His blunt answer wasn't the one she'd expected, he could see it in her eyes. "And you don't want to hurt me?"

"I don't ever want to hurt you," Blu whispered.

Her smile faded, and she was suddenly very aware of her naked b.r.e.a.s.t.s visible to his inspection. "Iknow I'm small in other places, too. The woman on the cover of thatPlayboy-" "Shh." Blu pulled her close and kissed each small breast. "Everything is beautiful. So beautiful." He moaned as his callused thumbs began to play with her nipples. The look on her face told him she'd felt his growing need on the move. He said,"Oui, that was ... Harvey. When he likes someone a lot, he starts showing off and acting up."

"Up? Yes, that's where I think he's headed."

Her teasing both surprised and delighted Blu. It relaxed him, brought him down to earth a little. She was so d.a.m.n sweet, so overwhelmingly beautiful and shetrusted him.

Before things got out of hand, he pulled open the nightstand drawer and retrieved a condom and slipped it on. "This might make it easier for you," he said, explaining further, "sitting astride me." He shifted his body and slowly started pushing his way into her. "Don't close your eyes, Angel. Stay with me."

Blu was halfway home when pa.s.sion began to flush her face. Clinging to him now, her arms gripped his shoulders as desire stole her breath. He watched her sugar-sweet brown eyesfill with wonder, felt her quiver as her tight sheath convulsed around the last of his length.

Blu wanted to thrust hard and fast into her, but he checked his desire as best he could, rewarded when Angel's pa.s.sion drove her upward, then downward on his lap. He moaned loudly, gripped her waist to steady her. "Keep your eyes open, Angel. We're going to take a ride, and you're going to do the driving, remember? It can be as wild and as fast as you want to go, or as slow and careful as you need it to be. Either way, I guarantee we'll get where we're going."

Trustinghim, ready to drive, she took his mouth with eager abandon and began to move on him. Blu savored the feel of her, the kill-me friction and the explosive heat that was steadily building. He wanted her any way he could have her. Would have been satisfied with whatever choice she made. Fast, slow. Careful. Wild. But he'd made one mistake-Angel was perfection, and good ol' Harvey, having never tasted perfection in his life, turned up the heat and charged forward.

Blu heard her gasp, then moan in pleasure as he spilled into her. His climax sent her over the edge hard and fast. Reaching for her own euphoria, she clung to him, rode him hard. Eyes locked on his, she kept moving, leading him. Driving him.

He felt her let go, watched her face.

When her soft, satisfied cries had ended and her damp body had grown still, Blu kissed her gently, then pulled her close. As they melted back to earth, he stretched out on the bed with her still on top of him, not ready to give up the feel of her skin against his. She was still looking at him. He stared back. The next best thing to feeling Angel's release while he was inside her, he decided, was holding her, her eyes clearly telling him that he'd been responsible for somethingnew, something that she had never experienced before.

Well, that made two of them, Blu thought, cradling her against his chest as a strange kind of peace warmed his insides.

He reminded himself not to lose his head. Right now what Angel needed most was not a man blinded by emotions, but a man who knew what was lurking in the shadows. And every instinct Blu owned told him that Salvador Maland was in the shadows, waiting for Angel to make a mistake. She was perfection, an addiction few men would be able to overcome. And a powerful man, with a sick mind, who enjoyed hurting young girls, would see no reason why he should have to.

Kristen felt Blu shudder and she curled against him, burying her face in the soft hair on his hard chest.

"Then you're awake?"

"I'm awake." She squirmed to get closer, but he held her off, kept his lower body just out of reach.

Never before had Kristen experienced anything so warm and wonderful as the safe feeling that Blu created when he was inside her. The act could have frightened her, should have after what she'd endured with Salva. But nothing about Blu duFray frightened her, not his size, not his powerful hands, not his devil's reputation. Nothing.

And she'd been right to believe that he would wash away all the pain and ugliness. It was gone, replaced by so much love for this man that Kristen felt as if her heart would burst. Yes, she loved Blu duFray. Loved him with a fierce need that went bone-deep.

"Please..." She found his hips and pulled him to her. "I need to feel you inside me. I want heaven again, Blu. Please."

"Heaven, is it?" The light rumble of laughter that came from deep inside his chest made Kristen pull back to search out his face. It was the middle of the night and a single candle burned on the nightstand. His face was in shadow, but she could see his dark, beautiful eyes, see his relaxed features. See that he was smiling. "Are you making fun of me, Blu duFray?"

He kissed her. "No. I've just never heard it called that before."

"And what do you call it?"

He arched a brow and grinned down at her.

"Never mind. I can only imagine what kind of names men would call what we just did. I still think heaven

is the perfect word for it." He rolled her onto her back and slowly sank into her, carefully, gently. "Then here, my little angel, havesome heaven. I'm ready for another spiritual experience if you are." It was the first time Kristen had ever heard him tease. "It's amazing," she teased back, "theDevil smiles and make jokes on occasion. I'm learning all kinds of things tonight."

He moved inside her. Kissed her.

Kristen kissed him back. "Do you always make love this way? I mean, I know I'm not suppose to ask

that kind of question, but..."

His gaze sharpened, his hips stilled. "I don't know what you're asking. What way is 'this way'?"

"Is Blu duFray's lovemaking always about giving?" His smile widened, and it was so beautiful Kristen

nearly cried.

"Do I look like a starving man?"

"No."

"When you give, you get. Ever hear that?"

Kristen giggled. "Yes."

"Then should I reach for a condom, or do you want to slap me down and go back to sleep?"

Kristen shoved Blu onto his back, and sat up. Her gaze traveled down his impossibly hard stomach to

where his arousal pulsed hot and hard. Slowly she reached down and wrapped her hand around his

length. "I'm curious about something. Do you mind?" She slid her hand upward, then down to the base of him and watched him grow in her hand.

"Bon Dieu!A curiousangel, interested in a man'sheaven."

Kristen kissed his stomach, moved her hand slowly back up. She heard him groan and brought her gaze to his face. His eyes were closed, but he was breathing faster. "Maisyeah. That's good. Ah ... that, too."

Blu heard footsteps overhead. Without waking Angel, he slipped from the bed, snared his jeans off the floor, and was out the door quickly. On deck, in the early-morning sunshine, Blu studied the short, round woman as she wiggled and squirmed to lower her feet to the deck. She was dressed in black, everything from head to toe was black. Arms crossed over his bare chest, he gave her a second to catch her breath, then said, "You come to rob me, Sister Marian?"

"Ekeee-" The nun jumped a foot off the deck and spun around so quickly she nearly lost her balance and landed on her backside. Eyes wide, she staggeredtogain her balance, at the same time she stared at Blu's half-naked body. "Oh, my. Oh, dear. Is she... Is she-"

"Alive.Oui,she's here, andalive," he a.s.sured. "You got a reason for setting foot on my boat?" Sister Marian straightened her shoulders and added a half inch to her five-foot frame. "As a matter of fact, I do. This might seem a bit bold, but have you finally decided to accept your responsibilities? You've had plenty of time to decide." "To decide what?" "There's nothing wrong with enjoying the fruit as long as you both know that a permanent arrangement must be made for the little one's sake. You agree, don't you?"

"The little one? And just what kind of permanent arrangement must be made?" Blu asked, completely confused at this point.

"Oh, my. She hasn't gotten that far yet. Oh, dear. I believe I've come a bit too early."

"Too early for what?"

Blu's annoyance was showing. He saw the nun glance toward the dock as if she were contemplating making a run for it. He shook his head. "I wouldn't try it. I don't have any problem with tumbling you."

"Oh, dear. You are a rascal, aren't you?"

"That's me," Blu agreed. "Too early for what? Finish what you started."

The nun crossed herself, then clutched her hands together and whispered something that sounded like a prayer. A moment later she said, "I brought your child. I thought by now you'd be anxious to see her."

For fear of choking, Blu cleared his throat.

"I'll tell you what I think," the nun rushed on. "I think Kristen could do a whole lot better than someone who goes by the name of Blu Devil-" she crossed herself again "-but she seems to think you're worth the trouble. I could be swayed into believingit,if you were to accept that precious child as yours. A good father is what she needs."

Blu's heart started to pound. "I'm n.o.body's father, sister. You're confused."

"Don't tell me you're going to deny she's yours? Deny them both a home?"

The older woman flushed pink, then went through the motion of crossing herself again. Blu was ready to tie her hands together.

"I was afraid that something like this would happen. Some men l.u.s.t after only the fruit and nothing more. Oh, dear. Yes, this is exactly what I was afraid of. I must speak to Kristen, and convince her that all is not lost."

She started toward the stairs. Blu gripped the nun's shoulder and stopped her. A moment later he was steering her to the leather bench at the stern. "Sit down."

Eyes wide, Sister Marian plopped onto the bench as if her knees had suddenly given out. "If you insist, Mr. duFray. Or do you prefer Blu Devil? I must say it's not that I mind the word devil, but for the child's sake-"

"For the child's sake I think you need to start at the beginning. Let's go back to the first day you met Angel."

"Angel? Oh, you mean Kristen. Yes, of course. Well ... let's see. I believe it was maybe seven or eight days ago that she and Amanda showed up at the shelter. She told me she was looking for her father, and that she and the little one needed a place to stay. She said that her father left her and her mother years ago and she'd finally tracked him to Algiers. She mentioned you might know him. Well..." Sister Marian, sniffed. "I knew the story was false right from the beginning. It didn't take an Einstein to figure out what she wasn't saying."

"And that was?" Blu probed.

"Well, that she and you... That you ... that you're Amanda's father. Shame on you for stealing that young girl's innocence, by the way." The nun crossed herself. "And with your reputation, no less. Have you ever heard of protection, dear boy? Well, obviously not." She sat silent a minute, perspiration forming on her face. She fanned herself a bit. Finally she said, "Now, are you, or are you not going to accept your child and do right by our dear Kristen?"

Blu couldn't believe that if Kristen had a child, she wouldn't have told him. "I have no child, Sister Marian. This kid can't be mine."

"Amanda, her name is Amanda. And she's a beautiful child. Did I mention, well mannered? She won't eat much. She's a miniature of her mama. Delightful child."

A miniature of her mama.That, Blu couldn't deny, piqued his curiosity. He rubbed his jaw, then paced to the railing. "Where is ... Amanda?"