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Chapter SevenPrint this Page

"Only a fool would presume he wasnt the right man for me."

Rick sighed deeply.

"Youre thinking foolishly, Meg. I cant give you the life youve led till now."

"Mistake number four. Who said I wanted it?"

"Dammit, you know what I mean." He swallowed, feeling like everything in his life was suddenlyon the line. "I want more and you just cant give it without giving up your fathers money."

Meg gave him a dirty look. "Thanks for the vote on my character, Callahan. I havent lived off myfathers money since I was twenty-one. I do have a job. Just because its in my dads companydoesnt mean I didnt earn it. You know him. Would he give me control if I didnt deserve it?"

His eyes narrowed. She had him there.

"Now, Callahan," she advanced, fury in her bones. "You admit that the only reason you wanted tobe with me was because I was forbidden fruit."

"Now whos insulting who?" he groused, climbing the rocks to the fall. He tossed down his packand machete, pacing like a caged animal. Overhead, warm sunlight ribboned down over the treesand vines growing out of the rock. Bright colored birds soared and dipped. "If it was just an off-limits thing, I wouldnt have searched. Or come here. Or be arguing with you now, would I?"

Meg kicked off her boots, toed off her socks, then stripped out of her shirt. "You gave up on us."

"And you tried? I dont have to get kicked in the teeth to know it hurts, Meg."

She met his gaze. "If youd called me a week ago, Richard, I would have come running."

She let her pants fall to the rocks and Ricks jaw tightened, all that lush skin turning him insideout. His gaze locked on her like a homing device, the sun dancing over her round behind in askimpy thong. She was sunburned in spots, had a fingerprint bruise on her shoulder, but the restof her was as perfect as he remembered.

"If thats supposed to make me stupid, its working."

"Good, dont want to ruin a pattern, do we? Do you have any soap in there?" She pointed to thepack.

Numbly, he dug and slapped the bar into her outstretched hand.

"Stop looking at me like youve never seen me naked, Callahan."

Callahan. She was really mad, he thought. "I havent, not like that."

She peeled off her stretch camisole, flinging it aside. Thong panties followed, and his heartbeatrocketed to somewhere near his eyes.

"Well, my Nubian slaves didnt have time to oil my skin this trip." The intensity of his gaze rippedthrough her. He stood still, his shirt open and baring carved muscles tanned dark from the sun.

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"Youre making me crazy."

"Join the club." With that she dived into the water.

Richard watched her swim under the clear water, popping up where the fall spilled into the pool.For a moment she just stood under the hard spray and with a clarity that gripped him in the gut,he knew why hed come for her.

Hed known it the instant he heard her fathers voice on the other end of the satellite com linkwhile he was in another jungle a thousand miles away. When hed dropped everything and racedto find her. He wondered if he had the guts to tell her.

He stripped off his shirt and boots, angry with himself and glaring at the source.

Her back to him, she washed her hair, his gaze following the ripples of soapy water sliding overher curves and foaming around her. She looked back over her shoulder and met his gaze. Shehid nothing from him and they both knew it. Damn her. His groin thickened, blood throbbing inevery cell of his body and Rick folded to the ground. Hunger and temptation burned inside everyfiber of his being. Squatting at the waters edge, he washed the camo paint off his face, thendunked his head, shaking like a dog. It didnt do a damn thing for the fire crackling through his

blood.

Raking his hair back, he stood and stormed to the shore, yet his gaze moved back to her. Soaprinsed off her in slick waves, and like a bomb detonating, Rick felt his control snap.

"I just know Im going to hell for this," he muttered, stripping down to his skin and walking into thewater.

"Stop right there," she ordered.

He didnt, his body revealed and hidden beneath the crystal depths. Blood boiled under Megsskin, softening her knees, making her insides go liquid and hot. He advanced, bronze and darkand hard. The water deepened around him, his dark eyes skimming her with the power of touch.

Already her body was coming apart for him. If she were smart shed just give up and throw herselfat him. But she wanted more.

Sunlight gleamed off the scarred bullet hole in his shoulder and the last two years rushed backlike a blast of cold air. Her gaze locked with his.

"Do you want me in your life or not, Richard?"

He hesitated. "Meg."

"I see." She turned her back on him.

It was like a door slamming in his face. Rick reached, forcing her around. "Dont do this, Meg. Youdont know what youre asking."

"I know I want more than this day. I have for the past two years."

Grains of hope spilled through him. "Be careful," he warned. "If youre with me, Megan, yourewith me completely, forever, got that?"

Her heartbeat skipped. "What do you mean?"

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"There is no halfway between us. There never was."

"So its all or nothing?"

He nodded.

"It works both ways, Richard."

Megan stepped closer, and Richard wondered if his world was about to cave or be resurrected."Im not as stupid as I look."

Her smile was tender. "I cant be with a man who doesnt love me."

His eyes flared, darkened. "Mistake number five. Why the hell do you think I came here?"

Meg reined in her galloping heart. "For money and to exact a little revenge."

"Yeah, even I thought that at first, but it was a damn good excuse to get my hands on you."

"Why?"

It was a gauntlet thrown down. He gripped her arms, drawing her closer, and Megan felt her worldtilt at the darkly intense gaze locked on her.

"Because I couldnt take a breath without thinking about you. I couldnt stand another day ofwondering if we could have made it." He plowed his fingers into her hair, tipping her head backand opened his heart "Im in love with you, Megan OToole. Deeply, wildly, so-much-that-I-act-stupid in love with you."

Her eyes teared.

Rick thought hed shatter inside waiting. "Irish?" He swallowed. "Silence is not a good thing rightnow."

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