Drake Sisters 03 - Oceans of Fire

accusation. “She may have mentioned it when she was here earlier.”
    “The only reason I’m helping you into the house instead of pushing you off the deck is that you’re still Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    hurt. Any promises are negated.”
    “Not a chance, Abbey. I’m holding you to the promise.” He sat on the bed and wiped small beads of sweat from his forehead.
    “It was made under duress and you tricked me.” She brought him a washcloth. “Here, this will help.
    You’re trying to do too much, Aleksandr. You can’t recover from wounds like you have this fast. You have to stop pushing yourself so hard. You almost died. You would have died without Prakenskii‘s magic. I shouldn’t have allowed you to make love like that. We just get so carried away.”
    He pulled her to him. “I love you, Abbey. We didn’t get carried away. We just need each other. There’s a difference.”
    Abigail kissed him. “I love you right back, Aleksandr Volstov, but I have no idea why. You’re bossy and you insist on thinking you’re invincible.” She washed him quickly and helped him into a pair of sweatpants and a soft shirt. “You look pale. Do you need something for the pain? Libby is going to kill me for this.”
    “Stop, Abbey,” he said, his voice tender. “Libby isn’t going to know. We didn’t do any damage. If anything I feel much better.” He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled the top of her head.
    She looked up at him. “And did I mention bossy?”
    “I think more than once. Let’s go into the living room. I’d rather meet your parents for the first time there than in the bedroom.” He took a deep breath, felt the instant rush of pain that always came when he forgot and inhaled too deep. He smiled at her anyway. He’d had enough of resting and healing. If she knew just how weak he really was, she’d have him back in bed in a heartbeat and there’d be no more of her teasing mouth and hot body to drain his strength. She’d be feeding him chicken soup.
    Abigail looked at him with suspicion, but obligingly helped him stand. “I guess there is a certain disadvantage to meeting parents for the first time in the bedroom, but they’d never think you were weak, Sasha. They aren’t like that at all. They’re very loving and giving people.”
    He laughed softly. “I don’t want to be in the bedroom, thinking about you in my bed and what I’d like to be doing with you the moment we’re alone, when we have company.”
    She growled, actually growled, scowling up at him with a fierce, no-nonsense expression. Aleksandr burst out laughing, jackknifing pain through this entire body, but it didn’t matter. “You have no idea how much I love you.”
    Abigail helped Aleksandr sit in the most comfortable chair just as the doorbell rang. “They’re here,” she announced unnecessarily. She wanted her parents to love him. To see him through her eyes. To see the real Aleksandr, not the hard, ruthless man he presented to the rest of the world.
    As she crossed to the door, she realized she had nothing to worry about. Her parents trusted her, loved her, and they would embrace Aleksandr into the family.
    Her heart pounding with joy, she flung open the door.

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    Turn the page for a sneak look at
    Christine Feehan’s new novel

    NIGHT GAME

    coming in November 2005 from Jove

    SOMEONE was following her and he was damned good at it. Flame hadn’t spotted him, but her heightened awareness told her she wasn’t alone. And that meant he was a professional. She waited, flattened against the wall, her breath slow and even, her body perfectly still. He was there, close, somewhere inside the estate walls. And the dog hadnt given a warning .
    Her heart lurched. She had cased the area many times and if anyone went near the brick wall, the dog roared a challenge. It was always on the alert, well trained and eager to ferret out any intruder. She should leave, wait for another night, but she had run out of time. She had to pull off the job tonight in order to meet the deadline. Who else could control a dog that ferocious? She was keeping it from giving away her presence with little effort, but if someone else was also manipulating the dog, that meant they could take control of it.
    She swore under her breath. Whitney had found her. It had to be that. She knew she couldn’t run forever.