Sea Haven 02 - Spirit Bound

using several languages instead of just Russian. He found he detested lying to her. Even misleading seemed wrong. She’d put everything on the line for him, yet he couldn’t reciprocate. If he admitted that he was Lev’s brother, it would put her in a terrible position. One thing he knew for certain about Judith, she was extremely loyal and she would deny knowing Lev and protect him with every breath in her body, something his brother would count on.
    Judith would be forced to lie to him and worse, she would suspect him of being a Russian agent sent to kill Lev. No doubt his brother had impressed on all of the women the need for secrecy. Damn the man. Lev’s deception to cover himself left Stefan with no recourse other than to mislead Judith as well.
    “You showed off beautifully,” Judith said. “Italian, Russian and Spanish.”
    He nodded. “And I can speak French if you’d rather I use that instead.”
    “Why your ‘fallen angel’?”
    Stefan framed her face in his hands, leaned in and kissed her upturned mouth. His tongue ran along the seam of her lips, commanding she open to him. When she didn’t respond immediately, his teeth caught her lower lip and tugged gently until she gave a small breathless gasp. He took possession, his mouth moving over hers, kissing her over and over, each kiss deeper and more demanding.
    You are my fallen angel. Deliberately, he thrust the words into her mind, a connection that was as intimate as exchanging breath—as kissing her.
    Her arms crept around his neck and she pressed her body against his, willing to give herself to him. He was as hard as a rock, aching, his body making urgent demands, but he wanted so much more from her and a part of him knew he needed to go slow. If this was to last a lifetime, she had to know he wasn’t using her, nor was he taking a small part of her.
    “I want it all, Judith,” he said, drawing back, “not one night. Not just your body.”
    “I don’t know if I’m even capable of giving more.”
    Because her voice was so unsteady, he took her hand and drew her toward the interior of the house, moving farther away from the windows. “We don’t have to worry about what you can or can’t do right now, Judith. Show me around your house.”
    “Are you certain you don’t have to go to the hospital?”
    There was a teasing, almost hopeful note in her voice.
    “You just want to see if I faint or not if they give me a shot.”
    Her eyebrow shot up. “I can’t imagine that.”
    He flashed a grin at her. “I can’t either.” And that was the stark truth. He’d stayed silent under all forms of torture and brought his body again and again to the brink of human endurance, never once faltering in his course to carry on. A needle was not felt. More than once he’d sewn up his own wounds.
    “This is the main part of the house. I have a large master bedroom and bath. I’m a tub person, so I’m ashamed to say, it’s enormous, deep and wonderful.”
    The room had a rounded bank of windows overlooking the gardens below. As in the rest of the house, the walls were creamy white, a backdrop for the bright splashes of colored quilts carefully folded in a corner of the room.
    He nodded at the six thick quilts. A seventh was on her bed.
    A blush stole into her cheeks. “They’re beautiful and depending on my mood, I make up the bed accordingly.”
    “You have moods?”
    “Absolutely.” She was unrepentant. “ Very moody.”
    He crossed the room, unable to prevent the image of her writhing naked under him, pressed deep into the thick, soft carpet, all bare golden skin and silky black hair against that backdrop of cream. Well, okay then. He pressed his thumb into the center of his palm, small brushing caresses right where it itched the most. If he was going to suffer, she might as well accompany him.
    Judith gasped, her hand going to her throat, her gaze jumping to his.
    “I have moods too,” he explained, allowing his gaze to drift over her body.
    She pushed open the bathroom door to show off the spacious bathroom. He stepped in close to her, so close that she couldn’t fail to feel the heat radiating from his body. He liked the look of the tub. If she was in it and he stood right beside it, all she would have to do was turn her head just a little and she’d be at the perfect height . . .
    He groaned, his cock jumping, reacting to the thought of her hot mouth engulfing him, tongue stroking, mouth tight like a silken fist.
    “You