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1c481d2
|
"Why?" he whispered as he leaned over her, supported on one arm. "Why must ye be the one that haunts me dreams? I've seen ye weepin' night after bloody night since the day I sent ye from me palace with yer dress half undone. If I had it to do over again, I'd cut me own right hand off rather than hurt ye so. Will ye never be able to forgive me, Silence love?" "I already have," she replied, cradling his cheek in her hand. "Long, long ago."
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silence
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
7141d22
|
"There, there, sweetin'," he murmured into her hair. "He loved me, he truly did," she gasped. "I know he did," Michael said. "And I loved him." "Mm-hmm." She raised her head, glaring angrily. "You don't even believe in love. Why are you agreeing with me?" He laughed. "Because"--he leaned down and licked at the tears on her cheeks, his lips brushing softly against her sensitive skin as he spoke, "ye've bewitched and bespelled me, my sweet Silence, didn't ye know? I'll agree that the sky is pink, that the moon is made o' marzipan and sugared raisins, and that mermaids swim the muddy waters o' the Thames, if ye'll only stop weepin'. Me chest breaks apart and gapes wide open when I see tears in yer pretty eyes. Me lungs, me liver, and me heart cannot stand to be thus exposed." She stopped breathing. She simply inhaled and stopped, looking at him in wonder. His lips were quirked in a mocking smile, but his eyes--his fathomless black eyes--seemed to hold a great pain as if his strong chest really had been split open."
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silence
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
13f6db7
|
He treasured her, treasured her tears, treasured her love for others. Her heart might even be big enough to fill that empty space in his own chest. Perhaps she could be his heart as well.
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|
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
67f75e3
|
"She swallowed, watching as the servants and Harry and Bert trooped out of the room. Lad, apparently not the brightest dog in the world, sat down next to Mickey O'Connor and leaned against his leg. Mr. O'Connor looked at the dog, looked at the damp spot growing on his breeches where the dog was leaning, and sighed. "I find me life is not as quiet as it used to be afore ye came to me palace, Mrs. Hollingbrook." Silence lifted her chin. "You're a pirate, Mr. O'Connor. I cannot believe your life was ever very quiet." He gave her an ironic look. "Aye, amazin', isn't it? Yet since yer arrival me servants no longer obey me and I return home to find me kitchen flooded." He crossed to a cupboard and took down a china teapot, a tin of tea, and a teacup. "And me dog smells like a whorehouse." Silence glanced guiltily at Lad. "The only soap we could find was rose scented."
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|
silence
lad-the-dog
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
133235d
|
"Will ye come with me?" he whispered. And she answered without hesitation. "Yes, please."
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|
silence
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
6f7bc5b
|
"He watched her retreat, his eyes lazy, and his body unmoving. A trickle of blood seeped slowly from the corner of his mouth. He let her get nearly out of the room before he spoke, "I may not have the right, Silence, me love," he drawled so soft she nearly didn't catch the words. "But I would've listened to ye. I would've believed ye."
|
|
silence
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
2724cd8
|
"He grunted and stirred, withdrawing from her. She only had a moment to be disappointed and then he flipped her to her back and rose over her, powerful and male. He casually parted her legs with his knees and thrust into her again, hot and hard. She gasped at the swift invasion, the lovely feeling, and then his face was next to hers, his big palms cradling her cheeks. "What I want," he drawled, "is ye. Nothin' else."
|
|
silence
oh-gawd-hawt
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
66d14d5
|
"Getting into a fight with a popular senior. Pissing off a school teacher and the local chief of police. Hanging with two major-league losers." She slapped my back. "Welcome to high school."
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|
humor
mickey
shelter
high-school
|
Harlan Coben |
|
2d78dc2
|
"He grinned, though his face was strained. "That's it, love. Use me to make yerself feel good."
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|
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
db8c2ee
|
"What," Mick said softly, "is Lad doin' in me bed?" Hearing his name, Lad opened small, piggish, upside-down eyes, gazing with idiotic adoration as his whip-thin tail thumped the covers. "Ah." Harry scratched behind one ear. "Well, see, 'e was lookin' so forlorn, like, out in the courtyard by 'imself. Seemed an awful shame to leave 'im there all alone." "Off!" Mick roared at the dog. Lad's transformation was instantaneous. His tiny triangle ears folded back, his eyes narrowed worriedly, and he rolled so that he could crawl toward the edge of the bed on his belly. "Is that mud on his paws?" Mick asked in outrage. Harry glanced at the dog. "I do believe it is," he said as if making a discovery. "Christ!" Mick watched disgustedly as Lad made the edge of the bed and slithered off, thumping to the floor. The dog seemed to think that his apology was done--or perhaps he'd already forgotten that Mick was mad at him--for he gamboled over as frisky as a lamb. "He's not even me dog," Mick muttered. Lad sat, one back leg sprawled out to the side, tongue hanging from his mouth, and grinned up at him. He completely ignored Harry, his supposed master. "The dog 'as a wonderful affection for ye," Harry said brightly."
|
|
lad-the-dog
scandalous-desires
mickey
harry
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
f6abf12
|
"Goggie!" she exclaimed, holding both hands out urgently to Lad, who'd been dozing by the fire. "By all means," Michael replied amicably, as if he and Mary were having a conversation. "Let's bring the mutt with us, as well. He's almost presentable now that he stinks o' roses."
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|
lad-the-dog
mary-darling
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
2b0f58b
|
"What," came a deep male voice, "is this?" Silence froze, her hand still outstretched, clutching a damp, dirty cloth. Oh, dear Lord. Slowly she raised her eyes and found herself face-to-thighs with Mickey O'Connor's extremely tight breeches."
|
|
silence
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
8060a32
|
"She opened her mouth wide in a silent scream and his release caught him, hard and fast as he kissed her openmouthed. He tore his mouth from hers and shouted his triumph. She was his, now and forevermore, until the end of time, until the seas ran dry and man no longer roamed the earth, amen. His and only his. She slumped against him, the scent of their passion musky in the night air. "Sleep," he murmured to her, and held her against himself, his cock still buried deep. She was caught and he had no intention of ever letting her go."
|
|
silence
oh-damn-hawt
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
7028c74
|
"She swallowed and licked her lips. "It's rather good." He laughed breathlessly. Have care, part of his brain whispered. This way only leads to pain. But his c*ck was pressing hard against the placket of his breeches and he wanted to take her hand and draw her away to his rooms and keep her there until she learned to scream in pleasure. Until she screamed his name and no other."
|
|
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
c76a35c
|
"Silence cleared her throat, fearful her voice would come out a croak. "Is she asleep?" He blinked as if he, too, were waking from a dream, and glanced down at Mary Darling. "Aye, I'm a-thinkin' she is--she's stopped fussin' at me." Silence felt a huge smile of relief spread over her face. "She was fussing? Oh, how wonderful!" He shot her a look, one eyebrow arching. "Ye've taught the child to bully me, too, now?" "Oh, no," she said hastily, embarrassed. Did he really think she bullied him? What a silly notion!"
|
|
silence
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
5acf8d5
|
"The butterfly startled at Mary's gesture and floated up, drifting on the breeze, its wings sparkling blue and bright in the late afternoon sunshine. Silence watched it, enthralled, and then her eyes met Michael's. A corner of his mouth cocked up. "Welcome home, m'love."
|
|
silence
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
4024dad
|
"Will ye be wantin' this now, madam?" "Yes, please," she whispered. She wanted to engrave the sight of him thus, about to make love to her, in her mind."
|
|
silence
oh-gawd-hawt
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
c98138b
|
Women were something best bought, he'd found. Pay them, f*ck them, and send them away in the morning. That way avoided tears, recriminations, and feminine disappointment. Oh, and small things like being slapped across the face. Mick rubbed his jaw. But Silence wasn't one of his whores, as Harry had pointed out. Mick couldn't send her away. And he couldn't let her starve herself--he wouldn't let anyone hurt her, including herself.
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|
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
ffa400f
|
"Silence rose and crossed to the connecting door and knocked. The door was opened almost at once. Michael leaned a shoulder against the doorjamb, a wicked smile playing about his sensuous lips. He was so very big this close--every time it surprised her and made her breathless. "Well, now, and when did ye decide to start knockin' at me door?" Silence fought to keep her face from flaming as she remembered the last time she'd peeked through Michael's door. She swallowed. "We're bored." "Is that so?" Michael glanced down. Silence followed his gaze and saw that Mary had crawled over to investigate. The baby grabbed a handful of her skirt and stood up. She kept one hand on Silence's skirt and popped two fingers from the other into her mouth as she stared solemnly at Michael. "She looks a rare treat," Michael said softly, watching the toddler. Silence smiled down at Mary. "She does indeed." She glanced up and her heart squeezed at the gentle look on Michael's face. As if she understood she was the subject of conversation, Mary lifted her arms--to Michael. "Up!" Michael arched an eyebrow. "Mouthy little thing, ain't she?" But he bent and lifted the toddler."
|
|
silence
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
283d9a9
|
"As I said, I don't expect you to understand--" "And I don't," he cut in. "Ye ask how I can live a life that I know will end with the hangman's noose. Well, at least I am alive. Ye might as well have climbed inside yer husband's coffin and let yerself be buried with his corpse." Her hand flashed out before she'd thought about it, the smack against his cheek loud in the little courtyard. Silence had her eyes locked with Michael's, her chest rising and falling swiftly, but she was aware that Bert and Harry had looked up. Even Mary and Lad had paused in their play. Without taking his gaze from hers, Michael reached out and grasped her hand. He raised her hand to his lips and softly kissed the center of her palm. He looked at her, her hand still at his lips. "Don't take to yer grave afore yer time, Silence, m'love."
|
|
silence
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
13e0e62
|
"At her gesture Michael cursed and caught her hand, falling suddenly atop her. She stared up at him wondering what bedchamber faux pas she'd committed. He groaned at her look. "I'll let ye pet and play all ye want--after. Now I need"--he pushed her chemise to her waist, parted her thighs, and settled between them--"to be inside ye."
|
|
silence
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
89e3b96
|
"He sat and looked at her. "How is Mary Darling?" "Fast asleep after playing and having a bath," she said. "The nursery is lovely." "I'm glad you like it." "Rose and Annie are obviously practiced nursemaids, and what is even better, they seem to like Mary, and she them." He grunted. "It would take a hard heart to turn away from my Mary Darling." A smile curved the corners of her lips. "You didn't seem too enamored of her when you first met." "She has a forceful personality, as do I. We just took a bit to get to know one another."
|
|
silence
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
f09e396
|
"I must be getting back to my rooms," Silence said and stood. Mick frowned with displeasure. "Why?" "Because of Mary Darling." He shrugged. "One o' the maids is watchin' her." "But if Mary wakes she'll want me." "Why?" he asked again, biting into a sweetmeat. This discussion wasn't to his fancy, but sparring with her was. "Because," she said slowly, looking at him as if he were lack-witted, "she's only a baby and she loves me." "Babies," Mick pronounced, "are a great trouble." She shook her head, not bothering to reply this time, and started marching to the door."
|
|
silence
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
458ca3e
|
"Ye know as well as I that I lost whatever heart I once had long ago," Mick replied without emotion, a simple statement of fact. "If the babe lives, or if she dies, it makes no difference to me. I'll still eat sweetmeats on the morrow and taste the sugar on me tongue, still f*ck women and feel the pleasure in me bollocks. And, Charlie--mark me well, now--I'll still kill ye and laugh in yer ugly face as I do it."
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|
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |
|
c59efcc
|
Mickey cursed under his breath, letting his head fall back against the wall. His c*ck still beat angrily against his clothing. Once he would've simply sent for a whore. Now that thought was oddly unsatisfying. He could have a willing woman, a woman who would do anything he might request of her, even the most exotic acts of sex, but instead his flesh wanted just one woman. A woman who was as fierce in her maternal love as he had been as a boy in his will to survive.
|
|
scandalous-desires
mickey
|
Elizabeth Hoyt |