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His honey curls glinted red in the sun and lifted in the breeze. Each time I stole a glance, the corner of his mouth pinched, but his eyes remained on his sword. Damn, damn, damn the stubborn bastard.

I lunged. My forearm slid over Michio’s chest. I swept my leg behind his. The mountain didn’t move. The momentum sent me hurtling past and head first over the side.

His arm stopped my legs from following and hauled me to his chest. I slumped in his embrace and squeezed my thighs together. Time for that bathroom break.

“Evie.” Michio’s rasp tickled my ear. “Go talk to him.”

I cocked my hip and tilted my head. “You go talk to him.”

His lips twitched. “I’m the problem, Evie. And as long as I’m in his face, this standoff isn’t going anywhere. And you need to work it out while on the boat, safe from danger. Rekindle whatever you had, do whatever you do with a celibate priest, down in the stateroom where I don’t have to watch.”

I leaned back, brows arched.

He brushed his lips over my gaping mouth. His heady, exotic taste overrode the salty air. “That’s a heavy emphasis on celibate, Evie. Bold, italicized, and underlined.”

“Michio—”

“Go before I pound my chest.”

I would’ve kissed him again if I wasn’t already moving. I skidded past Roark and met his eyes. Then I ran to the stateroom.

The door crashed behind me. Roark leaned against it and dragged in a breath that shuddered the naked muscles in his chest, his neck drawn in an iron sinew.

He uncurled his massive body, jade eyes blazing through fallen curls, and stalked toward me.

“I’m sorry.” His palms captured my face. “For this.”

His tongue pushed into my mouth. I caught it between my lips and sucked.

Fingers stabbed through my hair, tilting my head the angle he wanted. My feet arched on tiptoes as I stretched to meet him.

“I missed ye so much,” he said at my lips. “I can’t stop this.”

Oh no. Stop was on my tongue, but his swept it away. Oak and chocolate filled my mouth. Desire pooled between my thighs. Didn’t I learn last time?

I shoved his chest. “Talk, Roark. That’s why we’re here.”

Strong fingers yanked my waist toward the bed. He fell with me, pinned me with his hips.

“We’ll talk like this.” His brogue was deep and very male.

I groaned. “No way.”

His thumb bit into my bottom lip, parted it. His mouth opened over mine, hovered. “Talk.”

“What is this?” I rocked against his erection.

A rumble vibrated low in his throat. “Ye know what that is.”

“No. You, doing this.” I punctuated this with a snap of my hips.

He ground me into the bed, his belt buckle digging into my pelvis. “This is me loving ye the only way I can.”

Oh, my fickle priest. What was I supposed to do with that answer?

I crunched the muscles in my core and lifted to meet him. “Then this is me loving you back.” Knowing it would only end in more pain.

Our hips rolled together, found the right spot, the right pace. I gave myself over to the sensations, the solace of his touch, the pull of our bodies rubbing and climbing together.

“There. Right there.” I clung to his shoulders, consumed by his mouth.

His grinding hips slowed. One twist. Two. His body shook, and he threw back his head, eyes squeezed shut. “Unghhh.”

Seeing him like that, losing himself to something as simple as dry humping, it pushed me over. I screamed out my release.

He clamped a hand over my mouth and laughter bellowed from his chest. “I hate to quiet ye, love, but knowing wha’ those cries do to me, it’d be a bugger to stir up the same reaction from the wankers on deck.”

“Kiss me then,” I murmured through his fingers. And damn, he did in a frantic feasting. Open-mouthed and urgent, his chin scratched against mine. Then he tilted his head, deepened the feeding. His hands moved over my neck, my breasts, down my thighs, always returning to knead my ass.

He raised his head, looked down at me. “Ye den’ know how bad I’ve been gummin’ to do this.” His nose traced the length of mine. “I’ve been a right perv thinking about us a’ it.”

I licked his swollen lips. “I missed you, too. This shit with your vow, with Michio…” I hugged him, poured my heart in it. “It fucking hurts.”

“I promise ye, I’ll bind me soul to Satan for a thousand years in a bottomless pit if it means you’ll never hurt again.”

Those jade eyes bored into me with such stark focus that my mouth went dry and my bones softened. “Then stop fucking me around. You chose your vow. Yet here you are. Again.”

He dropped his forehead to mine. “There’s a balance between reason and faith. I’m going arseways about it, but I’ll find it. Ye wait in that balance. I need ye, Evie.”