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It was then she conceded if she had been given the choice of to whom to give her trust, it would be this dark warrior who stood so proudly before her.

In the short while she had known him, she had come to realize he was an honorable man and one who was destined for greatness.

This was also someone who she knew she could trust.

It also seemed every time he was near she was very aware of him as a man.

For some reason beyond her understanding, she seemed to always long for his presence, regardless of what she knew to be appropriate.

Even when he was not in the room, it was only him she thought of.

She admitted she longed to be able to confide in someone… if only her duty did not run so deep.

She also realized it was so much more than sharing her confidences and he conjured up emotions she had never experienced in the past. Ever.

For the first time, she truly admitted what she really longed for was to feel of his arms around her and the gentle heat of his kiss.

She so longed to be treated as a woman and to be loved and especially, by him.

As Gwyn struggled with all of these realizations, she felt a tender touch at her chin that raised her face to his.

As his fingertips stroked her skin softly, their eyes locked and held and she found she was lost to him.

Her breath suddenly was pulled from within her breast as he lowered his lips to hers.

And when they made gentle contact…a fire exploded deep within her and she was unable to do anything but react.

Without a conscious thought, Gwyn wrapped her arms around his neck as he brought her eagerly into his chest. The warmth and strength of his embrace sent her spiraling as his lips eagerly drew from hers.

A wild abandon had released itself somewhere deep inside and she realized then she hungered for more.

Iver had not meant for this to happen. In the deepest depths of his mind, he understood it could never be.

Should could never be his and he was risking everything.

He also realized he was powerless to stop himself where the Lady Gwyn was concerned.

God she was so beautiful and he not only wanted to kiss her, he had a desperation growing within to protect her from all that could harm.

In that moment of passion he found himself caring little of his life except for the one he held so near.

'Christ, Gwyn!'

As soon as their bodies pressed together, it was obvious this woman who was within his arms was so very passionate.

It was also clear she felt of his pleasure and approved of his actions.

As he drew her body in closer to his, his own need was fully upon him.

He kissed her deeply and parted her lips so he could taste of her sweetness.

He found her to be timid and shy, yet he could feel the passions rising within her were quite real.

Her heated reactions pleasured him more than he ever could have thought possible.

Iver moved his hands across her back feeling of her softness and with almost a desperation he realized he could not get enough of her.

When he moved one of his hands to capture her large breast, the moan of delight that escaped from deep within her was nearly his undoing.

She had come alive within his arms and he found himself burning for her and only wanting for more.

Gwyn had never known such ecstasy could exist and she was swept away by his touch.

The heat of his kiss and the eagerness of his caress caused her mind to nearly explode with its pleasures.

As he drew from her deeply and kneaded her breast, she found a desire building within her very core that she conceded felt so right.

But it was so very wrong.

Gwyn nearly cried out in pain as she wrenched herself free and stepped back quickly and out of his embrace.

As she moved beyond Iver's reach, she pressed her hand to her lips in dismay.

Almost instantly, the tears clouded her eyes as the realization of what she had done reverberated throughout her mind.

She had allowed her weakness and her years of loneliness to consume her and it could now cost them everything.

Yes, them . In this very moment not only did she have a full understanding of all she risked, she was also very aware of the dire consequences for Iver.

"Oh, Iver…we cannot! You-"

As the woman who had stirred within him such a heated response pulled herself from within his arms, Iver could do nothing but release her.

The lady standing before him had soundly rejected him.

It did not matter her lips were swollen and stained red with their recent kiss or that her breasts were heaving for her obvious impassioned reaction.

None of this mattered. As he watched the tears begin to pool within her eyes, he realized her reactions pulled at the very depths of his soul and he could do nothing but allow her this freedom.

"Please, Iver, we cannot do this. There is simply too much at risk. There is too much we both stand to lose. Too much the Chattan stands to lose! Oh heaven above, what have I done?"

When those words were so wretchedly ripped from the very depths of her soul, Iver could do nothing but watch the Lady Gwyn's retreating back as she moved quickly away from him.

He desperately wanted to go after her and capture her within his arms once again and relieve her of all of her fears.

He wanted to be able to tell her he would never harm her and keep her protected always.

He also knew he could never do any of that because she was wed to his uncle.

She was his laird's wife and the right was not his.

"Damn it all to hell!"

What was most shocking to Iver was that he suddenly wished his life were different. He wished Gwyn was not married to the man who had full control over his very existence. Undeniably, she was wed to the one to whom he would pledge his life and his fealty for his days yet to come.

"What really, is my destiny? Is it truly with the Chattan?"

Iver had never felt this way and how he had been drawn to the Lady Gwyn still astounded him.

Never in his life had his judgment been clouded by a woman.

He also realized she was not just any woman but someone he both respected and desired.

He was suddenly questioning his existence among the Chattan and began to doubt the destiny he had fought for so passionately over his entire life.

Without even consciously thinking upon it, he found himself wishing for a different path than what he had come to claim at the Chattan.

That he could in the flash of the moment even consider anything different was astounding. That is what disturbed Iver the most.