A Handful of Heaven

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away, and she'd never touch him again. The thought made him feel hollow and sick inside. But he couldn't lie to her, and his silence was a lie.

Clenching his fists, he said quickly, "I spent five years in prison."

Her hand didn't even flinch. "What for?"

"Murder." He tensed, waiting for her hand to withdraw.

Instead her hold tightened.

The silence stretched between them. Stone Man felt every muscle in his body tighten. Nothing had ever shut her up before. Disgust must have rendered her speechless.

"Aren't you going to ask me?" he asked wearily.

"Ask you what?"

Christ, she must be drunk. He turned his head to look at her. What he saw stole his breath.

Understanding and unconditional acceptance radiated from the dark-green depths of her eyes.

The relief he felt was staggering. He hadn't known until that very second how much he cared what she thought of him. Her silence told him all he needed to know: She didn't believe he was a murderer.

Awe seeped into his voice and eyes. "You aren't going to ask me whether I did it?"

"I know you didn't do it."

That simple sentence, the one he'd waited all his life to hear, shattered the final remnants of his resistance.

Chapter Eighteen

She looked up at him with love in her eyes, and Stone Man was lost. Her loving gaze warmed his cold bones, and for the first time in his life he knew what it meant to be wanted.

That she didn't ask about his past struck a chord deep in his soul. In her silence was absolute trust. "Ah, Dev ..." The words were ragged, torn.

His arms came around her body, and for the first time in her life Devon knew what it felt like to be held, really held. She lay her cheek against the soft flannel of his shirt and breathed deeply of the familiar masculine scent of him.

Goodness it felt wonderful. Of course, it would be more wonderful to be held and kissed at the same time. She figured he'd get to that, and so she waited.

Unfortunately, patience wasn't something she was good at.

Besides, he was taking too darn long.

Wiggling out of his embrace, she looked up at him with what she hoped was a sultry, inviting expression on her face.

He frowned. "Do you feel okay?"

She gave an exasperated sigh. She should have known better than to be subtle with Stone Man. Closing her eyes, she said, "Kiss me."

Then she puckered up and waited.

Her answer was a low, throaty chuckle. She was just about to open her eyes when she felt the hard, callused tip of his finger brush her jawline. The butterfly-soft touch brought a delightful tingle to her skin.

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