Unable to restrain his agonized arousal any longer, he surged into her, deep into the tight, wet welcoming of her body. With a final groan, he thrust into her fiercely one last time, before shuddering and collapsing against her, his body pulsing inside hers.

For a long moment, while his ragged breathing slowed, he held her trembling form. Shutting his eyes, he inhaled her scent, silently cursing her for her desirability. Then he rolled away to lie on his back, staring up at the crimson canopy overhead.

The desire that had blazed between them had caught him off guard. Blood still surged thick and hot through his veins, while guilt knotted his chest.

He hadn’t once thought about his wife. When he closed his eyes now, he saw a ghost with dark liquid eyes and raven silk hair. Forgive me, Doe.

Forcing his eyes open, he turned his head on the pillow, to face his new bride. She was watching him, her eyes large and questioning.

“Was that… usual?” Heather asked quietly.

“Usual?”

“That powerful…”

She couldn’t seem to find the words to describe the explosive fire that had ignited between them. Sloan shrugged, not wanting to acknowledge how unusual it had been.

“Did I do something wrong?” Her voice was soft, uncertain.

He cursed silently. What was wrong was him wanting this woman so much. He was grateful the shadows covered his reaction to her. “No. You did nothing wrong.”

“But I disappointed you.”

Disappointed him? Startled was a better word. The searing pleasure of their first joining had shocked him.

Sloan shook his head. There was a clear explanation for the passion that had ripped through him. What he’d felt for Heather was carnal desire, plain and simple. A slaking of lust for a man who’d gone without for too long. Purely a physical reaction, nothing spiritual. It hadn’t touched his soul. There’d been none of the tender joy, none of the overwhelming love that had filled his heart when he’d made Doe his wife.

“You surprised me, that’s all. Ladies aren’t supposed to feel such pleasure.”

Her smile was soft, tentative. “But then, you are a great expert with ladies, I understand.”

Sloan felt a fresh stirring of desire and a dangerous tenderness. Damn, but he needed to get out of here before he lost his head and crawled back between her legs and spent the night ravishing her body.

“I guess you aren’t as cold and untouchable as you look,” he muttered. Sitting up, he pushed open the bed curtain and swung his legs over the side, giving her his back. “You won’t mind if I leave you now?”

His question had the effect he wanted; he could tell by her shocked silence. He inhaled sharply. “I’ve done my duty. And that poker game won’t wait.”

Heather flinched as if he’d struck her. Nothing he could have said could have hurt more.