“I checked on Teresa, that servant girl you were worried about,” Conner said. “She’s a single mother and was desperate for money, so she went to work for Sobre in spite of the rumors. She sent the money home to her mother, who was taking care of her son. She was happy to be reunited with them. Adan found her a job.”

She smiled up at him. “Thanks. I couldn’t get her out of my mind.” Her gaze followed Mateo as he sank down near the tumbling, squirming bodies of small leopards, watching their antics with enormous eyes. “I can see why she’d do anything for her child. Mateo’s already getting to me, and I didn’t even give birth to him.”

He bent his head to the temptation of her mouth. Once he touched his lips to hers, it was the same flaring heat, lighting a match to an explosive. His fingers curled around the nape of her neck to anchor her to him while he lost himself in the exquisite taste of her.

“Oooh. That’s gross,” Mateo said. “Are you going to be doing that all the time?”

Conner grinned at him. “All the time,” he confirmed.

Mateo’s answering grin was slow in coming but when it did, it reached his eyes. “Guess I can live with that.”

“Guess I can live with one of those kittens then,” Conner conceded and watched the joy burst across the boy’s face. “But I don’t know about Isabeau. It’s a family decision, right?”

Mateo turned his attention on Isabeau, and there was glee there, as if he already knew he had her wrapped around his finger.

Isabeau winked at him and turned her face up to Conner’s. There was love shining in her eyes. “I think the family is all in agreement. We definitely need one of those kittens.”

Mateo flung his arm around her leg and one of Conner’s. Conner dropped his hand on the boy’s head as he kissed Isabeau again. Somehow it felt like Marisa was right there, in the barn with him, sharing his happiness.

Teaser chapter

Keep reading for a special preview of the upcoming book in a new series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan

WATER BOUND

A Sea Haven Novel

Available in August 2010 from Jove Books

FLAMES raced up the walls to spread across the ceiling. Orange. Red. Alive. The fire was looking right at her. She could hear it breathing. It rose up, hissing and spitting, following her as she crawled across the floor. Smoke swirled through the room, choking her. She stayed low and held her breath as much as possible. All the while the greedy flames reached for her with a voracious appetite, licking at her skin, scorching and searing, singeing the tips of her hair.