For the Roses

was being surrounded by the warmth of his love. Mating with Harrison had been the most wonderful and glorious experience in her life.

He made everything wonderful. From the minute she had given her heart to him, her entire world had changed. Ordinary days were magical because she shared them with him. She couldn't imagine life without him. He was loving and gentle and kind and compassionate. He was erotic and sensual and bold and arrogant.

He was just about perfect. And all because she loved him.

'Are you all right, Mary Rose?'

He lifted himself above her so he could see for himself and looked into her eyes. They were still misty from the passion she'd experienced. Her mouth was swollen. There were a couple of his whisker burns on her face as well. Seeing his marks on her gave him a great deal of satisfaction. She belonged to him, and damn but he liked seeing her like this.

'I hurt you, didn't I?'

The question sounded sincere, but the slow smile that came over his expression confused her.

'Yes, you did hurt me, but the pain didn't last long. I only cried for a second.'

'The first time,' he agreed.

'Why are you smiling? Don't you care you hurt me?'

'Of course I care. I love you, Mary Rose. I'm smiling because of the way you look.'

His voice had taken on that gruff, sensual edge she liked so much.

'How do I look?' She sounded breathless.

'Like I've just been inside you and loved you and satisfied you. I'm feeling real possessive right now.'

She was feeling incredibly warm and safe and loved.

'You've always been possessive.'

'It's different now, sweetheart. I've wanted you in my bed a long time.'

She reached up and stroked the side of his face. 'And now that I'm here?'

The smile faded from his face. 'You're mine.'

She wasn't going to dispute the truth. 'Yes, I'm yours.'

He nodded with satisfaction. Then he leaned down and kissed her.

She rubbed her toes against his legs and sighed into his mouth when his tongue began to tease hers.

He felt the stirrings of arousal and knew he needed to stop before passion made him forget her tender condition. She needed time to recover before he took her again.

He pulled away, rolled onto his back, and then drew her up against his side.

'We have to talk, Mary Rose.'

The seriousness in his tone of voice worried her. She knew better than to try to second-guess him, but her own vulnerability made her think he was about to say something she didn't want to hear. She even believed she knew exactly what it was.

Several minutes passed in silence. He stared at the ceiling while he considered various ways to discuss their future.

She spent the time fretting.

She couldn't stand the silence any longer. 'I'll make it easy for you, Harrison. I'll say it for you. You're…'

He didn't let her finish.

He tightened his hold around her waist and said, 'You can't possibly know what I'm going to say. You aren't a mind reader, sweetheart.'

'No, I can't read your mind,' she agreed. 'I can draw certain conclusions though. From the seriousness in your tone of voice, I concluded the importance of what you want to say. Your hesitancy told me you were having trouble finding the right words. Am I right so far?'

'Yes,' he answered. 'What I have to say to you is serious, and yes, I want to find just the right words.'

'Because you're an attorney.'

'No, because I want to make certain you understand. I want to prepare you.'

' Harrison, I could save you a lot of time.'

She began to caress his chest with her fingers, barely aware she was distracting the hell out of him. He suddenly wanted to make love to her again.

He was going to talk to her first, however. He grabbed hold of her hand and held tight.

She promptly leaned up and kissed the base of his neck.

'Quit tempting me.' The command was given in a rough, no-nonsense tone of voice.

She ignored it and deliberately kissed him again.

'I'm not tempting you. I'm consoling you. There's a difference.'

'You're naked in my arms, Mary Rose. Therefore…'

'I'm tempting you.'

'Yes.'

She let out a sigh and rested the side of her face against his warm skin.

'I understand what's happening to you. You're having regrets now. I understand, Harrison, and that is why I was trying to console you. You don't have to feel guilty any longer.'

He went completely still. 'Exactly what am I supposed to be regretting?'

'Our… indiscretion.'

'Our what?'

The calmness in his voice masked his anger. He refused to believe what he had just heard. She was going to have to say it again, just to convince him.

'Our indiscretion.'

She felt his long, indrawn breath. The reaction should have been a warning of the fury coming. He also tightened his arm around her waist.

She still wasn't prepared.

'How in God's name does that mind of yours work? I know you're as intelligent as everyone else. Hell, you're smarter than everyone else. Does everything shut down inside your head? How could you possibly believe tonight was an indiscretion? Answer me.'

He didn't give her time to say a word, however. 'We made a commitment to each other. Got that?'

Mary Rose was astonished by his anger. She wasn't at all frightened by it though. The realization made her smile. Harrison was roaring like a wounded bear, and she was feeling just as safe as always.

She didn't understand his reaction, however. He acted as though she had just grossly insulted him. And his mother. And even his dog, if he happened to have one.

She tried to keep the smile out of her voice when he finally let her speak.

'I didn't say I believed we had been indiscreet. I thought you…'

He interrupted her again. 'Listen to me. I really don't think you quite get it yet.'

'Get it? What does that mean?'

'It means you obviously didn't understand me when I said you were mine now. I didn't imply you were mine for the night. I meant forever.'

'I wish you'd be logical about this. If…'

'You want me to be logical?'

She thought that perhaps it hadn't been the right thing to say to him. She was thankful she couldn't see his face now, because she knew the muscle in the side of his cheek was probably going crazy. It flexed whenever he clenched his jaw, and he always did that when he was angry. It was a dead giveaway that a storm was coming.

'It appears I can't say the right thing to appease you.' He started to tell her what he thought about her remark, then decided against it. He knew if he continued on, he would become furious all over again. Indiscretion? He still couldn't believe she'd used that word to describe what had happened tonight. It was going to take him a good week to get over it.

His silence indicated to her that he was ready to listen to reason. 'I'm new at this. You could be a little more patient with me. It wouldn't kill you, so quit breathing like that. I've never been intimate before. I can't help but feel vulnerable.'

She was certain her explanation would gain his sympathy and his understanding. She was wrong with both