Free Heart Duel by Robin D. Owens Page A

and Lord,” she mumbled, unable to stay silent.
    He smiled and it stunned her. She had never seen him smile like that before, with gentle joy. Lark stood frozen as his footsteps faded.
    She was left with questions.
    Had Ethyn ever wanted her this much? He certainly hadn’t expressed so much passion as Holm, or demanded a response from her. Ethyn had never received such a sexual response from her. Then she shivered. This had just been a kiss. A first kiss.
    She’d bitten him, and at the time had liked it, the taste and feel of his taut flesh against her mouth. His touch ignited a wild, primal desire that made her forget everything. Even that she was a Healer, sworn never to inflict pain.
    He liked his lover’s mark of passion? The way his eyes gleamed, she thought he might want her to bite him again, or more. More? How could she live with the woman she might become with him? She didn’t know that woman.
    She’d never experienced the sensuality with Ethyn that she had for Holm, the blood-sizzling, thigh-loosening, deep-pooling erotic sensations that Holm had created.
    Stop! Don’t think of this. Don’t dwell on it. The situation is impossible. Impossible!
    Surely the man would see that.
    Phyll wobbled to her. I have done much today and want food. Meserv gets all the food all the time He wants.
    â€œMeserv is fat.”
    Phyll’s whiskers twitched. And slow.
    She picked him up and carried him into the kitchen. “I’m proud of the help you give me at the HealingHall.”
    Everybody loves Me there, Phyll said.
    With a Word, she opened the cat section of the no-time food storage unit and dished out his special diet. “You will eat nutritious foods and become a strong, long-lived cat.”
    I am stronger than Meserv. Phyll cocked his head. But no one is as strong as Holm Holly. I like him. We will see him often. Meserv and I will play together, and I will win.
    He started eating.
    Lark stared at him, wondering how she could convince everyone, including herself, that she didn’t want Holm Holly.
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Holm stroked Meserv’s head with his forefinger and con templated the closed doors of the Green Knight Fencing and Fighting Salon, wondering if his Uncle Tab still locked the place against him. He needed to work off the pulsing energy of his lust.
    He didn’t know how he’d managed to stop from taking his Bélla’s sweet body when she’d called a halt to their lovemaking.
    Even so, he cursed himself. He’d been too hasty and come on too strong. Faults he’d never had to curb before. Faults that could cost him his HeartMate if he didn’t check them now.
    The first time they’d been together, he’d jumped on her.
    He shook his head to banish erotic images as much as to regret his lost skill and sophistication with women. He sensed all his suavity was gone for good with his HeartMate. Lord and Lady knew how he was going to scrape through this situation with any sort of finesse.
    He’d simply jumped on her.
    Served him right that he ached up to his teeth.
    At least he hadn’t pushed the telepathic bond.
    He grinned. No, he’d been too completely wrapped up in the physical to be coherent enough to reach for her mentally. A good thing. He suspected the punishment for melding them together in a HeartBond without her consent was dire.
    He tested the doors of the Green Knight, and accepted the small shock. Still barred from fighting. He’d have to swim.
    There were both advantages and disadvantages to being the member of such a physical Family. He hurt now, and would probably suffer for some time with frustrated passion until he could seduce his Bélla.
    But at least he’d be concentrating on the physical bonding, instead of impelling her into a HeartBond. No doubt it would take several extensive, heated sessions in bed with Bélla before he’d even think of progressing from physical consummation to the emotional,