Only to those who try to stop me." "I'm trying to stop you! Let me go! I'll take the Skye Command back alone and never breathe a word of any of this to anyone. No one will ever know we met. Just leave me alone!" "You don't really mean that now, do you, Alyse? You couldn't forget we'd met, could you? Forget all the good times we've had together?" "Good? I've been tricked! You are the most deceitful man I've ever—" He lifted her chin, his thumb pressed against her lips to hush her. Slowly, agonizingly he lowered his lips to hers, tenderly matching softness to softness. The kiss belied all the toughness Jake displayed. With a ragged groan he raked his widespread hands through her unruly chestnut hair, framing her head, her face. He forced their lips and their bodies together with a heated energy born of desperation, of fear of losing her. Alyse moaned softly and slumped against him, unable to resist him. She found herself clutching his shoulders, his neck, digging into the hair at his nape.
