@7 TIMELESS His name was but a silken whisper on her lips. The sound of her voice invigorated his senses. He let out a ragged breath when he glanced up to see her tongue dart out to moisten her lips. Again, he felt her whisper his name from across the room, drawing him closer. How could he resist her mysterious charm when she'd consumed his dreams for nights on end? As he drew closer, her image became clearer, sharper. Her dark hair fell in ringlets past her shoulders and her green eyes pierced his soul. Looking at her full lips, he wondered if they would taste as sweet as honeydew. He hesitated a moment, suddenly unsure of himself. What would he finally say to her? His heart was thundering in his ears and his palms had long ago begun to sweat. He wanted this time with her, needed this time with her, to get to know the woman, not just the friend. When he reached her side, he was suddenly possessed with an overwhelming desire to kiss her, to see if she was real. She turned and led him out to a balcony. He followed without question. She never spoke, only held out her arms to him. He entered her circle willingly. When their bodies touched, smoldering sparks ran the length of his body. Their embrace was not one of lovers, but one of soul mates. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he'd ever find his true soul mate, but now he knew he had. When they parted, tears like diamonds shone in their eyes. He touched her hair, hesitantly at first, then plunged both hands into the luxurious depths of her silken curls. Ever so slowly, he brought her face up to his, to take in her lips, to devour their softness. His tongue traced the fullness of her lips and she gasped, then moaned her desire, sending a heady rush raging through the recesses of his mind. Gathering her into his arms, he held her snugly as he deepened the kiss, thrusting his tongue deep inside the sweetness of her mouth. He felt her shivering response all the way down to his toes. Never could he have imagined this kind of response to his love, for it seemed he'd loved her forever. Reluctantly, they parted a few inches, to catch their breaths. In an unspoken request, she lead him through another door and into a dimly lit room. In the center was a bed shrouded in fine white lace. The room spoke of purity and he was suddenly frightened. He didn't belong here with her. She was too pure for his tainted image. When he turned away, she put her hand on his arm. He turned back and her hand moved to his heart. Her first words spoken shook his soul. "Don't you love me?" she whispered. He took the hand placed over his heart and kissed her delicate fingers. If he could not voice his feelings, he had to express them the only way he knew. Pushing the gown from her creamy shoulders he watched her beauty revealed to him inch by agonizing inch, leaving him breathless. Seeing her blush from his heated gaze made him smile. Suddenly the blush disappeared and he stifled a groan at the temptress she became, moving closer, reaching for the buttons on his shirt. Before he could take in another breath, she'd stripped him of his apprehension. He picked her up and carried her to the bed, laying her down on the soft, satiny sheets. Her hair flowed around her head like a bronzed halo. Laying down beside her, he kissed her soft lips, drinking from her potent juices. The softness of her loving touch moved his soul. He moved between her open thighs, and thrust into her wetness, making them one. In her arms, he thought he'd died and gone to heaven, for she loved him with her body and soul, taking him to heights he'd never known. Deep into the night, their cry of love was heard as the stars reached down to take them away in an outburst of passion. Laying in the darkness, he could feel her breath against his heated body as she lay nuzzled against his side. Reaching out to touch her, he gloried in the feel of her silky hair as it slid between his fingers. With gentle care, he touched her cheek, its porcelain softness tinted in pink, her face aglow from the passionate night of loving, giving, and sharing. In his heart grew a love so deep and so strong his soul ached with its intensity. How does a man convey such a love? When she opened her eyes and smiled sweetly up to him, he felt his heart swell. Looking deep into her soul, he whispered the words bursting from his heart. "My God, I love you."