Before she could come up with a snarky response, Julian's lips were on hers. His hands slid up her back, gentle and caressing.

Amelia kissed him deeper. It was an all-consuming kind of kiss, like the way fire takes a while to catch, and then goes up all at once. He was tender and sweet, not at all what she would have expected.

Julian's devil-may-care attitude and massive frame had her expecting him to come at her hard and fast. Yet, he moved with caution, handling ...