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and right now, Levi pressed his erection against her belly and then cradled her body as she shuddered in reaction, doing her best to crawl into him.
    His mouth against hers, he whispered, “I need you, Beth.”
    Beyond any real verbal response, Beth moaned and clutched at him.
    And that gave him pause, because Levi knew she was with him—and he knew that she’d hate herself for it later.
    Damn it.
    Why did his conscience have to snap to life now? Why couldn’t he have stayed in the sensual fog a little bit longer?
    But he knew why; he loved Beth and he wanted her happy, not more humiliated. Until she admitted that it was love they shared, her embarrassment would continue. He had to remember that. He had to keep the ultimate goal—Beth as his wife—at the forefront of his every intention.
    Lifting his mouth from hers, Levi whispered, “Beth, wait.”
    Her mouth followed, seeking his again. She licked his bottom lip, pressed her breasts against him.
    Holding her shoulders, Levi managed to put a small distance between them. “Honey, no, wait.”
    Big sleepy eyes opened, heavy with lust, dark with desire. “I don’t understand how you always make me feel this way.”
    â€œI know.” He put his right hand to the back of her head and urged it to his shoulder. “But that’s why we’re here. So I can explain it to you.”
    Both rigid and soft, anxious and needy, Beth willingly leaned into him, giving him the weight of her worry. His left hand on the center of her back registered each broken breath, just as his heart understood her confusion. He put his cheek to her crown and inhaled the scent of her silky blond hair.
    Muscles prepared for her reaction, Levi said, “I want to marry you, Beth.”
    As he expected, she almost lurched away.
    â€œShhh. I know that’s something of a shock. You thought for so long that we were just friends. But it doesn’t change anything—I want to marry you.”
    Her silence felt like condemnation. Like the ultimate rejection. “There’s something going on between us.” Something called love, but Levi didn’t want to spook her. “You go wild when I touch you.”
    â€œI know.” Her whole body trembled. “That’s why you can’t touch me.”
    Her panic struck Levi like a low blow. “Wrong. It’s why I have to touch you. It’s the only time you’re honest with me and with yourself.”
    â€œNo.” She shook her head.
    â€œNow that we’ve been together, the feelings aren’t going to go away. You may as well accept that.”
    â€œThere’s nothing to accept.”
    As if she hadn’t spoken, Levi continued with his well-rehearsed speech. “You have to accept that Brandon doesn’t love you.” The last thing Levi wanted was to see her hurt, but denying the truth would only spare her for so long. “If he did, he wouldn’t have cheated.”
    â€œI know that. I’m not an idiot.”
    Relief closed Levi’s eyes.
    â€œBut this…” Flattening her hands over Levi’s chest, Beth tried to shove away.
    Irritation brought his eyes open again, and he kept her secure.
    â€œâ€¦has nothing to do with Brandon.”
    â€œOf course it does.” Taking her shoulders in his hands, Levi stepped away so that he could see her face. “You’re condemning yourself because Brandon fooled you. He had you believing that you were in love with him, and that he loved you, too. He convinced you that you’d share this picture-perfect life together.”
    â€œAnd that was all a sham.”
    â€œBecause he misled you.”
    â€œIt’s easy to fool a fool, apparently.”
    Levi wanted to shake her, so instead he released her and turned his back. It took two deep breaths to steady himself and tamp down on his anger. “You are not a fool, Beth.”
    â€œThen I’m a tramp.”
    He