There was a fire raging in the space between them. They wanted to prolong this state as long as both could stand it. His ribs rose with a sharp inhalation to meet her waiting touch and fell away just before contact. It was a moment that lingered heavy in the air. He was maddening in his self-discipline. His single-minded devotion to deny initial contact frustrated her to a point near anger. She only let this feeling fuel her anticipation.