«My mama died before I ever knew her face.»

«Uh-huh,» Reno said, obviously unmoved. «I suppose you’re a poor little orphan child with no one to look after you.»

Eve gritted her teeth and tried to get a grip on her temper. «As a matter of fact, I am.»

«Poor littlegata,» Reno said coolly. «Stop telling me sad stories or I’ll cloud up and cry all over you.»

«I’d settle for you getting off of me.»

«Why?»

«You’re crushing me. I can’t even breathe.»

«Really?»

Reno looked at the flushed, beautiful, furious face that was only inches from his own.

«Odd,» he said deeply, «you’re not having a bit of trouble talking at thirty to the dozen.»

«Listen, you overgrown, overbearing gunfighter,» Eve said icily. Then she corrected herself. «No, you’re not a gunfighter. You’re a thief who makes his living robbing people who are too weak to — mmph!»

Eve’s words had been effectively cut off by Reno’s mouth closing over hers.

For an instant she was too shocked to do anything but lie rigid beneath his warm, overwhelming weight. Then she felt the sure thrust of his tongue between her teeth and panicked. Twisting, kicking, trying to throw him off, she fought with every bit of strength in her body.

Reno laughed without releasing Eve’s mouth and deliberately let himself sink down over her, pinning her to the ground with his much greater weight, absorbing her struggles without in the least stopping the sensual probing of his tongue within her mouth.

Eve’s wild, futile fighting did nothing but wear her out and make her desperate for air. Yet when she tried to breathe, she couldn’t, for Reno’s weight was too great to shift from her chest even the bare inch she needed.

The world began to go gray, then black, receding from her in a rush, spinning away.

The small, frightened sound Eve made as she felt herself fainting did what none of her struggles had accomplished. Reno lifted his head and body just enough to allow her to breathe.