"No you aren't." Valyn shook his head, reaching up to stroke her hair. "It wouldn't be right. You're in pain and on some sort of poppy drug...."

Damn it all, he wanted this. But it didn't matter. He had been honest with her - all the things between them, he couldn't just ignore them. His own physical wants and desires were secondary.

"I can't, Shana. Not like this."