Richard didn't know how long he was laying on his bed when he heard the knock on the door. He closed his eyes and sighed. He didn't want any visitors. He was still reeling from his anger after the interrogation. He rolled over onto his stomach before yelling not to come in. He clenched his eyes shut as he heard the door open anyways. He rolled onto his back and sat up.

It was Kahlan.

He exhaled and flopped back onto the bed, rubbing his eyes with his fingers. When he lifted his head to look again, she was still standing there, arms crossed. She switched back to her traveler's outfit. He felt she was taunting him with her thighs again. He cursed himself for getting so close to them before he stood up.

Kahlan cocked her head to the side and pushed him back onto the bed, standing before him.

"You, Richard Cypher, have got some explaining to do."

"Kahlan .." He began, trying to find the words to apologize for storming out earlier - he had no right to get angry at her. She needed to do this, to find a mate.

"No." The authority in her voice made him come fully alert, eyes now glued to her. "Don't apologize." Her blue eyes sparkled with the faint light that was coming in from the window. It was almost night. Richard felt his tongue get thick and worked it around his mouth.

"I .." He dropped his head, burying his hands in his hair. He knew where this conversation was headed, and he quickly tried to find an escape route. She was directly in his way - and there's no way he'd be able to get past her. Like he even wanted to.

She stood there, arms crossed, looking down at him. He looked up into her blues and made a sad smile, her face blank. He hated that he couldn't read her features, that she held up the Confessor's face so often when he wanted to know her true emotions. However, since the weeks they've been together, he was able to read her body. More than anything, he wanted to be able to touch it.

"Kahlan, I .."

"You what?" Her gaze was intense, her eyes questioning. He felt as if he were under inspection, that any little move he made could tell her a thousand words. He swallowed what he was going to say, and instead replaced it with a different statement - one that held as much truth as the words he had thought.

"I don't like Ryan." She raised her eyebrow at him, her eyes darting to the right as her mouth opened to speak.

"And why is that?" Her voice was patronizing.

"Because -"

"Because he isn't you." Richard's heart stopped. He exhaled as he stood in front of her, awkwardly placing his arms at his sides. He started moving his head in an attempt to say something, but instead it ended up just swaying, and he settled with looking intently at the ground. He saw her boots come into his line of sight as she placed her hand under his chin to force him to look into her eyes.

"Maybe that's why I don't like him either." Mischief danced in her eyes. Richard had to remember to breathe, and his eyes drifted from hers to her lips. When she noticed his redirection, she drew in her bottom lip between her teeth, causing Richard to wince. She smiled, and his boyish grin came creeping into place.

"You know," she took a step forward, grabbing his vest in her hands, "I think I prefer your woods guide clothing to this." Her fingers traced over the red cloth, her eyes connecting with his. "You should take it off."

He chuckled as he felt her breath on his face, and he knew that this could only lead somewhere horribly wrong. He couldn't wait.

She took a tighter grip on his vest and pulled him closer to her, her lips lightly brushing against his. "This is very, very bad." He smiled as he nodded his agreement, wrapping his arms around her waist to close the very little distance they had between them. She smiled as she used one hand to trace along his jaw, lightly grabbing his chin between her thumb and index finger.

She looked up at him through her lashes, "Very bad." She closed the distance, and soon her arms were wrapping around his neck. He quickly opened his mouth to invite her tongue, and the battle for dominance began. His hands roamed along her back, wishing that instead of meeting fabric, they met her skin. The battle was over soon, her tongue winning. She always won. Her hands started to bury into his hair as she became more aggressive, Richard's hands finding their way to her hips, desperately trying to pull her closer.

Richard found himself gasping for air when she pulled away, taking a step back to disconnect their bodies altogether. He could hardly believe what just happened, and when his eyes met her face, he took in a deep breath.

She gestured with her hands to his D'Haran vest. "This won't do." He looked at her with a confused expression before she continued.

"Off."

Dear Spirits. This woman was going to kill him with her voice alone. He ran the word through his head over and over, wondering if he really had heard her request. Her demand. Who was he to deny the Mother Confessor, anyway? Before his mind set itself on a course of action, Kahlan was already working to take it off. She unbuttoned it quickly, leaning into him to discard the garment over his arms, letting it drop to the floor. She lifted her chin.

"Much better." Her hands started roaming his torso, and he was sure she could feel him shivering under her touch. Desire started to cloud his mind. This was what he wanted, this is what he desperately wished could happen, and now it was. And now he was rethinking it. He may want Kahlan Amnell more than he has ever wanted anything in his life - but was he willing to forfeit his soul? Everything he is? He faltered and stepped away from her, furrowing his eyebrows together.

"Kahlan .." He was going to regret this. A smile danced along her lips. He was really going to regret this. The smile fell, and her eyebrows scrunched together as she started to back away from him.

"Kahlan?" He watched as she turned her back on him, walking towards the door. She must feel like he just rejected her, but that wasn't it. He just .. he couldn't give up his soul to be with her, surely she had to understand that. Right when he thought she was going to walk out, she turned around to look at him, half smirk present.

She reached towards the door, and locked it.