“I used to come downstairs when Ginny and Leah were lying here and sing it to them then start swinging the bed. It drove them crazy.”

She winced. “I can sympathize. A singer, you’re not.”

Matthew rolled to his side to face her. “You don’t think so? I’m crushed.”

“Does nothing get you down for long?”

He braced his head on his hand. “No. Why should it? Life is too short not to make the most of every minute, and I refuse to give sadness more than five minutes of my valuable time.” He traced the line of her nose, and when he reached to the tip, he branched out to cup her cheek then slide down to place his palm over her heart.

How could he seduce her with one hand? Not to mention the warmth from that one hand extended to her whole body.

“I don’t think living to be over one hundred constitutes as being short.”

“No amount of time with you is ever going to be enough.”

“You might not be a good singer, but you would make a great songwriter.”

Matthew arched a brow at her.

“You don’t believe me?” She stared into his eyes, only to fall further under his spell. Unable to help herself, she raised her head and did something she had never done before. She kissed Matthew.

She felt his hand go behind her neck to keep her from pulling back as he parted his lips. When he didn’t take over the way she had expected him to, she grew bolder, letting the tip of her tongue slide into his mouth. The kiss turned into a bonfire.

He scooted closer to her, his chest practically covering hers as she explored his mouth. She felt herself melt when his hand went to the curve of her hips, tugging her closer until their bodies were melded together as their kisses grew wilder.

Desperately wanting to get even closer, she slipped her hands under his shirt, and then she lost what little sanity she had left at the feel of his skin under her hands. She felt as if she was lightning in a bottle, raw power contained in a living, breathing body. At any second, she felt like she would lose whatever control she had and the bottle would break.

Alanna couldn’t think of any instance in her life where she had actually been daring. Kissing Matthew was the most daring thing she had ever done. It was too late to second-guess if she should. Way too late. She was becoming afraid, that like the metal he worked with little effort, Matthew could bend her to his will.