“I believe you, but I can’t possibly imagine what you’d be afraid of.”

“It’s like I hinted earlier, it’s, uh, been awhile. I’m a little panicked I’ll disappoint you.”

Gabe Wentworth, one of the sexiest, most steadfast and genuine men she’d ever met, was worried about disappointing her.

Unexpected happiness blossomed in Olivia’s chest. So, this was what it felt like to have an honest-to-goodness partner, to have someone who wasn’t just on the same side, but who confided in you, and in whom you could confide in in return.

She leaned close and brushed her lips over his ear and let her words fall out in a whisper. “I’ll tell you right now, you aren’t going to disappoint me. Though maybe we can give ourselves permission to set the bar higher after we get the awkward stuff out of the way.”

Their kiss was just beginning to get heated again when Samson decided he’d been slighted long enough. He let out a grunt and rolled over with such a considerable amount of struggle that he passed a long stream of gas. Once he had his legs underneath him, he stood up and planted himself smack-dab between them.

“Whoa,” Olivia added, fanning her face and leaning back. “I’d almost guess he timed that.”

“I’m not kidding about him being put out. But the gas thing—that’s just him and old age, and it’s always worse at night.” Gabe reached for her hand and pulled her a safe distance from the couch and straight into an embrace. Olivia loved the feel of his arms wrapping tightly around her.

“Next time I come over, I’ll bring Samson a giant Kong filled with enough peanut butter to keep him busy for hour or two, and maybe he won’t even realize he’s missing out on something.”

“That’s a good idea,” Gabe said between kisses, one hand at her back, the other cupping the curve between her ass and the back of her thigh, making her want to melt even closer into him.

She felt the swell of him pressing into her low belly again, and her body heated all over in response. She ground against him, ready to melt the last of that fear away.

Gabe pulled back as things got heated and released a breath. “You know, that reminds me. I’ve got a dental chew that’ll buy us twenty minutes tonight.”

Olivia slipped her hands underneath Gabe’s shirt, running them along the ridges of muscle along his abdomen and sides, her knees going weak as they locked around his deltoids. “Twenty minutes? Considering you already rocked my world in about five, I feel like we could get a lot accomplished in that time.”

Gabe’s easy laugh reverberated through his chest and against her hands. “I’m ready if you are.”