“You’re so beautiful,” I said as she stopped in front of me and stood on the bottom stair. She was in heels, so her eyes were level with mine. Her mouth was right there. I seized her face between my palms and kissed her. I knew that I just messed up her lipstick—that always used to make her mad—but I didn’t care. She was right there, so beautiful and so mine. I slid my arms down and wrapped them around her, crossing them behind her back, to grip her hips in my palms. I lifted her off her feet. Her little purse hit the staircase as she wound her arms around my neck, fingers curling into my hair. This date would start with a kiss and end with a whole lot more. I growled into her mouth as I felt her tongue touch mine. God, how I wanted her, how I had always wanted her.

“Luke, you’re supposed to kiss me at the end of the date,” she whispered against my lips.

I smiled against her mouth. “I’ll kiss you at the end, don’t worry about that,” I whispered back. “And, baby, prepare. I’ll probably kiss you during the date too.”

She pulled back with a smile. “Noted, and I approve of your plans, just so you know.”

“You don’t know where I’m taking you, and you already approve. This bodes well for me.”

“I meant I approve of the kissing, silly. I’ll let you know if I approve of the location later,” she teased.

I winked at her and put her down. I picked up her purse and offered her my arm. “Shall we? I find I am in dire need of your approval, my lady.” She took my arm with a laugh, and I escorted her outside to my truck. I opened her door, and she frowned up at me.

“Your truck is too high. And I think my dress is too tight to climb up.” She looked down at her body in that dress.

Her amazing body in that tight, sexy dress that was slowly going to kill me until I could take it off her later tonight. I grinned down at her bemused expression and swooped her up, placing her on the passenger seat before carefully closing the door.

After I got in and started the truck, I turned to her. “There is no such thing as a dress too tight when it comes to you. You are stunning. Plus, bonus, I get to put my hands all over you when I help you in and out of my truck.”