‘Ava, are you sure about this? I don’t want you to regret it,’ he mumbled, undoing the top buttons of her shirt and kissing the smooth skin between her breasts.

‘I trust you more than I’ve ever trusted any man in my life, and regret is a word male politicians use when they get caught cheating on their wives. Could you finish taking my shirt off now, please? It’s getting a bit hot in here.’

Callanach did as she asked, sitting back to look at her appreciatively while she fumbled with his buttons, balancing on the edge of the couch and kissing at the same time.

‘This isn’t working,’ Callanach said.

‘What? I thought …’

‘Not enough space on the couch was all I meant,’ Callanach clarified, sliding his hands beneath her buttocks and lifting her up with him as he stood and walked towards the bedroom, banging his shins on the coffee table then grazing Ava’s back on the doorframe.

‘Are you always this clumsy?’ she laughed.

‘Only when I’m carrying a woman who won’t stay still and is in my line of vision. Watch out!’

He dropped her unceremoniously onto his bed and watched her roll about on his duvet.

‘God, this is the best duvet ever. It’s like landing in clouds. How is it possible that you have a six-pack, TV hair and also the best bedding in the universe? You’re never staying over at my place. In fact, I may have to kill you and take over your apartment.’

‘Or you could just stay here with me and never bother to go home again,’ he suggested, climbing onto the bed beside her and stretching out. ‘You’re so beautiful. You don’t even realise it, do you?’

‘Knock it off, poster boy. There’s only room for one supermodel inside MIT and you win that prize.’

Callanach rolled on top of her, brushing hair from her eyes and smiling down at her.

‘Well then, you won’t be able to resist me, will you?’

‘Resist you? What exactly did you have in mind?’ Ava raised her eyebrows.

He slid a hand beneath her back and under her bra, slipping it from her shoulders.

‘Why don’t you relax and let me show you?’ he whispered, letting his hand drift down her stomach, his thumb circling the soft skin directly above the button of her jeans. ‘Explain to me why we waited so long to do this.’

‘That’s easy,’ Ava said, lacing her fingers beneath her head and sighing happily. ‘It’s because I’m worth waiting for.’

‘I’m not going to disagree with that,’ he grinned, flicking the button open and kissing her again, teasing her lips with his teeth as he ran a warm hand over her breasts. ‘But I’m glad you didn’t make me wait any longer. I wasn’t sure my sanity was going to hold out.’