He approached the bed slowly, watching her eyes, watching the heat flare there. Her eyes darkened, but the amber flecks grew brighter, becoming like tiny pieces of gold, now molten and spreading through the dark chocolate. His groin tightened and he knelt over her, caching her ankles in his hands and dragging her body down to him.

She moistened her lips, but her dark gaze never left his. His palm slid up the curve of her leg, tracing her form. Her long lashes swept down and then up, so that she watched him through half-closed eyes. He stroked his hands up her legs and over her hips, hooking her thin boy shorts and slowly lowering them from her body, all the while holding her gaze. The gold spread through the irises of her eyes until the color formed perfect circles. He read fear there, but the desire outweighed the fear.

He stretched out beside her, one hand splayed on her stomach, feeling her muscles bunch beneath his palm. She trembled, her eyes going wide, but she didn’t try to pull away from him. He wanted her with every cell in his body. He brushed a kiss along her temple, down to the corner of her eye and along her cheek. He heard her breath turn a little ragged and he drew lazy circles on her bare skin just under her breasts as he nudged her top up a little.

He found he was trembling as well. He needed her. She had brought life to him when he had long ago given up on it. He worked a job where life expectancy just wasn’t that long. The adrenaline rush had gotten him through, but now—now there was sunlight and laughter. There was all this golden skin and her honesty. There was need as he’d never known it before.

Drake caught the back of her head, holding her still while he took possession of her mouth, catching her breathy sigh. Kissing her made him a little drunk. There was the odd sensation of soaring when he wasn’t a fanciful person. Once started, it was impossible to stop. He slid his tongue along the seam of her mouth, more than willing to sink further under her spell.

Her mouth was soft warm velvet, her tongue tangling tentatively with his. Her hands went to his shoulders as he shifted just a little to ease his body partially over hers. The tips of her breasts brushed his bare chest through the thin material of her tank top. He pulled the shirt from her in one swift movement and as she gasped, he covered her mouth with his again, swallowing her little shocked cry.