And finally, finally covered her mouth with his.

She gripped his hips, fingers digging in as she let her tongue dance with his, let her lips heat with his. She wanted faster, hotter, harder. She thought she might die from the gentle and glorious warmth.

“Wait.” Something was breaking loose inside her. A vital something that needed to stay firmly in place. “Wait. You think I need all the fancy work.” She turned her head, but that only meant his teeth found her ear.

Oh, Jesus, the man had the most magical of mouths.

“I don’t need it.” Her breath was coming hard and fast and making her dizzy. “Or seductions.”

“I do.” He tilted his head so he could nibble down her throat.

“If you’ve decided—and it appears to me you have— that we should have sex after all, we’ll take an hour now and go to your cottage.”

His chuckle was muffled against her skin, skin that was soft as sun-warmed silk. “Somewhere in the middle, Brenna. I want you.” He felt her shiver as his mouth found hers again. “But I’ve a mind to drive us both a bit crazy before I have you naked and under me.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s more enjoyable that way. Do you like it when I do this?” She drew in her breath in three short gasps when he feathered his fingers just under her shirt so the backs of them rubbed the curve of her breast. “I see you do. Your eyes are blurry.”

“I’m half blind. The hell with the cottage, we’ll just finish this right here.”

But when she locked her arms around his neck, he laughed and swung her in a circle. “Oh, no, we won’t. I won’t short myself or you of the pleasure.”

“It doesn’t seem like middle ground from where I’m standing. It’s leaning heavily toward your way of things.”

“Maybe, but you’ll thank me for it when we’re done.”

“So like a man,” she said when he set her on her feet. “Always thinking you know what’s best and how it all should be done.”

His teeth flashed. “Brenna, darling, if I wasn’t a man we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

She blew out a breath, settled her cap more firmly on her head. “Well, you’re right about that, aren’t you?”

“You told me you had an itch, well, I’ll scratch it for you, in my own time and my own way. That’s fair.”

She looked at him, nodded. “Frustrating, but fair.”

“And wherever we stand now or after, we walk away friends at the end of it. As much as I want you, I won’t touch you if we don’t take a vow here to walk away friends.”

How could she help but care for him, Brenna wondered, when he was the kind of man who would think of that? And would mean it. “Friends now, during, and after.” She offered her hand on it. “I’ll promise that to you.”

“And I to you.” He took her hand, held it. Then, just to see her reaction, brought it to his lips to nuzzle.