His dark, thirsty eyes drink me in like I’m the finest thing he’s ever seen. “Jesus, Kerry.”

He drags his lips down my chest until his tongue trails over the swell of my breasts before he takes my hard nipple into his mouth.

I gasp, arching into him as he licks, sucks, and bites—devouring me, worshipping me with every flick of his tongue.

Wet heat coils deep inside, spreading like lava through my veins. Then, my hand, eager and greedy, travels down to his hard shaft. I don’t think. I just reach.

He drags his teeth along my neck, his lips brushing against my ear. I shudder and tighten my grip, slowly, tentatively stroking him, marveling at the sheer size of him, the thickness, the velvety smoothness against my palm.

He lets out a strangled curse, his hips jerking against my touch. His fingers dig into my thighs, and suddenly, my legs are spread wider, his body slotted perfectly between them with the heat of his arousal pressing into my soaked panties.

“Kerry,” he warns, his voice rough, hoarse, barely holding it together. “If you don’t stop, then I won’t. I’ll fuck you right here on this counter.”

I swallow hard, my head and heart at war.

“We should stop,” I whisper, though every part of me screams otherwise.

And then, we break apart, breathing hard, and staring at each other like we just barely survived something catastrophic.

“Yeah,” he rasps, chest rising and falling. “We should.”

But neither of us move. For a long moment, we just stand there, breathless and staring at each other in the dim kitchen light. Then, finally, with a sharp exhale, Vic closes his eyes, clenches his jaw, and steps back to lift me off the counter to get dressed.

My lips are still swollen, and my body still thrums from his touch. But before I can process what just happened, he grabs my hand and leads me back to the family room where girls are still curled up in the princess fort peacefully sleeping.

Vic and I sink onto the large sofa, side by side with our hands still clasped together. I rest my head against his shoulder while he wraps an arm around me, pulling me close and anchoring me in a way I didn’t even realize I needed.

In the soft, quiet glow of the room, surrounded by tiny snores and fairy lights, I press a kiss to his shoulder, letting my lips linger against his skin. Before I can pull away, he places a finger under my chin, tilting my face up to his. His lips find mine, kissing me so softly and so damn sweet.

My chest tightens, and my fingers curl into his shirt. “Don’t be afraid to fall in love, Vic,” I whisper, my voice barely audible over the hum of the night. “Because I promise… I’m not afraid of falling in love with you.”