“You’re the most beautiful woman in the world,” he said. “Did you know that?”

“The most?” she said. “I’d heard top ten but didn’t know I’d hit the top spot.”

“I’m not joking with you,” he said. “To me, you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life. I’d rather look at you than anyone else out there.”

She smiled up at him.

“You’re in a mood tonight, aren’t you?”

“And I’m just getting started.” He slid his hand under her pajama top and rubbed it flat over her stomach. “Your skin is everything to me. Sometimes I’ll touch it and I worry I won’t be able to stop. You’re so soft and warm and like silk. And you smell like roses all the time. Day or night. Even after a run. I don’t know how you do it. You must be part rose.”

He could see the pink roses blooming on her cheeks under her brown skin. He touched her face and found her burning.

“Cyrus Tremont, what has gotten into you?”

“You,” he said. “You’ve gotten into me. You’re in my head all the time. And you’re in my blood. And I’m not going to be a happy man until you’re in my bed, too, and I’m inside you.”

“Cyrus, Lord.”

“I want to make you come,” he said.

Her eyes went wide as half dollars. He’d shocked her before, a time or two, but he could tell he’d never shocked her quite like that.

“I’m serious,” he said. “I want to make you come. Now. Tonight. Will you let me?”

He heard Nora’s voice in the back of his head—Since we don’t know if she’s kinky yet…better just ask nicely.

“Will I let you?” she asked. “Didn’t we already make this decision?”

“We decided to wait until we were married because I wanted to prove to you that I wasn’t after you for sex. And you wanted us to get to know each other, really know each other. Well, I think I’ve proven myself. And if we don’t know each other yet…” He caught her hand in his and held it against his chest over his heart. “You know me, don’t you? I know I know you. I know I do because I love you. Anybody who knows you loves you.”

Paulina took a ragged breath.

“You are really getting to me,” she said.

“I don’t want to brag, but I have a few skills in this area. I can keep all my clothes on and still make you come so hard you have to call in sick to work tomorrow to recover.”

“That so?” she said.

Cyrus caressed her ear, her neck. Caught a curl of her hair and lightly tugged it. He wasn’t nervous, not a bit. In fact, he felt calm and steady and cool, like he’d slipped into his most comfortable clothes. He felt good. And this felt right.

“You can’t even imagine how good you make me feel every day,” he said softly. “I want to make you feel that good. Will you let me? Please?”