She rose up on her toes to make first contact. She told herself she was doing it out of curiosity. The instant their lips touched, nothing in the world existed but her and Zayne. No festival. No farm. No kitchen. Just the two of them, mouths moving against each other. Tongues moving against each other. Breaths mingling. Zayne let out a deep growl, his hand moving under her blouse to flatten against her lower back.

Her arms wound around his neck, and she pulled herself higher on his body. Their mouths never parted as he slid his hands under her bottom and lifted her like a feather. Her legs wrapped around his hips. She couldn’t get close enough. Their teeth clicked and Zayne snorted a short laugh.

Don’t stop. Don’t stop. Don’t stop.

He was walking somewhere with her wrapped around him like a blanket. She didn’t care as long as he kept kissing her. He stumbled, jostling her. His mouth only moved away enough to be able to growl at the dog.

“Get the hell out of the way, Duke!”

He went back to kissing, taking a few more steps before halting again. Holy sweet God, they were in his bedroom. Or at least in the doorway to it. Her back was against the doorframe, legs still around him, and he was staring hard into her eyes. His chest rose and fell in deep breaths, which was the only sound in the small space.

“I presumed a lot by coming this far,” he said. His face and voice were solemn. “I want to go all the way...” The corner of his mouth curled upward. “No pun intended. But I’m not taking another step until I know this is what you want. I mean...we can stop anytime, but do you want to see what happens with fewer clothes between us and a comfortable bed beneath us?”

“Uh...yeah, I do.” She grinned. She wanted to be skin to skin with him more than anything. “But—this is not us starting a relationship or anything. This is...” She dropped her forehead against his, staring into his cobalt eyes. “It’s a one-night thing. But saying that reminds me that it was a one-night thing that gave me Hudson, so please tell me you have condoms handy that aren’t ten years old.”

Zayne huffed out a low laugh, his eyes softening. “I’m not that much of a hermit. We’re good.”

She lifted her head, nodding toward the large bed in the center of the room.

“Then why are we still in the doorway?”

CHAPTER SEVEN

ZAYNE DIDN’T NEED to be told twice. He pulled her close and walked to the bed, kicking the door closed behind them. He lowered her before he gave her a little drop. She let out a squeal when she bounced onto the mattress. Her red hair fanned out onto the sheet like flames.