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“Hey, slow down.”

“No. We’ve waited long enough,” I said through gritted teeth. The fourth button was being stubborn. He caught my hands.

“Shhhh.” He brought my fingers to his mouth and kissed the tips. “I need to confess something.”

I tried to get loose. I needed to get them undressed, in bed, and this over with. The second time would be good. We just needed to get past this first time.

“Chloe, are you listening to me?”

“Huh?”

“I’m nervous.”

If he would just let go of me, I could move this show down the road.

Wait a moment. What did he just say?

I looked up into his eyes. “What did you say?”

“We put off enough heat for a chemical fire, but I want this to be perfect for you, and I’m thinking I’ll do this wrong.”

Geez, every time the man got me on the couch, he’d gotten it right, and he was worried? I was the one who needed to be worried. He had all the perfect moves, but…

“I’ve only had good chemistry with you. I’ve been damned by faint praise with others. I want to get this right.”

Warm green eyes glowed down at me.

“Our chemistry is off the charts; this will be perfect.” He cupped my cheek and stroked his thumb over my lower lip. I sucked it into my mouth.

He groaned.

“Fuck, and you worry that you might be bad at this? How do I get you out of this dress? All of these buttons are making me sweat.”

“There’s a hidden zipper.” I showed him.

“Thank God.” He helped me out of the dress. I stood in front of him in a bra, panties, and stockings. I’d thought he might want to make love tonight, so I’d put on good underwear just in case. The look on his face started to alleviate my fears, this could work. In less than a millisecond, I was in his arms, and beneath him on the bed.

“Shirt. Off,” I demanded.

He kneeled up and finished unbuttoning his shirt and peeled it off. I’d seen him a couple of times without a shirt, but never when he was above me on a bed. My mouth went dry. He was gorgeous.

“No, you’re the one who’s gorgeous,” he said. His fingers traced the tops of my breasts that curved above my lingerie. Gently he divested me of my bra, then cupped my swollen flesh. I cried out with pleasure. His thumbs brushed back and forth against my nipples and I arched into the caress.

“More. Harder.”

Zarek gave me a wicked smile.

I reached up, grabbed his hair, and pulled him down for a soul-shattering kiss that left us both gasping.

Finally, finally, I saw him naked. I reached out and stroked his erect flesh, savoring his groan of pleasure.

“You’re killing me, Chloe.”

“Aren’t you going to undress me?”

“Are you kidding? The stockings stay on.”

I laughed out loud. And wasn’t that absolutely perfect? Love and passion and laughter.