“Me neither, Skye. That’s how I know what we share is real. No mountain high enough, no valley low enough. I’m always coming for my light in the sky.”
“You better.”
A slice of cake arrived, and more champagne was poured. We shared dessert, feeding each other, and I decided this would go down as the perfect night.
The check landed on the table. I saw it and reached for it before he could.
He moved my hand without looking up from his glass.
“Ducane.”
“Skye, what are you doing?”
“I want to contribute.”
“You do contribute.” He picked up the check and handed it to the server without looking at the total. “Every single day.”
I sat back.
“That’s not what I mean. You always pay. I have a job. I can pay sometimes.” I pouted.
“Put that lip back. The answer is no. Ain’t nothing in that purse of value to me. Taking care of you as your man is what I’m going to do.”
“Fine. Next time.”
He looked back at me with those amber eyes, completely unbothered. Right then, I knew exactly who I was looking at. This was the person I needed.
He reached across the table and tucked a curl behind my ear.
“You ready?”
“Yeah,” I said. “I’m ready. And for that other thing.”
He stood and extended his hand. When I rose, he pulled me in close. “What other thing, Skye? Say it like a big girl.”
I looked up at him for a second. My hands found his face before my mouth found his.
He kissed me back without rushing me, his hand settling at the small of my back as he pulled me close enough that every thought in my head disappeared.
I smiled when we finally came up for air.
He didn’t.
His eyes stayed on mine, waiting.
“Ducane,” I said quietly. “I want you to make love to me.” I held his gaze. “But don’t hurt me.”
He searched my face like he wanted to be sure he understood exactly what I was asking.
“Never,” he said. “Not even a little bit.”
We stood there looking at each other until somebody laughed across the restaurant and pulled us back into the room.
He smiled.
“Come on.”
He laced our fingers together and led me out of the restaurant.
