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“Hurry up and finish your dessert, Lainey.” Matt’s voice was deep and rough. She’d never heard him sound like that before, and it sent an electric current from the top of her spine down to her pelvis. She let out a long breath.

“I’m not sure I’m hungry anymore,” she whispered.

“That’s good.” He got up and rounded the table so that he was hovering over her. He pulled out her chair, then held out his hand. She trembled, but not from nerves. She was excited.

Danged excited.

She put her hand in his and he drew her up so that not even a sheet of paper could come between them. Matt lifted both of her hands and put them around his neck. She could see the pulse in his neck beating fast. Good, she wasn’t the only one who was worked up.

“I’m going to kiss you. Just like I should have done the other night, before the bottle rocket went off.”

Even though this was the sexiest and most romantic moment of her life, Lainey laughed. She continued to giggle until she felt the hard press of Matt’s erection against her tummy and her laughter died an abrupt death. She couldn’t help the little shimmy she did against his body, then it was his turn to make a noise, and what a noise it was. She savored it as he groaned out her name.

“Lainey.”

She opened her mouth to say something, but he dipped his head and plunged his tongue into her mouth. There was no warning, no chance for her to overthink or worry. Instead, he just took over and she gave way and let him control everything.

Maybe not everything because soon her fingers were threading through his gorgeous, short, curly hair. She scraped her nails over his scalp and felt him shudder.

I did that. I made this warrior of a man tremble in my arms.

She didn’t know how, but she was scooped up in his arms, and he was heading to the living room. Lainey knew he was heading to the couch, and there was no way that she wanted the first time they made love to be on her couch. Because, to heck with the three-date rule, she wanted to make love.

Now!

“Wrong way,” she murmured. “Down the hall.” She snuggled closer to him, her head resting against his chest.

Matt changed direction. He strode past the guest bathroom and ignored the guest bedroom and her office. “Stop, Honey. Not my bedroom. Go back.”

He gave her a curious look.

“My dog, Xena. She gets easily scared. She won’t know what to do if a man ever went into my bedroom. We need to use the guestroom.”

“Guest room it is.” Matt pushed open the door with his shoulder and chuckled. Lainey understood why. It was made up for a woman spending the night, not that she’d had anybody spend the night here. But if they did, it would be perfect for them.

“You’re definitely a Southern lady.”

She hit his shoulder. “Don’t make fun.”

“Corazón, I’m not making fun. I promise.”

She let out a sigh of relief. “Well, good.”

Matt laid her down gently on top of the bed. He did it like she didn’t weigh a thing. He was sure strong for a scientist. Then he put his knee on the chintz duvet cover and covered her mouth with his. All thought was whisked away as his kiss ripped away all her inhibitions. Even when he started unbuttoning the front of her dress, she didn’t flinch.

“Dios mío, you’re beautiful.” His voice was guttural, like he had swallowed gravel. She loved it. Almost as much as when he flipped open the front clasp of her bra and took one of her generous breasts in his hand and dipped his head to suckle her nipple.

“Matt,” she called out. “More.”

He covered her other breast with his big hand and brushed his thumb over the tip. Back and forth. Again and again and again. She tried to keep quiet. She really did. She prayed that when she wailed out his name that her neighbors or Xena didn’t hear her.

Mateo took his time, not just because he thought it had been a long time for Lainey, but because to not savor this night would be a sin.

Lainey twisted and let out a disgruntled sound. He looked up from where he was feasting and realized her arms were tangled in her dress and she wanted to touch him.

He grinned. “Something wrong?” he asked.

“Don’t you dare tease me,” she grumbled. “You got me into this mess. Now get me out of it.” It was fun to hear her honeyed Southern accent commanding him.