This was a mistake.
A huge, colossal mistake.
An earth-destroying-meteoroid mistake.
Her eyelids slammed shut. Hard.
What had she been thinking?
“Open your eyes, sweet Suze.”
She forced them open.
Forced herself to look at him.
Without breaking eye contact, he sank onto the edge of the bed and reached for her, his hands warm as they closed around her hips and guided her forward. He looked up at her as though she were something precious — something he’d only ever dreamed of touching.
He’s an actor,her mind screamed.He can conjure any expression.
But his next words … they didn’t feel conjured at all.
“Suzette,” he whispered, voice roughened with something that sent a shiver down her spine, “you are beautiful.”
Her knees nearly buckled.
The way he said it — soft, reverent, almost breathless — made her feel suddenly weightless.
Wanted.
Seen.
Chosen.
*
It was like unwrapping an unexpected gift on Christmas morning.
One he hadn’t dared hope for.
One he sure as hell hadn’t earned.
He’d been with beautiful women. God knew he’d seen perfection sculpted by trainers and lighting and movie magic.
But nothing,nothingprepared him for Suzette.
For the curve of her waist, the soft lines of her hips, the vulnerability in her eyes.
For the raw honesty of her standing there in nothing but courage and trembling breath —
And a skin-colored bodysuit he had absolutely no idea how to remove.
A shaky laugh escaped him. “What’s the secret to getting this off?”
“I should’ve changed …”
He shook his head quickly. “No. I wanted to peel that pretty blue dress off your skin the moment I saw you walk down the aisle. I just didn’t expect to find a chastity belt underneath.”
She snorted. Actually snorted. And it was the cutest damn sound he’d heard in his life.
