“Which is why I don’t want to risk it again.” He dropped his hat on the floor and held out the packet to her.
“Keep it,” she said. “I’m no longer interested in using it.”
Call didn’t argue. He set it on the table and didn’t say a word as Laurel crawled back over him and lay down. He was encouraged that she hadn’t left the room. He turned on his side, raised his head on his elbow, and looked at her. She was staring at the ceiling. His body shielded her features from the light. There was no hint in her face as to what she was thinking.
“I can make a better proposal,” he said at last.
“You’ll have to.”
“Do you have some thoughts about what you’d like to hear or how you’d like to hear it?”
“No. I never imagined it.”
“All right. Bended knee or standing?”
“Standing. I don’t think I could bear seeing you on your knees.”
“It’d only be the one knee.”
“Doesn’t make it any better.”
“Standing, then. Flowers?”
“Yes. Like the ones you brought me this evening.”
“Of course. Indoors? Outdoors?”
“Outdoors, please.”
“Public or private?”
“You know the answer to that. Private.”
“Just making certain. Promises?”
“All of them, I suppose. I want you to promise me everything.”
“I can do that.”
She nodded. “What do you want from me?”
“I want you to say yes.”
Laurel smiled faintly as she turned her head toward him. “I can do that,” she whispered. “I promise you I can do that.”
Call took her at her word and it settled his thoughts, hisheart, and hers, too, it seemed, because she edged closer and took his hand.
“Like that,” she said. “Touch me there.”
He did.
“And your mouth, too. Yes. Just like that. Mm. You can’t know...” Her voice trailed away as he tugged on threads of pleasure.
No, he didn’t know, but he could guess. Her fingers curled as they traveled the length of his spine. He felt her knuckles pressing against his skin. It sent a shudder through him. Groaning softly, he buried his face in the curve of her neck. She stretched, giving him everything he wanted.
“Ahh. Are you biting me?”
“Nipping.”
