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We weren’t doing this here. I broke the kiss and looked down at her. Damn, she was fucking beautiful. Her cheeks were flushed, and her green eyes were shining with need. And that need was directed at me. She wanted me as much as I wanted her.

But there was no way we were doing this here. Not on my watch. I brushed a strand of hair from her cheek as I whispered, “Come here.”

Confusion marked her face as I slid an arm beneath her, helping her sit upright. “What are we doing?”

“Moving to the bedroom.”

Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she lowered her feet to the floor, giving me room to stand. Once I was up, I extended my hand, and as soon as her fingers laced with mine, I led her to the bedroom. Every step felt like another inch into territory I’d sworn I’d never enter. But I didn’t care. Right or wrong, this was going to happen.

As soon as we reached the bed, I turned to face her, noting the nervousness and anticipation written all over her face as I pressed my mouth against her. For years, she’d known me as Ravage, a brother and her uncle’s best friend, but I didn’t want to be him tonight.

“When we’re alone like this, just you and me, I’m not Ravage.” Her eyes remained trained on mine as I added, “I’m Cole.”

“Okay.” Her lips curved into a small smile. “Cole.”

And just like that, I shed all the different versions of me, and I was no longer the man everyone expected me to be.

I was just Cole.

And she was just Emery.

She stepped forward and reached for the hem of my shirt. “I don’t want this to be one of our lessons… I want it to come naturally.”

“As long as you let me know what you want...”

“I will.” She eased my shirt over my head. “But I need you to do the same. I want this to be good for you, too.”

“Baby, you don’t have to worry about that.”

“But I do.” She slowly lifted her T-shirt over her head, exposing her flawless skin and perfect, round breasts. “I want this to be memorable for both of us.”

“Oh, it will be. I’ll make sure of it.”

“I know you will.” She stepped closer. “I trust you, Cole.”

She stood there, staring at me with those beautiful green eyes, and I could see the nerves lurking beneath the desire. That was enough to make me remember that she was walking on new ground, and I couldn’t rush her. I wouldn’t.

Not now. Not ever.

“We don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for.”

“I know.”

“If you change your mind at any time…”

“I won’t,” she interrupted. “I want this, Cole. I’ve wanted this for as long as I can remember.”

Hearing her say my name with such certainty did something to me, and before I had a chance to collect myself, I reached up, slipped my hand around the back of her neck, and pulled her close as I lowered my mouth to hers. Her lips were warm and soft, and each swirl of her tongue made the blood rush straight to my cock. I knew I needed to take it slow.

I’d intended to keep things simple, but the second her lips met mine, I knew everything between us was going to change, but at that moment, I couldn’t have cared less. I eased back, breaking our embrace. “I’ve imagined having you like this so many times.”

I ran my lips leisurely from the curve of her jaw down to her shoulder as she rasped, “I’ve imagined it, too.”

I returned my mouth to hers, and my hands became possessive and greedy. I couldn’t help it. She felt so damn good in my arms. I continued trailing kisses past her collarbone, and her arms reached for me, pulling me towards her as I lowered my mouth to her breast. Heavy breaths and low moans filled the room as I raked my tongue against her nipple. Her head fell back, leaving no doubt that she liked having my mouth on her. With her eyes closed, she mumbled, “You feel so good.”

“You do too, baby… You do too.” Goosebumps prickled across her skin as my fingers worked their way across her abdomen, through the waistband of her sleep shorts. A small whimper escaped her throat as my fingers trailed further down between her legs, making me think she was just as turned on as I was.

But when I grazed across her center and her entire body tensed, I knew then that I was taking things too fast. Hoping to assure her, I lowered my mouth to her ear as I whispered, “You can trust me.”