My breathing was so heavy I should have been ashamed, but I was too caught up in the moment to care as he slowly peeled my wedding dress from my body while I rid him of his suit jacket and shirt. I traced my hands down his back, drawing my fingernails across his shoulders, just picturing the guardian angel tattoo on his back as I did it. I was so turned on I couldn’t stop squirming and wriggling underneath him, trying to get closer to him and feel him on every inch of me. My whole body yearned for his.

Carson kissed me deeply as I worshipped every inch of his chest and back with my fingertips, just marvelling over the perfection I was touching. My love for him was overwhelming, and I could feel from his kissing he felt the same as me, which made this ten times better than anything I had ever experienced before.

“You really do give me wings, you know,” he murmured against my neck. His voice was so husky and sexy I actually shivered under him, which in turn caused him to let out a breathy moan.

His words hit me hard. I’d heard that before. Well, not heard exactly… read. His tattoo. The beautiful butterfly one he had just below his navel, the words which made up the outline of the wings… You give me wings and make me fly.

I gulped, unsure what to say. “Your tattoo,” I whispered, sliding my hand down his chest and feeling the soft skin below his navel.

He pulled back, grinning down at me as he nodded. “I had that done for you. It’s yours, a little symbol that reminds me of you.”

My heart seemed to stop as I flicked my eyes up to his face to see if he was joking or teasing me. His expression was deadly serious, though. Impossibly, my love for him seemed to grow and flourish even more. Carson had that butterfly inked onto his body not long after I’d given birth to his daughter – probably only a couple of months after I’d returned to work at the club. I remembered him having it, and how excited he’d been to show it to me. At the time, we were just ‘lap dancer and client’ – maybe we were never really just that to him after all.

He smiled at my stunned expression and lay down at my side. “You’re the only girl who has ever seen it. I had it done down there because I knew no one would see it unless I was naked. You’re the only person I ever want to see my naked body, so it only seems right that I should have a symbol for you there. Like a little stamp for something that’s yours. Kinda like an ownership branding,” he joked, smirking at me.

I burst out laughing and shook my head at how silly he could be sometimes. “Like a tramp stamp?” I joked. He nodded, leaning half over me and blanketing my body with his. My hand trailed up, tangling into the back of his hair. “So, do I have to get a symbol for you tattooed on me now?”

I giggled as he nodded sternly. “Yeah, you do. A motorbike helmet. I can’t decide if I want it here,” he whispered, touching the inside of my thigh, making my heart thump in my chest because of how close his hands were to my centre. “Or here,” he finished, his hand moving round to grip my bum.

I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him on top of me fully as my legs wrapped around his waist. It had been way too long since I had his undivided attention. I needed him now, so talking was going to have to take a back seat for an hour or two.

“No more talking. We have forever to talk, baby. I want to see some action,” I purred suggestively.

His eyes sparkled with excitement at my words. “Pervert,” he teased breathlessly, brushing my hair from my face.

“Says the guy who’s pinning the ex-lap dancer to the bed,” I answered smartly, smirking at him.

He shook his head in disagreement. “No, I’m the guy who’s pinning the love of his life to the bed.”

His lips pressed against mine again, but this time it wasn’t quite as soft or gentle as before. Instead, it was more of a possessive kiss, as if he was laying down his claim. I submitted to him, melting at his touch. I loved how this one kiss made me feel like I belonged, like I was wanted and needed. That one kiss showed me everything he felt for me. I secretly hoped he kissed me like this for the rest of our lives.