I’m in such a cloud I almost forgot. “Yeah.”

Knox sets me down and I go to check on the pasta. I turn the chicken off and drain the pasta since both are ready. I look over my shoulder to see where Knox has gone off too and see that he’s leaning against the counter, just watching my every move.

“Make yourself useful and grab two bowls from that cabinet over there.” I say with a wink and an extra sway in my h*ps when I walk past him. Knox groans but does as I ask.

When I turn to go grab forks and drinks for us Knox is standing right behind me and my body goes flush with his.

Knox leans into me with his mouth right next to my ear, “You’re gonna pay for that.”

I wish we could just skip dinner and the movie and just head right to the bedroom. Knox laughs and reaches around me to place the bowls on the table. My shoulders slump, payback really is a bitch.

I’ve decided that tonight is the night that I want to take the next step with Knox. I feel like we’re both on the same page and we’re both ready for it. It’s almost happened a few times but somehow we’ve managed to stop.

After dinner Knox and I cuddle up on the couch and forgo the movie and just flip through the channels looking for something to watch. I don’t think either one of us are really paying attention to the TV at all anyway. My body is taut with anticipation, I want him, and I need him.

Knox rubs my bare shoulder and I shiver. “Cold?” he asks, clearly amused with himself.

I roll my eyes and don’t answer.

“Come over here.” Knox says, guiding my body to straddle him.

Knox stares intently into my eyes before slowly and seductively letting his gaze go downward. My heart jolts and my pulse pounds in my ears.

“You’re so f**king beautiful.” Knox reaches up and cups my face between his hands. He kisses me, slowly at first and then with more urgency. His mouth devours mine; his tongue makes love with mine. He let out a groan when I suck on his tongue. Knox stands up, I wrap my arms and legs around him as he moves us to my bedroom.

Suddenly I’m really nervous and I feel like I’m going to lose my dinner. I want to take this next step with Knox but I’m so anxious. We haven’t talked about our past relationships so he doesn’t know that I’ve only slept with one other person and I don’t really have any experience. This past weekend when we were fooling around, everything was great as long as I left my nerves out of it. I just need to remember to do that now. I’m ready for this chapter with Knox.

Knox gently sits me down on my bed and takes a step back. He starts to unbutton his shirt but I stand up and brush his hands away. I take my time unbuttoning each button, prolonging our time together. When I’m finished I run my hands up his chest to his shoulders and push the sleeves down his muscular arms. Knox doesn’t move to help me; he’s letting me do this, letting me run the show. Once his shirt is discarded to the floor I rake my nails down Knox’s chest to his stomach and watch as his muscles jump under my touch. I unfasten his pants and slowly pull the zipper down over his erection. I don’t release him right away. I bend down and trace his erection with a finger and then grab him in my hand. Knox’s head falls back and he groans. I rub him up and down and feel his legs begin to shake.

“Jasmine,” Knox strains to say my name.

I lean forward and kiss just above his belly button while dipping my fingers into the waistband of his boxer briefs and slowly pull his pants down. Knox steps out of his pants and then helps me up.

I start to reach for the hem of my tank top, more than ready to get na**d with Knox, but he stops me and takes it off himself. Things feel different this time, more intimate than our time in South Carolina. Knox reaches slowly behind me and unclasps my bra with a flick of his fingers and leans back so that it falls down to the floor while never taking his eyes away from mine. He places a kiss on my lips before making his way down to my neck to the valley between my bare br**sts, and down my stomach. Knox circles his tongue over each hip piercing before placing one final kiss right under my belly button. I’m panting and barely able to stand by the time he’s done. He unbuttons my pants and then slides the zipper down. I wiggle out of my skinny jeans and I take a seat on the bed so that he can pull them all the way off. I lift my h*ps so that Knox can remove my panties but he presses them back down to the bed. I wasn’t expecting that, maybe we aren’t on the same page tonight.

Knox lifts my right leg and kisses my ankle. I lean up on my elbows so that I can watch what he’s going to do. His eyes are dark and filled with desire. He stares into my eyes as he runs his tongue all the way up to my knee before he kisses right behind my knee, then he finishes his tongue assault by running it up the inside of my thigh. My legs shake so badly that I want to press them together to relieve the ache that is rapidly growing, but his large frame between my legs is making that hard to do.

I run one of my hands through his hair when he kisses me over my panties, right where I want him the most. I wish now that I hadn’t worn any. I’m moaning and squirming trying to get what I need.

Knox moves my panties to the side and sucks my cl*t into his mouth and my h*ps arch off the bed. He pushes my h*ps down and runs his hand up to massage my left breast.

“Knox…please…oh God….” I don’t even know what I’m begging for at this point. I feel like I’m floating away.

“I’m not stopping baby…” He sucks hard on my clit. “Not until you’ve come.” Knox inserts a single finger into me and pumps a few times.

There is a slow warming feeling that creeps into my body right before the whole world starts spinning and I’m drifted away. My heart is beating wildly as I come back down.

Knox is lying next to me with a smirk, he’s satisfied with himself. I reach up and wrap my arms around his neck, bringing him closer to me so that I can kiss him. I can taste myself on his lips and our kiss starts to get carried away; we grope at each other trying to get closer. Knox hovers over my body and he’s staring so intently into my eyes that I can see the love pouring out of them and I feel the exact same way. I’m so sure that I want this right here, right now with him. His arms begin to shake as I run my fingers down his back and grab his ass.

Knox takes a deep breath as he slides against my wetness, “Are you sure about this?”

I nod, unable to talk because he says it with such gentleness I feel the tears pool in my eyes.

Knox reaches over to his discarded pants and grabs his wallet. He throws the pants back on the floor before digging in his wallet for a condom, when he finds it he throws the wallet to the floor as well. He rips the condom open with his teeth and slides it over his erection that is larger then I remember.