With the nipple clamps gone, he slowly removed the jewelry, laying it next to us on the floor. The last thing he did was untie the skirt and push it back. He laid back on the floor, pulling the fluffy skirt under his head like a pillow. “Come here, Abby. I want to kiss you.”

I leaned down, about to press my lips to his, when he grabbed my hips, sinking his strong hands into my skin. “Not like that. Spread your legs, kneel over me.” He pulled me to him, and I was half delighted, half horrified. The delighted part of my mind won the logic debate hands down. The sensible girl that usually called all the shots was promptly ignored and before I knew it, my legs were parted over his face as I straddled his head.

Jack’s breath assaulted me, making it hard not to move, but he’d asked me to be still. “Abby, you smell good enough to eat.” His voice was deep, husky. I started to answer but lost the ability to speak when I felt his mouth start to kiss me. It was gentle, each caress soft and strong, taking me right back to the intoxicated Jack-high I was on before. His mouth moved magically against me. Without realizing it, my hands were over my head, as Jack licked every drop of me from my sensitive skin. I was trying hard to stay still. I didn’t want to hurt Jack, but the sensations that were building within me wanted to sway my hips above his lips, and press down hard.

As if he could read my mind, Jack breathed, “Ride me Abby. Move how you want. You won’t hurt me.” He words were the freedom I wanted. His tongue teased me into a frenzy. My body slid over his kisses, the slick warmth of his tongue making me cry out again. As I froze, feeling the perfect pulsating sensations within me, he thrust his tongue inside me, drinking me in. I gasped, surprised.

When he rolled me onto my back, I saw the lust still gleaming his eyes, “You make me want you in every possible way. I’ve never wanted to do that so much in my life. Every inch of you is divine, like you were sculpted for me, and me alone.” He brushed the hair out of my face, kissing my face gently.

In my post-coital glow, I leaned into him saying, “This feels like a dream, and I’m afraid I’m going to wake up.” My heart was slowing, beating in time with his. I could feel it beating as if we were the same person, as if he were my other half.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Jack joined me in the shower, kissing my neck sweetly before vacating the space and leaving me alone to my thoughts. Things were so different than I thought they’d be, and it was wonderful. As the water poured over my body, I felt like I was happily floating along like a little fluffy cloud. I took time getting dressed, wanting to look as beautiful as Jack made me feel. A little over an hour passed by the time I was ready.

When I stepped into the studio, Jack’s eyes wandered over my body like he still hadn’t had enough. A blush rose to my cheeks. I had no idea how it was possible to do the things we did, and then blush about it later. It was like my blusher was broken or something.

Jack pulled me into his arms, his forehead touching mine, “What on earth could you be thinking to redden your beautiful face so much?” He grinned at me in a way that made my heart flutter.

Taking a deep breath, I smiled, teasingly pushing him away, “Everything you do makes me blush—no specific memory is needed.”

He pulled me back into his arms, his fingers tickling my waist gently, his lips a breath from mine, “We should really go into town before I peel this dress off of you.” Jack pressed his lips to my ear, gently kissing me, before pulling away.

Nodding, I said, “Just let me grab my purse.”

As I opened the desk drawer, Jack said, “Grab your check, too. It’s in the top drawer.”

I removed my purse from the desk, and found my check. It felt kind of weird, spending the day with our naked bodies intertwined and then taking money from him. I hesitated, my hand hovering over the check. “Jack, maybe I shouldn’t work here anymore.”

He grabbed his keys and was pulling on a leather jacket. “Don’t be silly. Why not?” I watched the narrow band of skin at his waist when he lifted his arms. He was gorgeous.

“I don’t know, it just feels odd.”

“Then you won’t work here anymore,” he smiled at me, zipping his coat. “Abby, I wanted to wait to ask you this, but I don’t want you to think that you don’t belong in any part of my life. What’s mine is yours. What’s yours is mine. The good and the bad. I want all of you. I want you forever,” he knelt, taking my hand in his. My heart thumped in my ears, nearly exploding in my brain, “The last few weeks have meant everything to me. I’ve adored every moment we spent together and when you’re away, I can’t wait until you come back. It was a miracle that you walked through those doors. After all these years, I thought I’d never see you again, and the last few days have made me never want to let you go.” His hands were in my hair, gently touching my curls, his blue eyes soft and perfect as he spoke. “Abby, let me spend the rest of my life loving you. Let me take care of you. Let me be a part of your life in every way possible. Abby Tyndale, will you marry me?”

My jaw dropped. What came over him? I just said something about the check. I didn’t want to leave, but this—this shocked me. I’d known him forever, but we’d been apart so long. Staring at his beautiful face, I knew he was right. I felt it too. It was like we never left. Things were better than they ever had been. Despite my shocked silence, my mind was already scrawling Mrs. Abigail Gray with lots of bubbly hearts. Life with Jack was everything I ever wanted. My lips trembled as I tried not to smile, and refused to cry.

Jack rubbed the back of my hand, looking up at me, waiting. A gleeful sob bubbled over my lips as I beamed, throwing my arms around his neck, kissing him furiously, not coming up for air even when my lungs burned. When we managed to break apart, I was shaking, crying, and laughing.

Pushing my hair out of my face, he held me in his arms, smiling so hard. “I take that as a yes?”

Nodding and wiping tears from my eyes, I said, “Yes!”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Jack wasn’t kidding when he said that he planned on proposing. When we went into town, he took me to a stunning waterfront restaurant. It was crowded, but the waiter took us in, walking past many jealous eyes, all the way into the back. We passed through carved oak doors that lead to a private room that overlooked the water. And the room was totally empty.

I glanced at Jack surprised, but he only shrugged, “I wanted to be alone with you. I had an important question to ask.” He grinned, taking my hand in his, holding it tighter.

My eyes were wide, “How much did you have to pay them to leave this space open? Jack!” I was smiling too much. My face hurt, the muscles felt overused, but it was a welcome soreness like I had in other parts of my body. I sucked at taking gifts graciously, but I was trying. During dinner, I could barely stay on my side of the table. His eyes moved over me like he wanted me for dinner, not the beautiful meal on his plate.

About half way through the meal, he took his phone from his pocket. Flicking the screen, he said, “Would you like to see your shoot, Mrs. Gray?”

Two things happened simultaneously. First, I flushed, hushing him like people would hear, but no one was around. Second, my smile couldn’t be contained when he called me Mrs. Gray. It felt like someone squeezed my heart, making that empty space in my chest fade into oblivion. In a hushed voice, I asked, “You brought them with you? When did you even look at them?”

He grinned, “You take long showers.”

A coy smile laced across my lips, “I was very dirty, Mr. Gray.” He smiled harder, the little lines at the corners of his eyes crinkled. Jack was so beautiful.

The waiters stayed away, out of sight but ready to come if Jack turned his head in their direction. I squirmed a little. I didn’t know how I felt about seeing the portraits, or about viewing them in public. However, I did like that Jack had them with him, hidden on his phone. It made me feel daring and free. He nodded, a tapered finger flicking the screen, the expression on his face becoming sexier by the moment. “Come over here.”

I walked around the table feeling like we shouldn’t be doing this, but Jack didn’t seem to care. He pulled me on his lap, warm arms wrapping around me. I could feel how much he wanted me, and closed my eyes enjoying the sensation. His hand draped across my knee, before the other one produced the iPhone. “Now, let me warn you. This is the sexiest shoot I’ve ever seen in my entire life.” Leaning closer, brushing his lips to my ear he whispered, “Are you sure you want to see?” His eyes glinted as his sexy smile widened.

“Jack,” I was ready to ride him right there. The entire day passed and he sated me again and again, but he still hadn’t been back inside of me where I wanted him. Fighting the urge to writhe on his lap, I pressed my knees together and said, “Show me before I wiggle on your lap so much that I leave an embarrassing little wet spot.”

He flushed, “Abby!” Jack’s face had the most delightful expression, part awe and part embarrassment. Trying to knock me off-kilter, he held up the phone, and the screen illuminated, showcasing me, decked out in pearls and silver. The way the light lit my body, the dark pearls and inky skirt draping off of me, the glittering chain that went from one nipple to the other—I squealed and ripped the phone out of his hands. He laughed, taking in my reaction.

Looking over both shoulders, I concealed the phone, half looking at it and half hiding it. “You can’t take pictures like that, Jack!” My pink lips hung open, slightly shocked and very turned on.

He reached for the phone, trying to take it from me, a smile snaking its way across his lips. “And why not? When the model is this sexy, what’d you think the pictures would look like? Hiding you as a nun for a decade seriously threw me off, but this is what you are, Abby. This is what I see when I look at you.” He laughed, still trying to get the phone.

“But, Jack, they’re so dirty.” I held it away from him, feeling like I’d fall off his lap, but he held me tight. I flicked the screen, trying to see another picture, fascinated and afraid. The picture was dark, nearly solid black except for a rim light surrounding my upper body. It drew attention to my breasts, both taught nipples, my lashes lowered with full lips. I didn’t know who that girl was, but as I looked at her Jack glanced from the phone and back to me like he was seeing the same thing.