She sat up and pulled the sheet up to cover her naked breasts. “Just like I’m sure you won’t hold it against me if I go out with your friend, Jackson. We ran into each other at the post office the other day and he asked me out.”

The words were barely out of her mouth before she was flat on her back with Trent hovering over her.

“I’ll be damned if I've kept my hands off you the past few years just to see you with a pig like Jackson,” he growled.

Mara shoved at his shoulders. “Why do you even care? This is just a one night stand, right?”

He stilled and looked down at her. His eyes held hers until she stopped struggling beneath him.

“This isn't a one night anything. You're mine, Mara. I fell for you somewhere between helping you with your chemistry labs and that time you dressed up as a burrito on Halloween to cheer me up.”

He slid an arm beneath her and held her to his heart. She felt it beating so strongly it was like a hand rapping against her chest.

“I’ve loved you for so long and I'm done resisting it. Let the chips fall where they may.”

Mara blinked back the tears that welled in her eyes. She was finally hearing the man of her dreams say “I love you” and she didn’t want to be a sobbing mess as it happened.

“I’ve loved you for a long time too, Trent. It just took me a while to work up the nerve to do anything about it.”

He leered down at her. “Well, thank god for that. If you'd decided to tease me while we were in school, I might not have graduated. That was the skimpiest yoga outfit I've ever seen.”

Mara covered her mouth with the back of her hand as she laughed. “So I guess it’s not a one night stand after all, then?” she joked.

He shook his head, smiling down at her affectionately. “Hardly. I don’t think there are enough nights left in my lifetime for me to do all the things to you I’ve imagined doing.”

“I guess you’d better stick around then. And from now on, we need to be honest with each other. No more pushing me away because you think it's best for me. Okay?” She pinched his arm to make her point.

Trent laughed, the sound rumbling over her skin where his mouth pressed against her shoulders. “I guess you told me, huh?”

Mara grinned up at him and wrapped her legs around him, holding him in the cradle of her thighs. His erection poked her belly like a hard spike. She sucked in an appreciative breath as he ground against her.

“That’s right. You know I don’t take any crap off anyone. Even the man I love.”

She sighed and angled her head, giving him greater access to her neck. He trailed soft little kisses along her skin until he reached her ear. She whimpered when he nibbled on her earlobe.

“Your skin is so soft.” Trent bit down on the lobe gently and Mara clenched her thighs around him. Too much longer and she wouldn't know what they were talking about anymore.

“Well, I’m glad it all worked out because otherwise I was going to resort to Plan B.” He looked up at her in surprise.

She smirked and leaned over to rummage in her drawer. It took a few minutes of rooting around before she found what she’d ordered off the internet the previous week.

She dropped the maroon colored velvet rope on the bed. Trent picked it up and raised his eyebrows.

“Maybe you should proceed with Plan B, anyway. Just in case I need further convincing.” His breathing was coming noticeably faster now.

Mara crawled up his chest and pushed him back until he lay flat. She stretched his arms above his head and tied them loosely to the rungs of her wrought iron headboard with the rope. Trent tugged gently, his eyes widening slightly when she swatted his arm.

“Don't move.” She leaned over and took one of his tiny brown nipples between her lips. He swelled beneath her.

“Yes ma’am.” He groaned when she ground down on his erection.

His chest was like a playground, with his well-developed pecs and the indentations of his abdominals. No one would ever guess he worked behind a desk doing something as boring as statistical models. He had the physique of a man who worked outside all day. Something she knew he worked hard to maintain.

“I want to be in control for a little while. I want to take you.” She slid down his body, feeling his muscles tense and contract under her hands. She took her time, rubbing his arms and the strong muscles of his thighs as she went.

“Whatever you want, princess.” When her nails grazed his inner thighs, he groaned and jerked under her hands.

She chuckled. “Good to know you appreciate a strong woman.”

The evidence of his arousal was right in front of her face and she took a moment to admire every inch. She brushed her nose against the base and lapped several long strokes up to the head. When she finally took him in her mouth, Trent reared up, straining against the velvet tie.

“That’s it … damn, Mara.” He looked down at her with an expression akin to amazement as she sucked him back into the cavern of her mouth, using her hands to steady herself on his thighs. Before long, she had the perfect rhythm, bobbing down on him repeatedly until he hit the back of her throat with every stroke.

“I’m going to come,” Trent warned. His hands curled into fists and his hips pumped up to meet her mouth. He gritted his teeth and watched her as she swirled her tongue around the head, as if he couldn’t tear his eyes away. His eyes widened when she increased her pace, pulling his flesh through her lips gently, over and over.