His mouth runs down my body between my br**sts, kissing and licking every inch of me. “Dylan, I want to do something.”

My lips pull at his ear and I release it enough to reply, “Anything.” Because I would do anything with this man. It’s obvious to everyone at this point. I feel his hot breath on my chest and he hesitates, causing me to lean back and brings his face up to mine. “Anything,” I repeat. His adam’s apple rolls in his neck and his lips part.

“I want to make love to you.”

I gasp, completely shocked and unprepared for this request. I was honestly expecting something along the lines of anal play which I was totally up for with him, even though I’ve never done it before. The thought of anal sex terrified me once but this, this request that he’s just thrown out between us? I’m not sure there’s anything more terrifying. But I want to, and I can at least try right? For him, for Reese Carroll, for the look he’s giving me right now, yes. I can at least try.

My heart constricts so much that I reach up and place my hand on it, making sure it didn’t just beat for the last time. He wants to make love to me. Love. Not f**king. My mind is scrambling for words. He’s studying me, waiting for my response. I know I’ve been silent for at least several minutes and I’m sure it’s killing him inside but he’s not showing it. His face is soft and pleading, eyes searching mine and conveying that we can do this. That I can do this.

“Okay,” I say finally, and I think we’re both shocked that I actually spoke. “I just need to use the bathroom first.” He grins wide, my favorite lines appearing and kisses me quickly on the lips as he lifts me off him. Without a glance back, I scurry into the bathroom and close the door behind me.

Shit. I’m about to make love to a man that I’m struggling to not fall in love with? What am I insane? I stare at myself in the bathroom mirror and quickly comb my fingers through my hair. My cheeks are flushed, my ni**les are hard, and I’m beyond ready for him between my legs. Everything about me is ready for this right now, everything except for what’s burning inside my chest cavity. I can’t even begin to imagine what making love to him consists of. Fucking him is intense and borderline intimate as it is. And that’s definitely all we’ve done so far. If I didn’t know it before, his request just confirmed it. So what exactly am I in for? Have I ever even made love before? I think long and hard about that as I quickly use the toilet. No, no way. Not with Justin. I’m not even sure he’s capable of making love to anyone. He was always so distant when we were having sex that he barely kept eye contact with me. And making love consists of eye contact I’m sure. I hurriedly wash my hands and try to mentally prepare myself for what’s about to happen as I exit the bathroom and return to his bedroom. I’m halted in my tracks. Oh God.

I’m stopped in the doorway by the sight of candles lit and covering both nightstands, providing an amber glow throughout the room. Reese is messing with his phone as he places it on the docking station on his dresser when he turns to me, seeing my expression and straightening instantly. “Too much?”

I bite my lip and shake my head. It’s perfect, he’s perfect. “No, I like it.” I settle on the bed, kneeling and resting back on my heels as I watch him continue playing with his phone. He’s looking for a song and I’m almost one hundred percent sure I know what song he’s looking for. Damn it, I need to look up those lyrics. But that’s not what starts playing as he walks over towards me. “Look after you” by The Fray pours through the speakers. I’m familiar with this song and its lyrics that will surely rip my heart out if I he’s not trying to tell me something with this selection. “This isn’t cliché is it? Candles and music?” he asks as he runs his hands through his hair and down his face.

I smile playfully at his nervousness. “No, there’s nothing about you that’s cliché.” This is completely true. I’ve never met a man like him before and I doubt I ever will. Reaching out to him, he slips his hand in mine and allows me to pull him towards me. “Make love to me, handsome.”

I see it, the layer of anxiety drop in front of me as he crawls onto the bed and pushes me onto my back. Settling between my legs, he begins kissing me in the gentlest way possible. There’s tongue, because with him there’s always at least some tongue, but it’s different. I’m used to the rough, quick strokes of his against mine, against my lips, but these strokes are much more unhurried and tender. Groaning softly into his mouth, I’m quickly melting around him and I’m suddenly not sure what kind of Reese kissing I prefer. His hard I want you now kisses are insanely hot but this, the let me make love to you kisses are radiating through my body, sparking something untouched. He slowly works his way down, kissing every part of me with the same gentle mouth I just personally got very acquainted with. The song begins to play again. He’s put it on repeat? I feel his hot breath between my legs and arch up into him.

“Yes, God yes.” The first long lick causes me to fist the sheets tightly between my fingers. I pull my bottom lip into my mouth and bite it hard as he works me.

“Look at me,” he pleads and I immediately drop my gaze, meeting his green eyes. He’s watching me, capturing my every response to his movements and I’m not holding anything back. His tongue laps in and out, around and between every fold and dip. He’s even somehow making this more intimate with his unrelenting stare. His strokes are soft but carry the perfect amount of pressure. I don’t want to come yet so I concentrate on the lyrics of the song to give me a distraction. Like that’s possible. The man’s mouth is a machine.