"Or maybe we should go back to your place?" I sounded unsure and needy all at the same time.

"Is that what you want?" His voice gravely and rich, I could tell he was just as affected as I was.

"Yes," I breathed. "Take me…home. To your house."

We skipped the drinks altogether. Obviously, there was something much better on the menu for the evening.

Dylan wrapped me tighter in his embrace and sighed into my neck, his lips grazing the tender flesh under my ear. "I can't promise you much, sugar, but I can promise you this. Tonight, I will be everything you need and all you never knew you wanted." His body felt tight, like he was holding something back, and the hardness in his jeans wasn't it.

He straightened his frame and took in my expression.

I smiled and lifted onto my toes, wrapping my arms around his neck and feeling his hands settle at my hips.

"I look forward to more than just tonight, Mr. Dylan Highsmith. And I can certainly promise you, after we do this, you will too." I gently brushed my lips across his chin. "Let's go, I want to experience everything I've been missing."

His chuckle melted across my enflamed cheeks, causing goose bumps on my lust-saturated skin. "Sugar, you're gonna be the sweetest part of every memory I have." He let go of me and removed my hands from his neck, kissing each knuckle once before leading me back the way we came.

We never even sat down, but it didn't matter. Jimmy knew from the moment we stepped foot in his establishment, I wouldn't be drinking anything but water anyway. At least I was saved from explaining something I wasn't ready to yet.

The car ride was just as silent as before, but this time, the undercurrent of sex wafted through the cabin of Dylan's truck. I could feel the depth of his stare as we passed street after street.

My thighs scissored back forth, the anticipation of his heated promises playing tricks with every intimate part of me. Visions of the possible things we’d do to each other ran through my mind, giving me the most delicious visions.

He cleared his throat. "Here we are, sugar." He reached across to steady my leg. "We don't have to do anything you aren't ready for." His look sincere and open, made me question his earlier remark about secrets.

I swallowed and found my voice. It sounded foreign, like I was a different woman when I was with him. Softer some how, vulnerable even. "No—I mean, yes." I fumbled with my words. "I want this. I want you." My lips curved upward, my hand covering his and giving a slight squeeze. "C'mon, cowboy, let's see if you can rope in this wild girl."

I allowed a laugh to escape as I surveyed the slight shock on his face. He quickly masked it with hooded eyes and a smirk of his own.

"I don't know about rope, but I may have a pair of spurs." I laughed again, but this time it was more in shock. The seriousness of his tone made it funny and erotic all at the same time.

I didn’t have time to respond to his sexy little joke because Dylan turned quickly, as if he were on fire, and jumped out of the truck. He rushed around to my side of the cab. I was still smiling when he opened the door. "Sorry," he muttered as he helped me down, my shoe catching on the side-rail. "Watch your step, sugar."

I looked at him quizzically. "What are you apologizing for?" I watched his face change, like he suddenly realized he said it aloud.

"Oh, nothing." He shrugged, feigning nonchalance as we walked up the pathway to his brick apartment complex. It was an odd comment, considering we were about to get it on, but one he didn’t feel the need to explain. I let it go, other matters at the forefront of my mind.

I bumped his shoulder, side-glancing his direction with my demure smile in place. "You know, I won't tell anyone if you are into kinky shit." I casually commented as he unlocked the door. "Who knows, maybe it will be fun. I’ve never used spurs before." I winked and watched for his reaction, bouncing on the balls of my feet in anticipation.

His look was priceless as he opened the door to the sparsely furnished living room. "No, I was just…it was a joke." He ran his hands through his short hair and looked at me through lowered lashes. "I just wanted to hear you laugh. You have a beautiful laugh, Haven. The sound is like Heaven on Earth to me." His voice was low and unsure.

Closing the door behind us, he continued. "If I could catch that sound and have it be the only thing I heard for the rest of my life, it wouldn't be enough." He sighed, his face resigned. "I don't know if you—" he paused, his hand coming to rest on my cheek. "I don't know if I'll ever get enough of you. Any part of you, all of you." His eyes held both sadness and peace. I wanted to take it away and bask in it all at the same time.

At a loss for words, I did the best I could think of. I leaned forward and kissed him. I don't know if I caught him by surprise because at first he froze. I started to pull away but his arms came around my middle, locking me to him. His mouth blazing against mine, our tongues swirling in a passionate dance all of their own.

I started to pull away. The room seemed to close in on us and I couldn’t breathe.

Slow down, Haven.

"Don't stop, sugar," were the only words he managed to say before taking my mouth again. This time, more fluid, as if we could drift off into the night sky at any moment. His gentler approach soothed my overactive mind and quieted my racing heart.

We became a figure of two adjoined into one. It felt as if his soul touched mine, entwining us in more than just body. His breath was warm, buttery like whiskey but tasted fresh like mint, I wanted to devour him. His hands swept into my hair, I could feel his fingers running along my ebony tresses, “Your hair feels like black velvet, sugar. And it smells like raspberries and vanilla.” He inhaled deep and resumed his mouth on mine, his exhale into my mouth like oxygen I was starving for.