“Certainty number one. You can tell me anytime, anywhere, and anyhow you want me. I will not become angry, I will not become offended, and I will not shut you down.”

“But surely—”

“Certainty number two. You are to consider yourself wanted at all times. As such you hold an incredible value. Call it currency, and you can cash in any time you like.”

“Any t—”

“Any time,” he said firmly.

“All right,” she said, something fluttering to life inside her chest. He wanted her. Until he said otherwise, he wanted her. He sounded so sure of it.

“Certainty number three,” he said, folding his pants neatly and draping them over a chair back. “If you ever devalue yourself in front of me there will be a swift and severe punishment.”

“P-punishment?”

He stood before her wearing only his boxer-briefs and yet it still felt as if he had on more clothes than she did. His presence was a self-assured and commanding one. One not to be argued with.

“Yes,” he said as he bent down and climbed over her body. She laid back on the pillows, her hands fluttering against his chest. “It will come in the form of a sexual encounter that will put all others to shame.”

“I’ve only had the one,” she said, amusement creeping into her voice.

“For now. I’m about to double your experience.”

“You are?”

“I am,” he said. Then he caught up her mouth in a blistering kiss that left her absolutely breathless. “Now, this doesn’t mean you can denigrate yourself just to get this experience. Remember certainty number one?”

“Yes,” she breathed.

“You can simply ask for it any time you want it.”

She blushed and covered her cheeks with her hands. “I wouldn’t know how.”

He bore his gaze into hers. “Learn,” he said.

“All right,” she whispered.

Then he was kissing her again, the heat of it scorching her, just like the heat of the nearness of his body was scorching her. It penetrated through the flimsy fabric of her nightgown as if it wasn’t even there. He slipped a hand under her waist and pulled her body up into tighter contact with his. She arched into him even as she allowed him to devour her like a starving man devours a buffet. He started with her mouth, then broke from it to catch the skin of her throat between his teeth. He nibbled at her there a moment then licked his way down to her collarbone. He drew his mouth against her, sipping at her and nipping at her and then suddenly closing his whole mouth to her skin and sucking. He did this all down the plane of her chest until he reached the fabric of her gown where it covered her breasts.

His hand came up and he slipped a thumb under the spaghetti strap of the gown and slowly drew it down her shoulder and arm. Then he paused, seeming to second-guess his strategy.

“No, take it off. I’ll not have it in my way.”

He moved to her side and waited expectantly.

Even though she had technically been naked in front of him already, she had never stripped for a man before. She covered her cheek with one hand and reached for the hem of the gown with the other.

“Why do you do that?” he asked suddenly, making her freeze.

“Do what?”

“Cover your face every time you blush.”

“Oh.” She fiddled with the hem of her gown self-consciously. “Wraiths don’t blush. Every time I do, it just reminds everyone how different I am. So I guess I try to hide it.”

“But you wear blush,” he noted.

“Yes. To try and cover up the fact that I blush naturally. I guess I figure maybe they’ll just mistake it for makeup.”

“Does that work?” he asked, bemused with her logic.

“Not really. But I do it anyway.”

“How about you not worry about it with me,” he said, taking her hand in his and drawing it away from her face. “Don’t try to hide it. I actually enjoy your blushes. They make you very pretty and very tempting.”

“Oh no. Not pretty,” she said, blushing again and trying to lift her hand. But it was caught firmly in his and he didn’t let go of it.

“Yes, pretty. You are not among Wraiths here. Here no one is judging you based on anything but what they see before them. And what they see is a very pretty woman with a very pretty blush on her cheeks.”

Tears pricked at her eyes and she blinked them away. She wasn’t going to cry just because someone had finally called her pretty. She simply wasn’t.

“Okay,” she whispered.

“Good. Now let’s take this gown off. As much as it complements the color on your cheeks, I would have you naked for me.”

This time when she blushed she didn’t even try to cover her face. If he said it didn’t bother him, then she would take him at his word.

She reached for the hem of the gown again and he reached with her. Together they pulled it up her body and then over her head. It fell to the side of the bed and now she was completely naked beside him.

She could hear the deep sound of his breaths as they moved in and out of his body. She watched as his eyes drank her in. He reached to drift soft knuckles over the rosy tip of her right nipple, then ran his fingers down her body until they were caught up in the little gray curls hiding her sex from him. Her breaths quickened, but he did nothing more than toy with the curls slowly, watching his fingers as he did so.

“You’re perfect,” he said, then before she could argue he caught up her mouth in a kiss that, had she been wearing socks, would have blown them right off. Then his fingers slid down and dipped between her damp thighs. “So welcoming already,” he observed. He caressed the ready folds of her womanhood. “Good gods you’re hot,” he said heatedly.

She could only respond by letting her thighs fall open for him, giving him free access to whatever he wanted. Whatever it was, she would give it to him. Just as long as he kept making her feel like this. Like she was special, and sexy and hot. She hoped the feelings never stopped.

She touched him on his chest, tracing the muscles she had longed to map. She had imagined him as a bookworm, but his body did not suit the image. His body was thick and strong and physical. It was battle-ready, muscle roped with veins that gave life-giving blood to them. Her fingertips coasted over his nipples and he hissed in a breath. She repeated the caress, this time using the edges of her nails. He rewarded her with another blazing kiss. She clutched at his sides, feeling dizzy as his fingers delved deeper until one found her clit and began to circle around it flirtatiously. The touch enlivened every nerve she had. She gasped softly against his mouth and he growled with pleasure.