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“I’m immune to flattery.” Butterflies filled her belly. Flirting had never been her strong suit. Her dry personality always fell short in that department. Alex used to tell her that his friends never understood when she was being funny or serious. She used to tellhimthat unless she was laughing, that should say everything.

Of course, he’d then accused her of barely cracking a smile.

“I doubt that.” Emmett held her gaze for a long moment. He had this intense look about him that not only drove her crazy but also made her want to rip off all her clothes right then and there just to see what he’d do. Only, given the way he intently stared at her, she knew he’d call her bluff.

“This isn’t a good idea,” she whispered.

“It’s not a bad one.” He pressed his mouth over hers, slipping his hot tongue between her lips.

Involuntarily, she leaned in to his strong frame. His arms wrapped around her in a protective embrace. His fingers dug into her back, massaging her muscles like a pianist tapping at the keys, playing sweet music for a private engagement just for her enjoyment.

It had been a long time since she’d been with a man that’d made her question why she thought she wanted to spend the rest of her life alone. After Alex, she couldn’t bring herself to even look at another man. She’d loved him so completely.

And their baby. That loss had broken her in ways she didn’t think she’d ever recover from. However, shedidbounce back thanks to her mother and Ben—no…her dad. Ben was her father in every sense of the word.

But the loss of being able to bear children had stolen a piece of her that she didn’t believe she’d ever get back.

However, in Emmett’s arms, anything and everything seemed possible.

He deepened the kiss. His hands roamed her back, sending messages to the rest of her body that she wasn’t prepared to deal with. She’d ignored this part of being a woman for so long in fear of feeling too much emotion. Any time she allowed herself a taste of being with a man, it was only on the surface. Pure physical release.

This was so much deeper. He was more than a man who could fulfill a need.

He pushed her back against the wall, spreading her legs, nestling himself between them, putting pressure where she demanded it the most.

A wave of dizziness washed over her, and she clutched at his shoulders. She became desperate to touch every part of him. She tore at his clothing, tugged at his shirt, yanking it over his head.

Breathless, she tossed hers across the room, her bra following.

He stared at her with adoring eyes. His gaze heated her skin like the hot summer sun.

“You’re a beautiful woman,” he whispered. His lips dotted kisses between her breasts and down her stomach.

She closed her eyes and gave in to her passion. She heaved in a few deep breaths as he rolled her jeans and panties over her hips and down to her ankles. The cool air from the air-conditioning did nothing to bring down her temperature.

He lifted her leg over his shoulder.

“Oh, God,” she said with a throaty moan. Threading her fingers through his dark hair, she inhaled sharply. The intake burned her lungs.

Most men she’d been with needed a little guidance, but not Emmett. He understood her body, her mind, and how they worked together. He also made everything about her, not him. That wasn’t something she was used to when it came to the lovers she’d picked in the past.

Which had been by design.

The men she chose to spend any time with in bed were the types of guys more impressed by themselves and their performance than their partners. It wasn’t that they didn’t care if she was satisfied. It was more about how she delivered their desire, not how the two of them came together.

A sudden tightness filled her muscles. Her toes curled, and that sensation crawled up her legs. A tingle and twitch filled her belly. Goosebumps trickled across her skin.

“Emmett,” she whispered. Her body jerked and quivered uncontrollably as her climax tore through her body. As soon as she thought it was about to end, a second one hit her just as hard. She tugged at his hair, practically begging him to stop.

He stood, smiling like a big, goofy kid.

She managed to laugh through her heavy pants. “You’re quite proud of yourself.” Her chest heaved up and down as she tried to take in a deep breath.

He licked his lips before pressing them over her mouth in a slow, passionate kiss.

She groaned.

“I am,” he whispered. “But I’m not done yet.”

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