“Harlin smiles softly and steps up, wrapping his arms around me as he brings his lips to my ear. I close my eyes. "I hate every second I'm away from you," he says. "Don't ever doubt that." And then he kisses me.”

“Kiss me, Tate,” I demanded softly. “Baby -“I lifted my head and put my lips to his, encouraging on a whisper, “I wanna catch fire, honey, and only you can bring that out for me.”I watched up close as Tate’s eyes went intense then his head slanted and he muttered, “You got it, Ace.”Then he kissed me.”

“Thank you, baby," he breathes, covering my upturned face in soft feather-light kisses. I open my eyes and gaze up at him, and he wraps his arms tighter around me."Your cheek is pink from the baize," he murmurs, rubbing my face tenderly. "How was that?" His eyes are wide and cautious."Teeth-clenchingly good," I mutter. "I like it rough, Christian, and I like it gentle, too. I like that it's with you."He closes his eyes and hugs me even tighter.”

“He puts up with a lot from me, and he never gets irritated.""Yeah, cause you can be so darn irritating..." He lowered his face and kissed my eyebrow tenderly, "with those irritating cinnamon-brown eyes..." His kisses moved down to my nose. "And that irritating, tiny nose..." He paused, his mouth a mere breath away from mine, and he kissed me softly. "And those irritating, luscious lips..." The green of his eyes darkened as he gazed down at my mouth. "God, those lips..." he sighed, and his warm breath drifted lightly across my mouth as his arms tightened around me more. He kissed me long and hard.”

“Thank you for getting me," I try to say. My lips are so tired they don't want to move."Anytime,Zara.Really.I mean it." He seems to be smelling my hair."I know you hate me and everything but we should be friends," I tell him, closing my eyes."I don't hate you," he says. "That's not it at all.""What is it then? Are you a victim of parthenophobia?""Parthenophobia?""Fear of girls.""You are so strange." He moves back even closer to me, this wicked glint in his eyes like he's trying hard not to snort-laugh at me. His hand presses against the side of my head. Nobody has ever touched me like this before, all gentle and romantic, but strong at the same time. "I'm not afraid of girls.""Then why haven't you kissed any?"For a second his eyes flash. "Maybe the right one hasn't come around yet.”

“He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around the small of my back, tugging me to his chest. I threw my arms around his shoulders, sliding my nails up and down his neck gently. “Stay with me. And with Nathaniel and Lauren. All day. Be happy today.”“That’s it?”He bent down and kissed me richly. “Each time I look at you, I want to see a smile on your beautiful face.”“Will you be looking at me a lot?”“I’m always stealing glances,” he confessed. “You rarely notice.”