Oh, my God, I want him to. Only I’m not that brave, and despite everything, despite my internal monologue screaming yes, just say yes, worry about the consequences later, I can’t bring myself to say yes, your proposition sounds delightful to me.

I think my legs are shaking. I finally gasp in a breath after not taking one for far too long, and it feels like I’ve swallowed a fire that keeps on burning, melting me all the way down to the core, heat pooling between my legs.

“I can walk you through it, Aurora,” he murmurs. “I’m happy to walk you through anything, after all.”

I clear my throat.

“Yes,” I whisper, so softly I think he might not have heard me, but then his eyes burn into mine with a heat I didn’t know existed.

He heard me. Oh dear God, he heard me, his hand sliding along my jaw, cupping the back of my head.

“Here’s your first lesson, then,” he rumbles, his voice quiet and deep. I squeeze my knees together, my core throbbing. “Repeat after me: Declan, I want you to give me my first orgasm.”

I close my eyes, summon all my bravery. There’s a part of me that thinks this is still some kind of prank, that Declan is recording this so he can laugh with my brother and their friends at the stupid things he made me say.

“Declan,” I murmur.

His hand tightens.

“More,” he growls.

I take a deep breath and grab the railing a little tighter.

“Iwantyoutogivememyfirstorgasm.”

My heart thunders in my chest, breath held, eyes closed, and for a long second I wait for Declan to laugh, whip out a tape recorder, and run downstairs. But he doesn’t.

Instead, suddenly, his lips are on mine. He kisses me roughly, his fingers tight in my hair, his tongue prying my lips apart until I open up to him with a soft moan.

No one’s ever kissed me like this, not even close. Declan is perfectly all man, demanding what he wants, taking it from me, totally in control.

And I like it. This kiss makes me want to give him everything. I’m turning into a puddle of molten lava right here on this catwalk, just about ready to do anything he wants.

His other hand moves down my back, into the hollow at the base of my spine and presses my body against his.

He’s hard again. Either that or he’s still got that cucumber in his pocket, but from the way he groans softly into my mouth and grinds his hips into mine, I’m pretty sure it’s not a vegetable.

Then his hand is past my back, onto my ass. He slides one finger between my cheeks, still over my skirt, delving between my legs until he’s pressing right against my heat.

My body jolts, and I gasp again, my hand tightening on the catwalk railing.

“Declan,” I say. “We’re—”

Before I can finish my sentence, there’s a horrifying shriek of metal and the whole catwalk lurches nauseatingly to one side, the railing jerking out of my hand.

“Oh!” I yelp, stumbling backward, suddenly off my balance with nothing to hold onto.

“Aurora!” Declan yells.

The catwalk lurches again, and this time one knee buckles under me. I can’t help but look down at the floor, seventy feet below.

The curse was right, I think, my mind suddenly detached. I didn’t make it to twenty.

But then there’s a strong arm around my waist and I’m heaved forward, practically lifted until my feet are on the stone second floor of the church, solid ground underneath me.

I sink to the floor, momentarily not giving a damn about whether Declan can see up my skirt, and lean against the comforting stone wall, gasping for air.

He kneels in front of me, grabs my hand in his.

“Are you all right?” he murmurs, his voice low and desperate.

“I’m fine,” I say, shaking my head. “I’m totally fine, that was just... surprising.”

There’s a long pause, Declan just watching me while my breathing evens out and I stop shaking. Finally, I push myself to standing, and he offers his hand.

Then he looks wickedly into my eyes, and I feel just as shaky as I did moments ago.

“Which part was surprising?” he murmurs, grinning.

Before I can answer, he’s leading me down the stairs and back into the tiny chapel, where I light a candle in thanks for brothers who have sexy friends.