"Thanks for letting me watch a movie," she told him when the movie was done. She was sitting very close to him. During the movie, they had both gravitated toward the middle of his enormous couch.

"Did you like it?"

"I did, but I really like rom-coms. What did you think of it?"

"It was okay. I mean, it was cute, but those leads were starting to get on my nerves. They obviously belonged together the whole time."

She bit her lip. "True. But that's kind of the point of rom-coms. And in real life, that's kind of how it usually works, too."

"You mean people run away from love or ignore it? And then they fall in love after one of them falls in a fountain?"

She laughed. "Not like that, exactly, but yeah, basically. If it were easy to find love, we wouldn't have stuff like Speed Mating or OkCupid. Or all the self-help books that teach you how to have a better relationship."

"You read those books too?"

"Don't laugh, but yes. I've checked out a few...dozen."

Rhett turned on the news. "I'm not going to laugh. Whatever you think will help you find the perfect one for you."

"The books didn't help," she admitted. "They did help me see that some of my old relationships were doomed before they even started, but none of them made me feel like I'm any closer to finding love."

He locked eyes with her and touched her face. "How will you know when you find it if the books didn't help?"

"I don't know if I will know. Maybe I'll be like the lady in the movie."

"I guess you'd better start looking for a giant fountain to fall into, then." He played with the hair around her face, wrapping it around his finger, letting it go and then starting the whole process over again.

She licked her lips. "What about you? Do you think you're any closer to finding your one true mate?"

"I don't know." He cleared his throat. "It's more complicated than it sounds. I don't think most shifters know right away. I think it takes time for our human side to warm up to the mate idea."

"I've heard that before. One of my friends dated a guy for two years before deciding he was the one."

"I don't think it'll take me that long." He let go of her hair and caressed her lips with his fingers.

Joseline was on fire. Every hair on her body was standing up. This was it. This had to be it. She leaned forward ever so slightly, and that was all it took. Rhett took the hint and closed the distance between them. His lips brushed hers lightly at first. Then his tongue darted out to taste the inside of her mouth, and she moaned.

He bit her lower lip and pulled away. "I've been waiting to do that for the last hour."

"I've been waiting for the last two days."

"Two days?" he groaned. "I knew I should have done that the moment I saw you."

"What were you waiting for? Smoke signals? Sky writers? I thought it's been pretty clear that I want you."

"I guess I'm dense. I thought you weren't so interested once you got back to my place and learned about the catfishing thing."

She threw her head back. "Yeah, that did suck. I was all ready to go, and then to learn that it was all a joke was crushing. But I thought you were hot stuff from the moment I saw you."

"Feeling's mutual, darling." He kissed her again, this time pulling her into his lap. He cupped her ass in his hand and squeezed.

Joseline ran her hands up and down his strong arms. Nothing was going to hurt her as long as his arms were around her.

He touched the button of her jeans, fingering it, and rubbed her jaw. "Can I take these off?"

"I don't know." She bit her lip. "I mean, I want you, but I'm not sure I'm ready to go all the way yet."

"That's fine," he whispered. "I want to taste you. I'm not asking for anything more right now."

She nodded. If he was okay with her stopping, she was fine with him undressing her. She knew she could trust him. Rhett's word was good. She wanted him, but it was too much right now. She didn't want to get carried away with her passion and lust for him. It was late, and they both might feel different in the morning.

But right now, she was going to enjoy every inch of him and everything he was doing to her.

Once he got her out of her pants, he laid her across the couch and crawled on top of her. He moved her around like she weighed nothing. It had been a long time since she'd been with anyone so strong and capable.

He lifted her shirt and nuzzled his face between her breasts. Joseline groaned and ran her hand down his back, finding the hem of his shirt. She lifted it off him and pulled him up to kiss her again. His body fit perfectly against hers. She was very pleased to find that the scent that had driven her wild the last two nights was his natural scent.

She broke the kiss and put her face against his neck. "God, you smell good."

He nipped at her shoulder. "Not as good as you feel."

He pushed her back and kissed down her body. When he got to her panties, he lifted the elastic with his teeth. Gently, he tugged them down to reveal the fine hair covering her sex. When her underwear was at her thighs, he stopped being so gentle. He let the fabric fall from his mouth and sat up to pull her panties off her body.

When she was naked in front of him, he spread her thighs and climbed between them. He kissed each one and then licked his way up to her center. Joseline quivered as he kissed her along her slit. Her hands were clenched at her sides as she watched him work.

He moved so slowly. Too slowly. She pushed her pelvis toward his face.

Rhett put a hand on her stomach. "Getting a little impatient?"

Joseline groaned and rocked in his grip. "Do it already. I'm dying up here."

"You think you're dying now? I've barely even started." He moved up to take off her bra, and Joseline protested again. "Seriously?"

"I want to see all of you laid out before me." He took off the bra and squeezed her breasts in his hands. He licked one nipple and then sucked the other into his mouth. Joseline bucked off the bed and licked her lips.

With her nipple still in his mouth, Rhett reached down between her legs and caressed her now dripping-wet folds. He found her clit and stroked it firmly a few times. Joseline saw stars. She was close. Her entire body was shaking, and she was pressed tight against him.

She gripped his shoulders as he slipped a finger inside of her. Rhett let go of her breasts and moved to settle between her legs once more. He licked her entire sex twice before focusing on her clit. He sucked and licked at her while his finger moved inside of her.

It was too much. Joseline moved her hands to cradle his head as her entire body tensed with pleasure. Her hips bucked off the couch as the sensation raced through her body. He didn't let up as she came in his mouth. He rode out her orgasm, teasing her and driving her pleasure higher until she screamed his name.

"Oh my God," she gasped.

Rhett kissed her thigh. "So, it was pretty nice for you?"

"Get up here and kiss me."

He kissed her stomach and then moved up to kiss her lips. While they kissed, he flipped their position on the couch so she was lying on top of him. "That was nice," he said.

"That was fan-fucking-tastic," she replied. She kissed him deeply, tasting herself on his lips. "That was the best. Thank you."

"Thank you for letting me." He kissed her forehead. "Would you like to sleep in my bed tonight?"

"Sure." She smiled against his chest.

No way was she going to feel different in the morning. She wanted to wake up next to him. This was it. She was falling in love, and he was falling in love with her too. She was living the romantic movie of her dreams with a man she could never have hoped would be hers. Finally, this whole thing was going to be worth it. Her life had to be in danger before she found someone who was worth risking it all for. And that thing he could do with his mouth? That was only the icing on the cake.