Will kept his promise. By the time we returned to the hotel, Ryan was the last thing on my mind. Then my phone binged as we entered the suite.

Several emotions barreled into me at once, leaving me light-headed. Panic, annoyance, and fury battled for purpose as I moved on shaky legs toward my purse on the dining table.

“Rachel?”

“I’m okay,” I replied. And oddly, I found that to be true. The crippling fear from this morning fled throughout the day, leaving a simmering anger in its place. Ryan wished to remind me of his control from afar and used a tactic he knew would unsettle me to do it. He wanted to ruin this experience for me, and potentially my career in the process. Without Baker Brown, I would have nothing. What did he expect? That I would turn to him for help? I’d sooner move home to Indiana.

I picked up my phone and thumbed through the myriad of text messages with a growl.

Glad to see your flight arrived safely. Love you.

Did you get my flowers?

Where are you?

Why are you ignoring me?

The messages went on and on. I read them in a daze until a random photo message appeared from a private number. A short note accompanied it.

He’s still in Chicago. –MK

I studied the photo of Ryan and showed Will. “That’s him outside his building. He’s not in Paris.”

“Did Mark send that to you?”

“Yeah.” I had no idea how he captured the image, but if he said Ryan was still in the United States, then I believed him. “That doesn’t explain the note.” Which left me a little uneasy, but at least my insane ex wasn’t lurking in Paris somewhere.

“You’re sure it’s his handwriting?”

“Absolutely.” His penmanship haunted my nightmares. “He wrote it.” I scrolled through the rest of the messages, looking for anything work related, and turned it off when I found nothing. Not responding to Ryan felt right. He hated it when I ignored him, and usually ramped up his efforts in contacting me as a result, but he couldn’t touch me here. At least not anytime soon. Or maybe ever.

Telling Mark and Will this morning about Ryan was one of the hardest moments of my life, yet confiding in them had changed me on a fundamental level. It hurt at first, a lot, but as the pain subsided, a sense of lightness came over me. My conscience was finally clear, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I wasn’t alone.

I met Will’s gentle gaze and felt the final piece of ice crack deep inside of my chest. This man, this stubborn, confident man, had set me free. He managed to chip away at my chilly demeanor with his calm consistency. I may have started as a challenge for him, but somewhere along the way, this bond between us grew roots and created something beautiful.

His thumb wiped a tear from my cheek that I hadn’t felt fall. “Rachel . . .”

I pressed my finger to his lips. “Don’t say anything. Please. I need this. I need to feel.” Because I’d gone so long without it. Ryan had terrified me into a level of submission I never quite escaped, until today. Until I picked up my phone and called Mark. Until I confided in Will.

It felt like a lifetime ago even though it was this morning. But this change was a long time coming. The process started when I called off the engagement, but then I sat in a stagnant state until I met Will. He challenged me on a level no one else ever had, and then he’d patiently waited for me to see him. To understand what could be between us, if I let it.

Despite his endless flirtation, he never pushed me into anything I didn’t want, and was even willing to walk away from me and the firm when he sensed his meddling had gone too far. It pissed me off at the time, but his relentless pursuit relit the fire in my soul, reminded me of who I was, and gave me something worth fighting for. And with it came the courage I needed to finally break Ryan’s control. Because that’s what happened this morning. His initial attack shoved me to the ground, but I picked myself up and decided to help myself instead of wallow, and earned my freedom in the process.

And now, I could feel again.

Wholly.

Completely.

Endlessly.

I wrapped my arms around Will’s neck and went up onto my toes to kiss him. Everything I felt, all the happiness, sadness, fear, anger, and pent-up passion, went from my mouth to his, and he accepted it all. His hand slid into my hair, holding me to him as he returned the favor with his tongue, telling me without words that he understood.

He lifted me off the ground and set me on the table. My knees spread as he stepped between them, bunching my skirt up along the way, and devastated me with his mouth. It hadn’t taken him long to take control, not that I minded. Caving to his commanding touch felt right. He knew what I wanted, what I needed, and I trusted him to take me there.

My legs tingled as he trailed his fingers up the hem of my stockings to the garters. He didn’t unfasten them, but he explored them thoroughly. The brief strokes against my inner thighs weren’t enough. I craved friction several inches higher, and my breasts were begging for release. Too many clothes separated me from him. I needed to feel everything he had to offer.

I hooked my calves around his thighs to force him closer and ran my hands down his back to his firm ass. When I squeezed him, hard, he chuckled.

“Feeling impatient?” he teased.

I bit his lower lip in response and slid my palms to his lower abdomen. He said nothing as I unbuttoned his dress shirt and pushed it from his shoulders. That left him clad in a tight white undershirt that showcased all his delicious muscle. I groaned in frustration when he caught my wrists and planted them on either side of my hips against the wood.

“My turn.” The words were spoken against my neck as he started to kiss his way down to my blouse. His eyes held mine as he deftly unfastened the first button with his teeth.

Holy wow, that’s hot. He continued his descent all the way down my abdomen, never faltering. When the last one popped open, he released my wrists and slipped the fabric down my arms before tossing it to the floor.

His wicked mouth played along the neckline of my camisole, nipping and licking and driving me crazy. I tried again to remove his undershirt, which he let me do this time, and my top joined his, leaving me clad in a lacy black bra.

“Mmm, for the record, you still owe me a proper modeling show.” His smoldering gaze snagged mine. “But I wholeheartedly approve of this preview.”

I played my fingers over his abdomen, exploring each hard ridge and divot. “You’re not the only one who approves.” I pressed an open-mouthed kiss against his pec and licked a path up to his neck. He tasted like sex, spice, and sin all wrapped up in a masculine bow. “Take me to bed, Will,” I whispered. “Please.”

He gripped my hips and dragged me to the edge of the table so my sensitive center aligned perfectly with his hot arousal. I squirmed against him, but he held me still as his intense gaze captured mine.

“I want to, but if we do this, we do it right, and we fight for it.” His lips whispered across mine in a soft caress that left me yearning for so much more, but he wasn’t done. “We do this, Rachel, and you’re mine. Just as I’m yours. There will be no one else. Do you understand?”

Mine. I liked how that sounded. It wasn’t so much possessive but rather a promise he wanted us to make to each other. “You want commitment.”

“Yes.”

“And long-term.” He didn’t say that, but I inferred it from his tone and previous comments.

“Absolutely.” No hesitation lurked in his voice or in his expression, though he was studying me intently. I couldn’t blame him. We both knew that, a week ago, I would have flat out refused. Hell, two days ago, I would have said no. But Will’s incessant hammering shattered the wall surrounding my heart, setting it free to feel for the first time in years.

And it only seemed fitting that he was the one I wanted. The one I felt comfortable enough with to try having a relationship again. The one I trusted not to hurt me.

I swallowed the words battering for purpose in my mouth. There was so much I wanted to say, so much I needed him to know, to understand, but nothing could convey the feelings kindling deep inside me. Showing him was the only option. I kissed him and unleashed all my inner chaos, my anxiety, the innate fragility of my trust in him, and the overwhelming emotion overtaking my soul. It came out of me like a storm, and my tongue was the vessel. He accepted it all, his mouth answering in kind, as he swallowed my darkest fears and reaffirmed my place at his side.

Our embrace started as a flurry of passion that evolved into something darkly intimate as he lightly drew down the zipper of my skirt. It left my lacy black thong exposed at the back. He traced his fingers over it and groaned.

“Your penchant for lingerie slays me, darlin’.” He lifted me off the table by my ass and set me on my feet. A wiggle of my hips sent the skirt to the ground, and then I was in the air again with my legs around his waist. His lips captured mine again, picking up right where he left off, as he carried me to the bedroom. My heart kicked up a beat at the show of strength and confidence, then it went into overdrive when he dropped me onto the bed. I lifted onto my elbows to admire the view as he removed first his belt and then those sexy slacks. His tight black boxer briefs barely contained his erection.

That’s going to be inside me soon . . . I squeezed my thighs together with a moan as the image assaulted me. All those muscles working as he moves over me . . . “Fuck.”

He chuckled and moved over me on the bed. “That’s three times you’ve said that while in my bed. I’m about to take you up on that offer.” His lips closed around my nipple through the lace, causing me to arch into him. I’d never been more turned on in my life, and we weren’t even naked yet.

“Will . . .” It was part plea, part annoyance. The foreplay was killing me.

“Patience,” he murmured, switching breasts. I needed the bra off. Now. It abraded my tender skin in a near-painful way. I unsnapped the clasp at my back and quickly found both my wrists captured in one of his hands above my head. He tsked. “That’s the opposite of what I said, darlin’.”

I wrapped my legs around his waist and rubbed against him. “This is me not listening. Fuck me, Mershano.”

Molten chocolate stared down at me, and my thighs squeezed in anticipation. Shit. Will on a good day was gorgeous, but this? So. Incredibly. Hot. I wanted to weep with joy as he slid my bra away from my breasts and up my arms. Then I felt him tying my wrists together with the lace. A glance upward showed him securing my hands to the headboard. With my own fucking bra. I tugged on instinct, but the fabric didn’t budge.

“What are you doing?”

“Finishing my exploration,” he replied with a nip against my neck. “No squirming, gorgeous.” With him lounging over me like some predatory cat? Yeah, right. But when I tried to shift my hips to meet his, he stilled me with his hands on my thighs, and then he sucked my nipple deep into his mouth.

“Oh!” That skilled tongue of his drew circles in the most delicious of patterns. To feel that against my clit . . . My legs shook with the thought. “More,” I begged.

He ignored me and licked a path to my other breast to restart the sensual torture. I was a quivering mess by the time his tongue trailed downward over my belly to the top of my thong. Those damn hands kept me from tilting upward like I wanted, and when he skipped over the place I needed him most, I growled. His teeth scraped my inner thigh in response, followed by open-mouthed kisses that I wished were a few inches higher.

“Mmm, I’d like to keep this on,” he murmured as he nibbled just north of my garter. “Which means,” he continued, his hands sliding up to grasp my lace thong at the sides, “these need to come off.”

I gasped as he gave them a tug and snapped the elastic in half. My ruined thong disappeared in a careless toss over his shoulder.

“You . . .” My complaint died on a moan as he licked my exposed flesh all the way up to the point I needed him most.

“You taste amazing.” His intimate murmur left me aching in the neediest of ways. “Hang on, Rachel. I’m going to devour you.”

He led with his tongue, and, oh, that mouth of his did not disappoint. He gave my warm center the same treatment as my breasts, except this time he licked deep and used his teeth to draw out my shudders.

Tension built low in my body, straining my limbs and bringing tears to my eyes. It felt like he’d teased me forever with his endless games of anticipation, and now all that emotion culminated deep inside. His name was both a blessing and a curse on my tongue, until, finally, I felt it—that elusive sensation of bliss unfurling and tingling my nerve endings. Just as I teetered on the edge of explosion, Will pulled away, making me scream in frustration and desire. My vision went black with the insanity of it, and when I finally refocused, it was to find him kneeling over me. Naked.

And, wow, was he a specimen to behold. I hadn’t seen the whole picture on the plane, and now that it was laid out in front of me, I couldn’t breathe.

“Mmm, hold that thought, darlin’.” He rolled on a condom that came from God only knew where, all the while watching me in that knowing way of his, and then he lowered himself to his elbows on either side of my head. His hot member rested against my aching core as he kissed me with a reverence that left me a quivering mess beneath him.

He released my hands, and I immediately wove my fingers into his hair. Part of me wanted to tug at the strands, furious that he left me hanging, while the other part needed to be closer to him. I rubbed against him wantonly until his palm grabbed my hip. My lips parted, a protest ready on my tongue, and then his thick head prodded at my entrance.

“Still with me?” he breathed against my neck.

“Yes.” I wrapped my stocking-clad calves around him, urging him forward, but he held himself there for a long, agonizing minute. Then his hand slid off my hip to the top of my sex and down to fondle my sensitive nub.

I bit my lip to keep from crying out at the unexpected touch. The tension he initiated with his tongue just moments ago slammed back into me with a force that knocked the wind from my lungs. I felt tightly wound, ready to burst, and his tongue tracing my lips wasn’t helping. His muscular chest felt like heaven against my hard nipples, and having his arousal so close to mine fired electric jolts through my veins. Violent shudders wracked my body as sensations overwhelmed me to a painful degree, and then his mouth was at my ear.

“Let go, Rachel.” His stubble against my neck, coupled with his words, punctured my restraint and sent me crashing over the edge into an endless pit of ecstasy. He drew out the sensation with his thumb and captured my moans with his mouth. Pain mingled with the pleasure as he seated himself inside me, and my body spasmed again in confused bliss. All thought scattered as he started to penetrate me deeper than I ever thought possible. His palm slid to my ass and angled my hips upward to meet his powerful thrusts.

“Don’t stop,” I panted, pleading. Already I could feel a second orgasm brewing from deep within.

“Never, darlin’.” His lips were at my ear. “I’ll never stop.”

That spot, oh, that spot. He hit it with each flex of his hips, and when he increased his speed to stroke it over and over again, I thought I was going to pass out from the erotic vibrations. I moved with him, seeking friction and pressure and needing more. He picked up his pace, slamming into me with a force that left me breathless, and showed me just how well he could put all those muscles to use. The way he moved, so fast, so hard, so powerfully, undid me in a way I didn’t know was possible.

“Touch yourself,” he demanded. “Now.”

I reached between us and thrummed my clit with shaky fingers and moaned. That was exactly what I needed, but my brain hadn’t given the command. He squeezed my ass and upped the tempo to a rate I couldn’t match and drove me into oblivion. My screams could no doubt be heard throughout the hotel, but I wasn’t ashamed. Will deserved all the praise in the world.

The hand on my ass clutched me to him as he carried me through my climax, never ceasing that moment and drawing out every ounce of my pleasure. I scored my nails down his back, luxuriating in the aftershocks, as he found his release deep inside of me.

“Fuck . . .” His groan vibrated the sensitized skin of my neck where he’d dropped his head. The elbow he had used to prop himself up tensed, and I suspected he was using every last ounce of his energy to keep from crushing me. I had just enough sense left in me to wrap my arms around him and force him down. His weight on top of me felt right.

“You’re never allowed to move,” I said, my voice raspier than I expected. He really did make me scream during all that.

His chuckle lacked depth, which I assumed meant he’d worn himself out. Knowing that made me smile.

“You’ll want me to move again at some point, darlin’.” He gave a shallow thrust to strengthen his point, and it sent a rush of tingles through my lower body. Okay, yeah. I’d like him to move again. Eventually.

Unfortunately, that moment came all too soon as he rolled off the bed to dispose of the condom. When he returned in all his naked glory, I went to my elbows to take him in. Every inch of him was perfectly proportioned and confirmed that he had close to zero body fat. All those long hours in the vineyard had certainly paid off.

“Keep lookin’ at me like that, and I’ll be tempted to start all over again.”

I glanced at his semi-hard member and grinned. “Is that a promise?”

His hand closed over my ankle and yanked me across the bed, causing me to fall to my back. I squealed when he kissed my inner thigh, and started to scoot away, but his hands held me in place.

His eyes held mine as he unhooked my left stocking and slowly rolled it over my knee, down my calf, and off of my foot. He repeated the process with the right leg, all the while watching me under his thick lashes. It was erotic as hell and spiked my body temperature to a rolling boil. When he removed my garters with his teeth, I bit my lip.

Holy hell hotness . . .

He crawled over me and went to his elbows on either side of my head. “I have you right where I want you, Miss Dawson.”

I swallowed. “Is that so?”

“Yep.” He nuzzled my nose and cheek and trailed kisses along my jaw to my ear. “Do you still want to go to the Louvre tomorrow?”

Not what I expected him to say. We discussed it briefly on the plane after listing all the attractions in Paris. It’d been high on my list of preferred sightseeing options, and he suggested we go on Sunday so we had a full day to explore. “Do you want to go?”

“Of course.” He licked the shell of my ear. “And afterward, we can stop by the store for my final fitting, and then we’ll have dinner at Le Meurice.”

My mouth popped open. This might be my first trip to Paris, but even I’d heard of that place. “You mean the restaurant at the Dorchester?” It was one of the top hotels in Paris and likely stole quite a few potential customers from Mershano Suites.

He chuckled. “Yes, and we have reservations tomorrow night.”

“Isn’t that like cheating on Evan somehow?”

“Hey, it’s not my fault their food is better.” His defensive tone didn’t match the mirth tugging at his lips. “Besides, it’s your first trip to Paris. Only the best will do in this situation.”

I laughed and shook my head. “Well, you sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet, Mershano.”

He smirked. “You think so? Wait until you see the car we’re renting for our drive south on Monday.”

“Another truck?” I teased.

“No.”

“Something sexy, then?”

He gave me an affronted look. “My truck is sexy.”

I patted him on the back. “Sure it is, darling. Now, tell me about this car. Is it fast, and do I get to drive it?” Because that’s all that mattered.

“Yes, and that depends. What would you be willing to give me in exchange for the keys?” His gaze dropped to my lips, then slid back up slowly.

“I’m sure I could come up with something you’d enjoy.” I waggled my brows at him suggestively.

“Such as?”

“Well, you see, I have certain oral skills, Mister Mershano, that may intrigue you.”

He grinned. “Oh, I’m very familiar with your argumentative abilities, Miss Dawson. Although, I’ll never complain about putting your smart mouth to better use.”

“Careful, or I’ll put my teeth to better use as well.”

“I might enjoy that.”

With all his biting and nipping? Yeah, he probably would. “I don’t even remember what we were talking about now.” All this sexy banter distracted me.

“That’s okay, gorgeous. We can work out the details of our trade later.” He kissed me soundly before pulling back with a smile. “You know what the French are famous for?”

“Fashion?” If he expected me to model lingerie right now, he was in for a surprise because I had no intention of getting out of this bed anytime soon.

His dimples deepened as he interpreted my expression correctly. “Don’t worry, darlin’. You can model for me later. I was talking about dessert.”

“I like dessert.”

He brushed a kiss over my lips. “Then I’ll order some for us to enjoy in bed before round two.”

“Round two?” I wasn’t even close to recovering from round one.

Desire dilated his pupils. “Oh, darlin’, that was just our warm-up. You’ll understand after we eat dessert.”