Dylan lays with his back against the couch and pulls me to his chest. His strong arm around my waist and I feel the evidence of his arousal. I glance over my shoulder. His eyes are still denim blue. I never noticed how they change until tonight.

I wiggle my bottom, he nips the sensitive space at the base of my neck. I want to ask why he stopped. Should I? I turn in a little circle until we are chest to chest. I can only imagine how I appear with my dress pushed up and the halves of the top open exposing my breast. But at this moment I don’t care.

“Why’d you stop?” His olive skin looks sun-kissed a slight contrast with my own honey complexion.

“Yuki, I want nothing more than to make you completely mine. But not until you’re ready.” He runs a hand through my hair lightly scratching my scalp.

“Don’t complicate this.” He’s a man with too many options and I’m a woman too grown to believe he’ll settle for one woman.

“Yuki Smith you’ve never settled in anything. Your education, your career. Yet you’re willing to settle with your heart.”

“Settle? How is enjoying my time with you settling?” He remains silent and I search his eye for a sign that I’m getting through to him, so I push. “So, you mean to tell me you’ll go home with that little blonde without batting an eye.”

“Calm down.”

“Don’t tell me what to do. Explain it to me, Dylan. You flirt and tease and invite others to your bed with no strings attached.” I move to sit up, my volume increasing. I yank back and hope the ball buster in me will get me out of his arms and far away before I give in.

“Baby girl your theatrics won’t get you anywhere. You and I both know you are not those other women. Those other women only get a piece of my time because you want to play games.”

“Games? I got your games.” I cut my eyes and roll them with all the sister girl attitude I can muster. I push against the brick wall he calls a chest. “I need to go.”

“You’re not going anywhere until we resolve this.”

“Yeah right. I go where I damn well please.” I feel my heartbeat racing and not out of lust but anger. How dare he tell me no?

“I need you to shake your attitude and talk to me.” This is the real Dylan. The mule-headed man that does things when he pleases and not a minute sooner. The humor in his eyes leaves me livid.

“We’re good.” I cross my arms over my chest.

“Most women would love to have this conversation with me. About a future beyond one night in my bed. Although I can promise, you’ll love it.” His brows wiggle.

“And that’s my cue to leave.”

“Fine.” He loosens his grip and I push against his chest. I’m on my knees using the back of the couch for balance. I wiggle the fabric back over my breast and he licks his lips as if remembering. I hope he got a good taste because that will be the last one.

My inner voice, that clearly forgot our no more Dylan chant, is laughing at me. I’m committing to walking off and him begging me to return. I pull the hem of my dress slowly over my exposed bottom, I hear a groan from the couch. I toss my hair over my shoulder and look left and right searching for my shoes. I spot them beneath the coffee table.

“I love the way your lower lip quivers when you don’t get your way.” I freeze. I glance back and his eyes are changing again. Now is the time to leave while my dress is straight and he’s still on the couch. I reach for my heels and before I know it, I’m in his arms.

“You lost your bargaining position the moment you let me taste you.” His hands are lifting my dress and caressing my bottom.

“Let’s not and say we did.” I give him my best kiss-my-ass face and in a flash, his mouth is over mine. His tongue slips past my lips and dives deep. My legs are weak and his mouth is waging war against my determination to leave and not look back.

He licks down my neck and frees my breast again, a quiver runs down my spine as he nibbles and sucks his way lower. My dress is now on the floor. I’m naked except for my silver body necklace and he’s kneeling at my feet.

“Are you going to behave?” His denim eyes challenge me to say anything but yes. He kisses my belly button. Saying yes will change me forever. But I feel powerless. “Yuki, say yes.”

His finger trails down my lower stomach, my body—the traitor—is screaming yes Dylan, yes Dylan, yes Dylan. He stands and his hand is between my legs and my core is eager. To distract my mind, I reach for the bulge now resting against my stomach.

“Not yet baby. Let’s get something clear.” He massages and probes until I’m wet and ready. “You are mine. Understand? No more Stewart.”

Stewart was a willing date for social functions, never a serious relationship.

“And no more blondes?” I look up into his eyes. I trust him, my walls are tumbling faster than I can fathom and his eyes are pleading with me. It goes beyond words and the mounting desire between us. It goes to my heart.

“I accepted what you offered to have a piece of you. Waiting my turn, and I can’t sit around waiting Yuki. I always knew you’d be my girl. And my heart knows having you will make everything in my life complete. Say yes Yuki and you won’t regret it.”

I’m fearless but at this moment with the plea in his eyes, I’m scared. Saying yes means opening myself up to fickle love.

My father never found a woman he didn’t love. He loved my mother, he loved Momma, but not enough to commit to one woman.

Truth be told I trust Dylan but distrust love. Not when the one man in the world who should have loved me the most loved me the least. Remembering that made me a stronger woman. It taught me to trust the facts.

I drop my face not wanting him to see the doubts swimming in my soul.

“Don’t shut me out, baby.” He places a curled finger beneath my chin. “Tell me and I’ll give it to you. But don’t shut me out.” Eyes filled with love wash over me, I nod fighting to remain present.

Can I do this, really? Love him the way he deserves. Give myself, not just my body, to him.

“You know I love you, right?” He smiles.

“Plainspoken as always.” A calming truth enters my mind, the other men in my life didn’t measure up because they were not him. Dylan is the standard.

“Don’t let the past block our future.” He continues.

But how can I keep the past in the past? It’s as real as the air I’m breathing.

“Can we start with tonight?” I ask unsure I’m ready, yet I’m not willing to throw this opportunity away.

“I will do what it takes to prove that this,” his finger touches my chest then his, “is it.” That mule-headed determination is shining in his eyes and I should be worried. Concerned. But I’m not. All I can think is, I’m Dylan’s girl.

“So this means I’m your girl?” I smile at the thought.

“No ma’am, you’re my woman.” He kisses me. Not the smoldering type but warm and filled with love. I can get used to this.

“What type of perks come with this position?”

He laughs and the mounting tension in my body eases. “Well, to start there’s me, of course.”

“Of course.” I snicker.

“And I’m pretty sure I can top our couch session.” For an instant, his eyes sharpen like a light switch turning on. His eyes cloud in a sexual haze.

“Oh really?”

“Yes, really.” I accept the challenge in his voice brushing my hand over the front of his pants.

“Prove it.”