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"Okay" He’d shaken her brain into , and apparently that was all she could say now

He touched his lips to hers, and pleasure jolted to her heart, down her ar his head, he kissed her deeper Once Twice Again Until she sighed and leaned into hiers in his cool hair He claiue in a way that was new and fa in her, trying to tell hih to say

"God, Stella," he rasped against her lips, his dark eyes dazed and heavy-lidded "You learned that fast"

Before she could respond, he took her ot about work, even forgot about her anxiety His large body rubbed against hers, and she arched into hi in his closeness

Her phone buzzed with hertone

Michael tore away at once, flushed and breathing heavily He sucked his botto like he o seconds away froet that" She slipped inside, sat on the edge of the bed, and pressed the talk button on her phone with a shaky thumb "Hello?"

"Stella dear, your father’s--oh, hold on a second" Her father’s deep voice rumbled on the other end, and Stella held the phone away froolf and lunch plans

Michael approached her with a fluid-lio, but we’re on for next Friday"

"Next Friday," she confir immediately as she expected, he leaned down and brushed a fleeting kiss to her mouth "Good-bye, Stella"

She watched his departure in a dazed state They were ain In a week

"Who was that?" Even with the phone several inches from her ear, Stella could hear her mother’s surprise

"That wasMichael" A breathless kind of nervousness filled her She ht like it that her mother had discovered her male visitor

A brief silence ensued, followed by, "Stella dear, did you spend the night with aOther than kissing" The best kissing of Stella’s life

"Well, why ever not?"

Stella’swords

"You’re a ood choices Now, tell me all about this Michael"

Chapter 6

Destroy Defeat Deceive

Michael scanned his partner’s black-clad for the heat of the ave free rein to the base, selfish instincts he battled daily And it felt so fucking good