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“That’s all?” she asked, rubbing her eyes. “She fell asleep fast.”

“You both fell asleep fast.”

“Oh,” she said, squinting at Libby in her crib. “Did you get any more sleep?”

“I will once you’re back in the bed with me.”

Katherine sighed as Matthew lifted her from the rocking chair.

“Mmm… do you even know how sexy you are?”

Matthew grinned. “Sexy, huh?”

“Yeah, reeeaaally sexy.”

After putting her back in his bed, Matthew watched as Katherine rolled toward his side of the mattress. She wasn’t at all what he’d expected, and he found himself drawn to her more than he imagined he ever could be.

Between her sleepy confession, her open and caring heart, and the rounded curves of her body, a part of him wished they didn’t have to wait to be together.

“Aren’t you coming to bed?” she rasped, her eyes opening just enough to search for him.

“Of course I am,” Matthew said, laying down and drawing Katherine into his arms. When he pressed his lips to her forehead, the innocent kiss quickly turned into something more.

Soon, his kisses went from delicate and sweet to hungry and intense, and her excitement reached its peak when he lowered his mouth to bite the sensitive skin of her neck.

“Oh, Matthew, I want you so much,” she whispered in his ear, taking her turn to kiss, lick, and bite the warm skin of his neck.

“Maybe we should stop.”

“So soon?” she teased, threading her fingers through his hair, then turning his head to expose even more of his neck. As her teeth pressed against his skin, he gasped at the surprise of her boldness.

Pulling away, he said, “We have to stop, or I won’t be able to.”

But Katherine’s searching eyes saw the passion she’d been trying so hard to provoke in him. “Can’t you see how much I want you?”

With a ragged sigh, Matthew’s eyes rolled back in his head. “You’re not helping, Katie.” His voice was weakened by the need to give in to his deep-seated desire for her. “Not at all.”

“Should I be sorry?” she asked, knowing she was pushing him to the edge. “What if I’m not?”

In one swift motion, Matthew rolled Katherine onto her back and covered her with the length of his body, holding her hips in place and pressing himself against her.

“When, Matthew?” Katherine pleaded the moment she was able to catch her breath and come halfway to her senses. “When can we be together?”

“Soon.” He rolled away to stare at the ceiling, willing his breath and pulse to slow as he desperately tried to ignore his body. “We’ll be together soon, I promise. But for now, we should get some sleep.”

Still consumed by the heat between them, Katherine drew in a long breath to calm her racing heart. She didn’t really want him to stop but knew it was the right thing to do. They needed sleep, and they needed to wait. And even though she knew it was for the best, sleep was the last thing on her mind. Because if Matthew could make her feel this good from kissing, it seemed only natural to imagine how good it would feel for him to make love to her.

“I really like your lips,” she said, turning her head to stare at them. When she bit down on her own lower lip, Matthew inhaled sharply.

“Katie…” he whispered her name as if it was his way of pleading for mercy.Then he reached for her, pulling her against his chest and turning off the light. “It’s time to sleep.”

But as soon as they were comfortably snuggled into each other’s arms, she spoke, making him smile at the shy reluctance in her voice.

“Matthew…”

“Yeah…”

“You really are very sexy.”