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"It's not every day that a girl gets rejected in the heat of the moment. Especially on her first date."

"Whoa, hold up. I amnotrejecting you. I just think we need to talk before we go any further. You're more to me than some cheap fuck. I see the possibility of a future between the two of us, and I don't think slowing down to talk is a bad thing. Can we please...I just want to understand where you are, what you want, and to make sure that everything is what it should be."

She instantly deflates. "Okay."

"It's not that I didn't like where this was going, but it seemed sudden."

Her shoulders curl forward and she wraps her arms around herself. "I guess you're right. It's just..." Tears well in her eyes, and my heart clenches at the sight of the droplets clinging to her lashes.

I don't ever want to see her cry ever again, and yet here she is, on a night that was supposed to be magical, with tears dripping from her chin.

"Talk to me, baby, you're breaking my heart."

A broken sob spills from her lips. "It's...I... He’s the only man to ever touch me, and I don't want the memory of his touch to linger. I want you to erase it...Ineedyou to. I don't want to think about sex and see his face. I want to think about pleasure andhappiness. I want to think about you, about your touch and the way you say my name. Please, Sterling, please make it better. Touch me, brand me. Make me yours."

And just like that, my heart absolutely shatters in my chest.

I mean—fuck—who am I to deny her?

"C'mere, baby," I whisper, opening my arms wide.

"Really?" she asks, a slight tremble to her voice. "You really want to do this with me? Even knowing...everything?"

My tongue darts out, swiping across my lower lip, savoring the lingering taste of her kiss. "Baby, want is not a strong enough word."

She wipes away the last of her tears. "Okay, then,” she whispers as she stands, stepping into my waiting arms.

I guide her through the house, straight back to my bedroom. I can feel the nervous energy pouring off of her. Or maybe it's me, because I'm damn sure a wreck, hoping like hell I can make this good for her, that I can indeed erase his touch and replace it with mine.

That I can submerge and drown her in so much pleasure, she’ll never think of his hands on her again. I want to purge that piece of shit from her system until she associates sex with pleasure, and pleasure with me, with my body, my touch, and my voice.

Once we cross the threshold into my room, Emmalyn pops up on her toes and kisses me softly.

I brush my lips against hers twice before pulling back with a smile. "It's not too late to change your mind," I tell her. "It's never too late to change your mind. If at any point it's too much or you don't want to continue, all you have to do is say the word and everything stops. This is about you, okay?"

Her hair falls into her face as she nods; I reach out and brush the strands so I can see her eyes. "I mean it, baby; I won't get upset. I won't get mad. You set the pace, you're in charge."

She smiles up at me with so much faith in her gaze that my knees nearly buckle. "I trust you, Sterling. I know you'll take care of me."

CHAPTER 36

EMMY

I wentinto this date hopeful yet apprehensive. Given our twisted history, it seemed wise to be at least a little guarded. But after all of the thought and effort Sterling put into tonight, I know he’s worthy of me. That he will cherish me, and treat me right.

By the time we made it back to his place, I was confident in my decision. Eager for his touch even. Ready and willing.

As foolish as that sounds, I stand by it, even as my body quakes in terrified anticipation of what's to come.

It's not him I'm scared of, but how he’ll react to me once it’s over.

What if he finds me lacking? What if I'm not good enough? Surely a man like Sterling has plenty of experience. How could someone likemeever satisfy him?

A jolt runs through me as he smooths his index finger along my jaw and over my cheek. "Where did you go, little mouse?"

"Sorry."

He kisses my forehead. "Let me into those thoughts. Remember what I said about not hiding from me? How can I take care of you if I don't know what you're thinking?"