she takes a sip of champagne and when she kisses me i can taste the champagne from her lips. before i know what's happening, her cold tongue traces the lines of my lower abs. i look down as her lips brush across my stomach and suck in a breath. when she peeks up at me through her long lashes, my muscles clench.

"i." another kiss on my stomach and i can feel her smile against my skin. her hands run over me and i know she's aware of how much i want her. i think she likes making me wait until i'm overcome with need for her.

"love," she says as she drags her tongue up my chest until i feel like i might explode.

"you," she whispers, nipping at my jaw.

"more," she teases before finally touching her lips to mine, sending a shiver through my core.

more-we say that to each other all the time, but it's not about who loves the other more, it's simply that we love each other more than words can possibly express. and nothing or no one can ever change that.

her kiss tastes like strawberries, but most of all she tastes like dahlia and i know i will never get enough of her.

she rises up and i take hold of her. looking at her, i know what we have will last a lifetime. she's everything i have ever wanted and more. to think i almost lost her still scares the shit out of me. we've both learned a lot over the past month about our relationship and ourselves. i've learned that protecting someone i love by withholding information isn't really protecting them at all. i made her doubt us, made her doubt my trust. i will never do that again. this amazing girl can trust me for a lifetime. she was made for me. and right now i want nothing more than to show her exactly how i feel-to connect our bodies and our souls.

with that thought in mind, i roll us over and rest my forehead against hers. my breathing is so ragged that i have to take a deep breath. letting it out, i dip my head and graze my lips across her chest. with every soft touch and every warm breath that passes between us i feel our connection more strongly. kissing her neck, i work my way up to her mouth. she parts her lips slowly and eagerly accepts my tongue's invitation. i'm working on control, on taking it slow, and tonight of all nights i really want to succeed. but i already know that's going to be challenging, if not impossible.

her hands take fistfuls of my hair. she's tugging on it as if she needs something to hold onto-like she's also looking for a way to pull us closer and make us one. stroking my fingers along her silky lace panties, i stop and apply pressure in the spots i know she likes. when she moans, i know she's as eager as i am to make love. she wants it bad. i swear i hear her whimper when i stop to lean over the night table and grab a strawberry then dip it in a glass of champagne. twisting back to face her i notice how intently she's watching me. her breathing is much heavier and she's got a huge smile on her face.

i slide the tip of the strawberry from the edge of her panties up between her perfect br**sts all the way to her mouth. placing it between her teeth, i bite down on it and she does the same. i kiss her, licking the excess juice from her lips before tracing my tongue down the champagne trail i left behind.

unhooking the front of her lingerie, i peel it off her. her ni**les are so hard and tempting and i can't resist quickly circling my mouth over one, licking away the champagne that has dripped there. her chest rises and falls rapidly and i can tell she wants more. not wanting to break my momentum, i continue my journey down to what i know she wants.

at her belly button i stop for only a quick second to dip my tongue in and swirl it around. her body hums with my every touch. her eyes remain closed and her lips slightly parted. she's fisting her hands in my hair again, and when i slide my tongue into the waistband of her panties her body writhes beneath me. with gentle teasing fingers i pull the lace down until my tongue reaches her soft flesh.

looking up, she's chewing on her lip again. her eyes are open and she's watching me. i can see the love and want on her face. suddenly, i am overcome with the need to have every inch of her all at once. i really want to keep taking it slow and stay in control but it's just so damn hard when she looks at me like that. with a huge grin, i stand up and take my boxers off and then pull her to the center of the bed. kneeling before her, i rip her panties off and throw them to the ground. slow can only last so long.

when i press my palms into her soft curves and run them down her n*ked body, my desire is nearly uncontrollable. i trail kisses along her inner thigh until i reach her slick core. i teasingly blow on her center and watch a shiver run through her body. spreading her thighs wider, i cover her sex with my mouth and dart my tongue inside her. she tastes like pure heaven; the strawberries and champagne have nothing on this girl. she's amazing. i lick and suck, letting her body react and guide my rhythm. she's panting as she tangles her hands in my hair. her breathing quickens and watching her body respond to my every touch, taste, and movement intoxicates me. there's nothing that makes me feel the way she does.

"please don't stop," she begs.

"i'm not stopping. i'm going to leave you breathless, unable to think of anything but me," i growl.

completely turned on by the signs of her impending climax, i grab her thighs and pull her closer to me. i slide my tongue one last time through her slick opening up to her clit. she's moaning and arching her back. when her hands move to tightly grip the bedsheets and her legs start trembling, i cover it with my mouth and suck greedily then watch as she falls apart . . . breathing in short bursts, eyes closing, head tilting back, and mouth opening slightly. and finally her thighs turn to steel as her body clenches and waves of pleasure overtake her. she comes hard, screaming my name over and over and i love every minute of it.

seeing her come takes away any self-control i had left. i'd say i did pretty well. but now i need to be inside her, to feel her warmth, her tightness gripping around me. once her body calms, i crawl on top of her and look down at her flushed, but still perfect, face. she smiles up at me with hooded eyes.

"that was amazing," she whispers, still trying to catch her breath. "but now i want you deep inside me, i want us to come together."

"oh i think that can be arranged, beautiful girl." if only she knew how badly i want to grant her that request. i am rock-hard and i'm not going to last much longer. reaching down, i slip a finger inside her. she's soaked and when she lets out a small moan, i know she's more than ready for me. i playfully twirl my finger around before i pull it out and easily slide into her, plunging as deep as i can. i groan at the sensation. "you feel so good," i whisper in her ear and then i bury myself deep inside her, the magnitude of my pleasure increasing with even the slightest of movements.

she wraps her arms around me and i kiss her. now i can taste her and i know she can taste herself-a combination that does more than just turn me on. we move together as one, the intensity building with every thrust. it's a feeling i wish would last forever. in fact, i wish i could stay buried inside of her-there is no place in this world i'd rather be.

breaking our kiss, i hungrily nip at her jaw and press my mouth down her neck. thrusting in and out, i give her everything i can and she willingly takes it. i'm trying to hold on, not wanting this feeling to end. but when her head falls back and she arches her body i tell her, "come with me."

her muscles clench and her inner walls tighten around me as she whispers breathlessly, "i'm right here with you."

and that is all i need to hear. burying my face in her neck, i thrust a few more times and just as i still and start to explode, her body shudders with an intense orgasm that can only be matched by my own. "i love you, dahlia!" i manage as we come together, sharing the most intimate connection two people can ever know. we're truly one right now-one body, one soul. she's not only mine, she's mine forever.

chapter 30

i belong to you

river

october 31st

the white light creeps in through the window. we left the curtains open last night so we could stare out into the night, admiring the view, and feeling absolutely content-content knowing we will always be there for each other. i know today is the hardest day of the year for her and i want to do everything i can to guarantee she has a smile on her face.

i've been watching her sleep, waiting for her to wake up. i'm lying on my back and she's draped across my chest with her cheek pressed against me and her golden strands pulled back just enough so i can see her beautiful face. with her next to me n*ked in bed, i can't stop myself from sliding my hands over her smooth skin.

she opens her eyes only the tiniest fraction and kisses my chest. she skims her fingertips down my stomach, stopping to trace lines over each muscle, stoking the heat between us that never dies.

"good morning," i tell her, kissing her head and smelling the sweet scent of her hair.

"morning." she nips my skin and sends me over the edge.

rolling her over, i hover above her and bury my elbows into the pillow. my mouth trails down her neck and she giggles, "you're tickling me."

"giggling and tickling aren't what i'm going for," i murmur back as i continue to lick and nip her skin.

she pulls my head to hers and when our lips meet i want to devour her, but when i brush my tongue against hers, she laughs. ignoring the sound, i suck on her bottom lip because i know how much she likes it. when i do, she smirks and stifles any noise that would accompany it. i plop down beside her and rest my head on my elbow. lifting her chin to look into her eyes i ask, "what are you doing?"

she flutters her eyes. "why, whatever do you mean?" she answers in her cute fake southern accent.

grinning, i say, "i'm trying to make love to you but you seem to be finding it funny."

she pouts her lips and drops her eyes.

"what's wrong, baby?" i ask, grabbing her hand and lacing my fingers in hers, not sure what i did.

she smiles and i swear i feel my heart stop from her beauty. "nothing's wrong. i'm just waiting to see how long it takes you."

"well, if you'd let me get started, you'd be able to see." then raising an eyebrow i ask, "wait, what exactly are you waiting to see how long it takes for?"

now she's laughing hysterically and i start to question my manhood. when she settles down she gives me an impish grin. "to say happy anniversary, silly. not what you're thinking!"

a bright smile spreads across my face. "i guess it's an anniversary of sorts-six years ago today, you stared at me across a bar and look where i am now," i say, trailing my fingers down her bare arm.

she tells me, "well, i think it went more like this . . . six years ago today you stalked me and look where i am now-in the arms of jack the ripper."

grinning, i remember that first night we met at the usc campus bar and the conversation we had. then i decide if i'm ever going to concede this is the time. "okay, i'll give you that one."

she keeps my hands laced in hers and moves closer to me. she kisses me and then says, "i love you-i thought i loved you from the first moment i saw you in the bar. and i knew i loved you five years later when i saw you in that conference room. but it wasn't until you said that you weren't just kissing me-you were whispering in my mouth-that i fell madly in love with you."

"did i say that? i'm pretty smooth."

she nods and smirks. fixing her gaze on me, she seems very serious all of a sudden. she holds my eyes captive. clearing her throat she says, "you know today has always been the saddest day of the year for me and i was wondering if you would do something to help me change that?"

there's a lead in that that i would normally pounce on, but i know she's being serious, so of course i don't. instead, i kiss her hands. "you know i'd do anything for you, dahlia. you don't even have to ask. just tell me and it's done."