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too
long.
     
    Okay.  Go, Rachel .
     
    When
I stepped into my bedroom, Vince was there, unpacking his bag. 
     
    “You
put my bag in there.”  He pointed to the other bedroom.  “Why?”
     
    I
shrugged.
     
    “Do
you not want me in here?”
     
    “I
do.”  I paused.  “I just wasn’t sure.”
     
    He
closed the gap between us.  “I want to be in here with you.  I don’t
want to sleep in there.”
     
    I
turned towards the dresser.  He came up behind me and placed his hands lightly
on my shoulders.  He dipped down and traced the outline of my tattoo with his
tongue, pressing feather light kisses on my back as he went.
     
    Jesus
Christ.
     
    “Come
to bed, Rachel.  Don’t over think this.”
     
    I
turned towards him and pressed into his chest.  I could hear his heartbeat.  I
broke the embrace and climbed into my side of the bed.
     
    He
continued to take things out of his bag and made small talk.  He shrugged out
of his shirt.  He was thin, but strong looking.  I wondered if he worked out. 
He never said; I never asked.
     
    When
he started to unbutton his pants, I looked down nervously and began pushing at
my cuticles.
     
    “Don’t
get shy, lady.”  He grinned and folded his pants.  Thankfully, he was wearing
underwear.
     
    He
grabbed a pair of drawstring pants from his bag and strolled into the
bathroom.  He closed the door behind him.
     
    Oh
Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord.  Were we going to do this?
     
    Not
tonight.
    Not
tonight.
    Not
tonight.
     
    I
knew I had to stand my ground.  We could kiss.  That’s it .  I may even
let him get to second base.  I had to put down limits.
     
    He
walked out of the bathroom and threw something in his bag.  His underwear? 
     
    Fuck.
     
    He
slid into bed next to me.  I turned to the center of the bed, facing him.
     
    “I
don’t know if I’m ready for this, Vince.”
     
    “What? 
Bed?”  He was smiling.
     
    “You
know what.  This .”  I gestured between us.
     
    “Alright. 
Whatever you want.  I’m not going to push you.”
     
    I
put my hand on his hip and leaned in to kiss him.  He angled towards me and put
his arm around my waist, pulling me closer.
     
    I
pressed my lips to his and parted them.  The kiss deepened.  He put his hand on
my backside and pushed in, our hips adjoining. 
     
    I
was seriously close to losing this battle.
     
    He
pulled up on the hem of my nightie.  His hand trailed up my back.  I moved my hand
to his hip.  He rolled me to my back and moved his hand to my waist, just
skimming the elastic of my underwear.  His finger lifted the lip of satin.
     
    “No.” 
I sat up.  “I want to, but...”
     
    “You
can’t.”  He pulled away from me and shifted the covers, straightening them. 
“It’s fine, Rachel, really.  I understand.”  He turned the light off on the nightstand. 
“Goodnight, mama.”  He kissed me one last time before he turned and faced the
wall.
     
    I
lie awake, staring at his back for what seemed like hours.  His skin was smooth
and ivory with tiny freckles throughout.  It took everything I had not to trace
them with my fingertips.  My eyes were growing heavy and, eventually, I drifted
off to sleep.

Chapter
Five
     
     
    I
woke to Vince’s lips on my back.  His hand was on the outside of my thigh,
moving up gently.  He whispered in my ear.  “Good morning.”
     
    He
pulled gently at the elastic on my underwear and slid two fingers into the
material.  I turned to face him.  His eyes were steady, questioning.  I put my
hands to his waist and tugged at his drawstring.
     
    He
leaned in and brushed his lips against mine.  Just once.  He slid down the side
of my neck and laid soft, wet kisses there.
     
    Oh
my God, we were really doing this.
     
    His
hand continued to tug bit by bit at the band of satin.  I lifted my hip off of
the bed, helping.  He pulled harder and the fabric slid down my legs easily.  I
kicked them to the floor.
     
    Oh
yeah, we were