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breath and sat up straight. “I’m with Ash. He’s taking me home.”
    “Taking you home? I don’t understand.”
    “It’s complicated. Ash and I have some issues to settle. I’m sorry to leave you like this. I hope you can forgive me.”
    Sam didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he chuckled. “Why am I not surprised? He never could stand for me to have something he didn’t.” He took a deep breath. “Tell him congratulations. He’s done it again.”
    Before she could respond, Sam ended the call, and she stared down at the phone. Ash glanced at her. “Is everything okay?”
    “He wasn’t very happy.”
    “I guess not. He and I’ve been in a competition all our lives. If we weren’t trying to outdo each other in sports, we were competing for girls. He must think that’s what this was about tonight.” He reached over and grasped her hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll talk to him tomorrow and explain everything.”
    She nodded and didn’t say anything as they pulled up at her house. Minutes later they stood on the front porch, and her hand shook as she tried to turn the key.
    When it finally opened, they walked inside, and he’d barely closed the door before he had her in his arms and was kissing her again. As his kiss deepened, he pulled her closer against him until she felt crushed against his chest. Their closeness only seemed to fire his passion more, and her body warmed as blood coursed through her veins.
    He pulled away from her lips and nuzzled her ear. “Take me to your bedroom.”
    His words caught her off guard, and she stilled in his arms. “What?”
    He trailed kisses down her cheek. “I need you, Lainey.”
    Alarm bells blared their warnings. She needed to proceed carefully. She’d often thought about how she’d feel the first time she slept with a man, but she’d never envisioned panic spreading through her body. “Ash. . .”
    He pulled back and stared at her, his forehead wrinkling into a frown. “What’s the matter?”
    Her chest tightened, and for a moment she couldn’t breathe or think. She had fantasized since her teenage years about this moment, but somehow she’d always known it would be with her husband. She and Ash had only known each other a few weeks, and now she was questioning the promise she’d made to herself years ago. “Ash, I-I don’t know about this.”
    He cupped her chin in his hand and stared down at her. “What do you mean? You’re having second thoughts about us?”
    A hurt expression flashed in his eyes, and she touched his cheek. “No, not about us. It’s just that I decided a long time ago to wait until I’m married.”
    A slow grin spread across his face, and his hand grazed the side of her face. He stared into her eyes, and her heart melted at the love she saw shining there. Love for her. Something she’d been seeking ever since her parents’ death.
    “Lainey,” he whispered, “If I were your husband, I couldn’t love you more than I do at this moment.” His hand drifted down her arm to her hand. He wrapped his fingers around hers and drew her hand up to his mouth. Closing his eyes, he kissed her knuckles, then turned her hand over and kissed her palm. “You know we belong together.”
    She swallowed. “I’m scared, Ash. I-I’m a virgin. I’ve saved myself for my husband.”
    His eyes softened, and he smiled. “Lainey, didn’t you understand what I told you earlier? From this night on we belong to each other for the rest of our lives. I’ve never promised that to anyone before. Maybe it’s wrong, but some selfish part of me is glad I’ll be the first.” He cupped the side of her face with his hand. “I’ve done some things in the past that I’m not proud of, but that was before I knew you. I want you to know that I’ve never really loved another woman, and this time with you will be the first time I’ve made love. Do you understand the difference?”
    She nodded. “I do.”
    “But I promise you this,” he said,