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All of it—all of her—was exquisite. He was barely holding on.

Then, she clenched again. Tight, hot… delicious. And that was it.

He came with her name on his lips, an unsuppressed growl escaping him. Pleasure ripped through him like fire as his arms locked around her waist, his face buried in her shoulder.

They stayed like that—tangled, slick with sweat, gasping—until their breathing slowed.

She leaned back against his chest, letting his arms cage her in.

“You’re shaking,” she whispered.

“I haven’t felt this alive in years.”

A pause, then her voice, soft and wicked near his ear. “Then we’ll do it again… until you get used to this feeling.”

He chuckled low and pressed a kiss to her neck. “Then we might never leave this bedroom.”

* * *

Blissfully sated, Leila went to the dressing room to clean up the fluids from her body.

The pleasure she felt in his arms was

unparalleled, and she wanted it never to end.

He was strong, skillful, gentle, and rough—all at the same time. Even in the two minutes it took her to clean up, she already missed him.

Hurrying back to the room, she paused by the remnants of the dress Grace had given her. “What am I supposed to wear tomorrow?” she asked with a smile.

Gideon rolled off the bed and walked toward her. He kissed her slowly, leisurely, pausing to breathe her in. “That question bothers me least of all,” he said. “I’d rather you always walk around me naked.”

She chuckled. “Around you, I might concede. But not around others.”

His arms tightened around her waist, then lowered to massage her bottom. “Nobody else but me.”

She smiled and rose on her tiptoes to press another kiss to his lips.

“I’m sure Lady Payne will find clothes suitable for you.”

Her cheeks pinked. “And what am I supposed to tell her happened to my dress?”

“You can tell her a ravenous wolf tore it in half and devoured you whole.”

She playfully slapped him on the shoulder. “Gideon!”

He kissed her again. “I love hearing you say my name.”

She nudged her nose against his. “Me too.”

He paused, licked his lips, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.

“What?” she prompted.

“Did you have a nickname for me?” he suddenly asked.

She blinked in surprise. What a shift in conversation. “What do you mean?”

“You once mentioned that you gave nicknames to people whose names you had trouble remembering,” he explained. “I was wondering if I’d earned one.”