CHAPTER SIX
Emma walked into the suite and gasped. A trail of intertwining pink and red rose petals led the way from the living room into the bedroom. On the coffee table, a bottle of champagne chilled in a silver bucket next to two champagne flutes. An overflowing bowl of strawberries dipped in chocolate caused her stomach to growl. She turned her gaze and then followed the rose petals into the bedroom where rows of candles waited to be lit, and a pink wrapped package sat on the bed.
She glanced back to Aidan who was shrugging out of his suit jacket. “You did all this for me?”
“I’d like to take credit, but the staff did all the fruity candle stuff and flowers,” he replied, tossing the key card on the table. At her continued bewildered expression, he chuckled. “What did you expect? A single bed and a quickie? I know this is just about procreating, but give me a little credit.”
“No…but I just didn’t imagine this.” She smiled shyly. “For what it’s worth, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“What’s in the box?” she asked, motioning to the bed.
“Something for you.”
“Me?”
He nodded and handed her the package. “Before you open it, let me say this. You already know you don’t need to do anything but breathe to give me a raging hard-on—”
“Aidan!” she protested.
He laughed at her outrage. “Anyway, I’m kind of a lingerie man, so I thought you might humor me and wear it.”
She opened the lid on the box. After whisking away the pink tissue paper, her eyes honed in on emerald green satin. Her fingers trembled as she reached inside to pull out the baby-doll nightie. The bodice had intricate green and gold beading and embroidered flowers with sheer material that would reach her thighs along with a matching thong.
“Is it okay?”
“It’s beautiful,” she murmured. The thought of him shopping just for her was overwhelming. Did he do that for all his conquests, or did they come with their own readymade lingerie? “Thank you.”
Aidan’s face broke into a wide grin. “I don’t know about it being beautiful. It’s more about how you’re so f*cking sexy when you’re in green. Just like that green dress at the Christmas Party and the one you’re wearing tonight.” He tenderly brushed a strand of her auburn hair out of her face. “That color makes everything about you stand out from your hair to eyes.”
“But how did you even know my size?”
“Casey helped me out with that one.”
Emma rolled her eyes. “Why am I not surprised? I’ll have to remember to thank her for that.”
Aidan laughed. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, she swore she’d cut my balls off if I ruined this night for you.”
“She didn’t?” Emma squeaked.
“Oh yeah, she did.”
“Between Connor and Casey, I can’t believe you even want to go through with this!”
“It’s okay. I work well under pressure,” Aidan joked. He motioned his head to the bathroom. “Now go get your game face on and change.”
Emma giggled. “Okay, then.” She slipped into the bathroom and shut the door, locking it for good measure. She unzipped her dress, and it pooled into a whisper of chiffon on the floor. After exchanging her panties for the thong, she whisked off her bra and put on the nightie. There were no buttons or zippers, just a satin bow to tie in the middle to keep it in place. When she finished, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. “Oh my,” she murmured. Somehow donning the nightie had morphed her into a full-on sex kitten. She could practically hear Casey’s voice ringing in her ear. Go get him, babe!
As her hand hovered over the doorknob, she took a few reassuring breaths before opening it. Aidan had his back to her when she stepped out of the bathroom. The bedroom flickered in candlelight and soft music played from an ihome in the corner. She couldn’t believe he was going to all this trouble. In her mind, she’d imagined him leading her upstairs like the Big Bad Wolf and devouring her before she could get the door closed.
She stood awkwardly in the middle of the room waiting for him to notice her. She shifted on her feet, rubbing her bare arms. Finally, she cleared her throat. When Aidan whirled around, his eyes widened. “Holy shit, Em.”
Self-consciously she tugged on the baby doll’s hem, trying to cover herself a little more. “How do I look?” she asked, as she slowly turned around for his approval.
He closed the space between them in two long strides. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he jerked her against him. His breath teased against her cheek as he whispered, “Sexy as hell.”
“Thank you.” Bolstered by his compliment, she leaned in and brought her lips to his. This time she slid her tongue into his mouth, eagerly seeking his warmth. His hands slid down from her waist to cup her buttocks. He hitched one of her legs over his hip, grinding his need into her. Emma moaned at the exquisite feeling of him through her thin panties. As he moved against her, she wanted to feel more of him—his bare skin on hers.
She tore her lips momentarily away from his. “Aren’t you taking anything else off?”
“I was waiting for you to undress me.”
“Oh,” she murmured. Thankfully, he had already taken off his tie, so she didn’t have to worry with that. Her trembling fingers reached for the buttons on his shirt. She fumbled with the first one before undoing the rest. She pulled his shirt apart and widened her eyes at his sculpted chest. Without questioning herself, she ran her hand down the center of his chest, over his washboard abs, and down to his belt buckle, causing Aidan to suck in a breath and his stomach muscles to clench. Enjoying the effect even her slightest touch had on him, she glanced up and smiled. “Nice chest. I bet you spend hours in the gym.” Before he could respond, she shook her head. “Could I sound more cliché?”
He chuckled. “Nope, more like in the pool. I was an All State Swim champion back in the day.”
Hmm, I bet you look good enough to eat in a Speedo, she thought.
Aidan’s chest shook with laugher, and she realized with horror she had slipped up and said that thought out-loud. “Play your cards right, and I just might wear one for you.”
Eager to see more of him, she hastily unhooked his buckle and jerked the belt out of the loops. After she tossed it to the ground, she glanced up at him. His heated gaze burned into her, and she felt a warmth flood her cheeks and go down her neck. She reached up to push his shirt off his arms. It slid to the floor.
Now all that was left was Aidan’s pants, and for Emma that was the most intimidating—or at least what was inside. Once she unbuttoned his fly, her fingers fumbled on the zipper. When she pushed it down, her hand brushed against his erection. It bucked against his underwear, waiting to be freed to her touch. She leaned in against him, pressing her body flush to his, as she reached into the back of his waistband to push his pants over his buttocks. Her hands momentarily stopped to cup both of his cheeks before grabbing the material. She slid down his body in the same motion as his pants.
“No compliments for my ass?” Aidan questioned, his voice laced with amusement.
When she reached the floor, she cocked her head up at him. “Very nice?”
He laughed. “Thank you.”
Cupping the back of his legs, she pushed her way slowly back up. Her fingernails raked over his calves and thighs. Aidan never took his eyes off of hers. Once again, she found herself cupping his buttocks as she moved her fingers to the waistband of his underwear. Just as she started to free his erection, he jerked her hand away. When she glanced up at Aidan in surprise, he shook his head. “It’s going to be all about you this first time.” Then he brought his lips to hers, plunging his tongue into her mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he massaged her tongue with his.
Aidan kissed a warm trail from her mouth over to her ear as his hand came up to cup her bodice. “You have the most amazing pair of tits.”
A nervous giggle escaped her lips.
“What?” he asked.
“You sound like a horny frat boy.”
He grinned. “Do I now? And just what would you have me call them?”
“Breasts maybe?”
His fingers delved inside the bodice, cupping her warm flesh. When his thumb flicked back and forth across her nipple, she gasped. He smiled at her response. “Okay, you have the most beautiful breasts. Is that better?”
Emma arched into his hand. “Mmm, much better,” she replied breathlessly.
“I can’t wait to get my mouth on them.”
She moaned as he brought his other hand to her neglected breast and started kneading them both. In a statement that surprised herself, she asked, “What’s stopping you?”
“Hmm, this little bit of fabric. Do you mind if we get rid of it?”
She shook her head.
Aidan brought his fingers to the satin bow at her cleavage. Slowly, without taking his eyes off hers, he slid the ribbon loose. He gave it a slight tug before the nightie gaped open. His gaze dropped to her chest, and he licked his lips. Emma felt the heat rising between her legs, and she shifted on her feet, pressing her thighs together for relief.
Her head lolled back when his mouth closed over her nipple. He suckled it deeply before flicking and swirling his tongue across it. His hand kept stroking her other breast as his tongue worked the nipple in his mouth into a hardened pebble. She couldn’t fight the cry of pleasure that escaped her lips. Her fingers automatically went to his hair, tugging and grasping at the strands as the pleasure washed over her.
Aidan licked a wet trail over to the other breast before claiming the nipple. The ache between her thighs grew, and she knew if he touched her there, he would find she was drenching in need for him.
As if he could read her mind, Aidan snaked a hand down her stomach. His fingers feathered across her belly teasingly, causing her hips to buck. He hesitated before finally dipping them between her legs. Emma panted against his lips when his fingers worked against her sensitive flesh over the fabric. Her hips arched involuntarily against his hand, rubbing herself against his fingertips.
“Think we should get rid of these, too?”
“Uh-huh,” she muttered almost incoherently.
He chuckled as his fingers tugged at the waistband, sliding the underwear down over her buttocks. Just like she had done to him, his body followed the panties to the floor except he kissed and nibbled a trail down her thighs and legs. She felt at any minute her knees would buckle and give way. Thankfully, Aidan gripped the back of her thighs to keep her steady as she stepped out of her panties.
Kneeling before her, Aidan’s fingers delved between her legs, seeking out her swollen *. The moment he stroked it, she cried out and gripped his shoulders tight. His thumb continued rubbing as his fingers slid into her wet folds. They swirled against her tight walls, working her into a frenzy of desire. She bit down on her lip to keep the ecstatic cries buried in her throat from escaping. But it became useless as he continued his assault on her core and brought her closer and closer to coming. As the wave of her first orgasm crashed over her, she dug her nails into Aidan’s back and thrust her pelvis hard against his hand.
Aidan rose off the floor. He kept his hands tight on her waist to steady her as she tried to get her bearings. “You’re so f*cking hot when you come,” he murmured into her ear.
She flushed at his words, her breath still coming in uneven pants. Gently, he nudged her towards the bed and then eased her down onto her back. Pushing on her elbows, she scooted up on the mattress. Aidan loomed over her, desire burning bright in his blue eyes. Emma shuddered under his gaze. As his body covered hers, he pushed her legs wide apart. He then kissed a path from her neck, down through the valley of her breasts, and over her belly.
When his head dipped between her legs, Emma’s eyes pinched shut in ecstasy. As his fingers entered her again, his tongue swirled around her *, sucking it into his mouth. Emma fisted the sheets in both hands. “Oh Aidan!” she screamed. Immediately, her hand flew to cup her mouth. God, what’s happening to me? I’ve never screamed in bed before. His fingers kept a rapid pace while he kept licking and sucking at her center.
“Oh yes! Yes, Aidan…please,” she murmured, twisting the sheets tighter in her hands. Her hips kept up a manic rhythm as he plunged his fingers and tongue in and out of her. Finally, it sent her over the edge, and she climaxed violently. When she started coming back to herself, she realized one of her hands had abandoned the sheet and had twisted into Aidan’s hair.
After she released him, he slid his briefs off, giving her an eye-full of his massive erection. He rose up on his knees between her legs and grinned down at her. “So what’s the best baby-making position?”
What the…? Had he seriously just asked her about what position to use. “Um, well, supposedly Missionary.”
“Sounds good to me.” He bent over her, positioning himself between her thighs. When his cock nudged against her opening, she tensed and gripped his shoulders. Aidan kissed her tenderly on the forehead. “I’m going to take this nice and slow, okay?”
She nodded and clamped her eye-lids shut.
“No, look at me, Emma.”
Obeying his command, she peeked up at him. Gently, he started easing himself inside. Emma gasped in pleasure, rather than pain, as he filled her. “Hmm,” she murmured when he was finally buried deep inside.
“God, you feel amazing,” he whispered into her ear.
“I could say the same about you,” she replied.
He chuckled as he stayed stock still for a moment allowing her to get accustomed to his size. “Yeah, but for me, it’s more about being able to feel so much. I’ve never been inside a woman without a condom before.”
“Really?”
He bobbed his head. “Guess you’re taking my non-condom virginity.”
“Oh,” she murmured.
Slowly, he pulled out to thrust back into her. “Oh f*ck, yes, that’s hot,” he groaned into her ear.
Once he found a rhythm, Emma raised her hips to meet him. They moved in almost unison, their breaths coming in ragged pants.
But after several minutes, Aidan surprised her by keeping up his languorous pace. It was tender and sweet—almost like the lovemaking she used to have with Travis. An emotional ache burned through her chest, and she shuddered. She didn’t like the shift of feelings she had. This was only supposed to be sex for procreation, not making love. When she gazed into Aidan’s eyes, she saw the restraint in them. Taking his face in her hands, she smiled. “You don’t have to hold back on me.”
“It’s been a long time since you had sex, and I don’t want to hurt you,” he replied, practically gritting his teeth from the effort.
“I’m not a virgin, so you won’t hurt me.” At his continued slow, almost methodical pace, Emma realized she was going to have to reach him on his terms to get him to stop. At the same time, she didn’t know if she had it in her to demand what she needed to. Drawing in a deep breath, she smacked his bare ass. Hard. “Aidan Fitzgerald, you better f*ck me like you mean it!”
Aidan’s head jerk back like she’d slapped him. “Christ, Em, I can’t believe you said that.”
The usual blush tinged her cheeks, but she shook her head. “Don’t treat me like some fragile flower. I want you to enjoy this.”
“Fine then,” he practically growled.
She squealed when he rolled them over to where she was riding him. He lay still, buried deep inside her, waiting for her to take the reigns. Tentatively, she rocked against him until she slowly started speeding up the pace. Leaning back, she rested her palms on his thighs. She rode him hard and fast, grinding against him until she found just the right spot to send her over the edge again. “Yes! Oh God!” she cried.
Aidan rose up into a sitting position. He took one of her swaying breasts in his mouth and sucked deeply while gripping her hips tight. He changed the rhythm to work her against him, pulling her almost off his cock and then slamming her back down on him. She felt him go deeper and deeper each time, and as much as she was enjoying the feeling, Aidan was grunting in pleasure against her chest.
Just when Emma thought she might come again, Aidan pushed her onto her back and brought her legs straight up against his chest to where her feet rested at his shoulders. She whimpered when he rammed himself back inside her. He smirked in satisfaction down at her, and she knew she was in for it. She had told him she wanted to be f*cked, so he was going to give it to her. Hard.
As he pounded into her, his balls smacked against her ass. He groaned as the position took him deeper again. Her cries of pleasure seemed to fuel Aidan on as he thrust again and again. She felt the tension in his body and realized he was getting close. Suddenly, he spread her legs and brought them back to their original position, face to face and wrapped in each other’s arms.
When Emma’s last orgasm tightened her walls around Aidan’s cock, he thrust one last time and then let himself go inside her. “Oh, f*ck, Emma!” he cried before collapsing on top of her.
They lay entangled together, catching their breath. “Don’t ever doubt yourself again,” Aidan murmured into her ear.
“Really?”
He pulled back to smile at her. “Totally.”
“Thanks. You were pretty amazing yourself.”
“I think I already got that fact from how vocal you were.” He pushed the hair out of her face. “You’re certainly not shy in the bedroom, are you?”
Mortified at what she might have said or done in the heat of passion, Emma buried her face in Aidan’s neck. “Oh my God,” she murmured.
“Yeah, you like to say that one a lot, too. Of course, I’m a bigger fan of when you scream my name,” he mused. When she continued hiding her face from him, he nudged her playfully. “Come on, Em. Don’t be embarrassed. It was sexy as hell.”
“Really?” she squeaked.
“Yes.”
After exhaling a satisfied little sigh, she pulled away to smile shyly at him. “I guess I got carried away because I didn’t know it could be like that.”
“You didn’t have sex like that with your fiancée?”
“Yes, but I loved him.” At Aidan’s furrowed brows, she blushed. “What I mean is I thought I’d never enjoy sex unless I was in love with the person.”
“Well, I’m glad I could prove you wrong,” he mused.
They lay quietly for a few minutes. Emma could tell Aidan wasn’t one for post-coital cuddling, which further cemented his image as a womanizer to her. She watched as he kept staring up at the ceiling or shifting under the covers. He probably didn’t sleep with most of the women he went to bed with. He cleared his throat. “Wanna join me in the shower?”
“Not yet. I’m supposed to wait before doing that.”
“Why?”
She blushed. “Are you sure you really want to hear about all this?”
“Of course I am.”
Emma couldn’t believe that after just sleeping with Aidan she couldn’t bring herself to say certain words in front of him or explain to him some aspects of successful conceiving.
He nudged her with his elbow. “Come on, Em. What is it?”
“Fine. I read that you should wait twenty or thirty minutes before using the bathroom or showering. You know, to help the sperm along and everything.”
“That’s it? I thought by the way you were acting it was something truly embarrassing.” Aidan grinned.
“Trust me. Talking like this to you is mortifying.”
“Okay, whatever. So the deal with the sperm is it’s kinda like a ‘you can’t go swimming for thirty minutes after you eat’ kinda thing?”
“I guess,” she murmured.
“What else are you supposed to do?”
“Aidan,” she protested.
“Come on. You can do it. You just said sperm in front of me, and I didn’t run for the hills. I think I can handle it.”
A giggle escaped her lips. “Well, they did say you could put a pillow under your hips. It helps tilt the cervix and uterus.”
Aidan shook his head. “Okay, you got me. You said the intolerable word, uterus. I’m outta here.”
She swatted him playfully as he pretended to rise out of the bed. He kissed her forehead. “Damn, you’re sexy even being embarrassed.”
“Yeah, right.”
“Seriously, Emma, I grew up with four sisters in a small three bedroom, two bath house. I’ve seen and heard enough female stuff to scar any guy psychologically for years. I promise there’s nothing you can possibly say that will gross me out.”
She laughed. “Yeah, well, I’m an only child who took about a year before I could talk about my period in front of my boyfriend.”
Aidan then took one of the extra pillows he was propping on and snaked it under the covers. He slid his hand under Emma’s bottom, hoisting her hips into the air. “All right, then, it’s time to help the boys out!”
She laughed and squirmed against him. “I could have done that myself.”
“I’m happy to help.” He wiggled the pillow underneath her but didn’t remove his hand. “And I’m never going to pass up the offer to grab your ass!”
“Don’t you ever stop?” Emma huffed.
“Give me another round, and you’ll be begging me not to!”
“We’ll have to see about that.”
He gave her a wicked grin before flipping back the sheet. “Round Two begins in the shower in fifteen minutes.”
“Okay,” she replied.
Emma watched his gloriously naked form stride into the bathroom and turn on the water. A shiver of anticipation washed over her at the thoughts of sex with him again. Warmth filled her cheeks and crept down her neck at what she had said and done. But he had liked it, so that was all that mattered.
Time seemed to tick agonizingly slow as she waited to get up. She wondered if there would be any hot water left for her. Finally, she threw back the covers and hurried into the bathroom. Steam enveloped her when she entered, and she heard Aidan humming.
She opened the glass shower door and slipped inside. “Wow, this shower is huge,” she remarked.
“Honeymoon suite, remember? They expect couples to be in here together for long periods of time.”
“I suppose so,” she replied.
He handed her some body wash. She squirted some onto her hand and started to lather it up when she felt Aidan’s hands on her waist. When he started to pull her against him, she backed away. At his puzzled expression, she smiled sweetly. “I believe you said it was about me the first time.” She reached down to grip his length. “This time it’s about you.”
Aidan smirked. “If you say so, ma’am.”
Her hand, slick with soap, slid up and down, working him into a rock hard state. He gave a grunt of pleasure when her other hand reached between them to cup his balls, massaging them gently. “Hmm, pretty good technique for a girl who claims she doesn’t have a lot of experience.”
“Oh, but I’ve only got started, Mr. Fitzgerald.”
“Christ,” Aidan murmured when she sank to her knees. She ran her hands up his thighs, washing away the soap. When he was fully rinsed, she pressed his legs further apart. With her hand gripping him, she licked a trail from his navel down to his base. The water cascaded over her back as she licked his tip. She swirled her tongue around him teasingly, causing Aidan to groan. “You’re killing me.”
His breath hitched when she took him inside her mouth. Drawing him in and out, she kept her hand working steady as well. A faint sense of pride filled her when Aidan closed his eyes and banged his head back against the tile. His hands went to her hair, and he twisted his fingers through the long strands as she bobbed up and down on him. When she started to feel like he was coming close, Aidan gently pushed her away. “Don’t want to waste it, babe,” he replied, when she glanced up at him.
Aidan gripped her shoulders and pulled her up off the floor. Spinning them around, he pushed her up against the tile. He grinned at her as he hitched one of her legs over his hip and pressed himself inside of her. “You got me so worked up with that performance Round Two may be a little shorter than planned.”
“That’s okay,” she panted. She wrapped her arms tight around his neck, pressing her breasts flush against his chest. The water suctioned them together as he began to move. After several deep thrusts caused her to cry out, Aidan glanced into her eyes. “I’m not hurting you, am I?”
“No, you’re good.”
“Just good?” he teased.
She grinned. “Great, wonderful, magnificent, Oh, God, Oh God!”
He laughed. “You’re such a smartass.” He increased his pace, eliciting moans from both of them. Just when Emma was getting close, Aidan grabbed her ass and swept her other leg off the ground, impaling her on him. She gasped with pleasure as he banged her back against the shower wall. “Squeeze me tight,” he instructed. She wrapped her legs tight around him, taking him deeper when she did. “Oh God, yes,” he groaned against her collarbone.
Aidan moved frantically against her. Her back burned from being smacked against the shower wall with his thrusts, but everything else felt too good to complain. Instead, she panted against his ear, crying out his name when the orgasm ripped through her. Just as she clenched around him, he came, pinning her hard against the wall. “Damn,” he murmured. He turned his head to grin at her. “Yep, pretty damn good, Ms. Harrison.”
She laughed. “Thank you, Mr. Fitzgerald. Think you could let me down now? I’m going to have tile burn.”
His eyes widened. “Shit, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
When she was back on her feet, her legs felt rubbery like they might not hold her. Their position wasn’t actually on the “to do” list of conceiving, so she knew she needed to get back to bed. “I better go lie down.”
“For the boys,” he mused with a grin.
“Yes, for the boys.”
After grabbing a towel, she stumbled out of the shower and wobbled into the bedroom. Drying off quickly, Emma grabbed the nightgown she had stowed in her purse and slid it over her head. A glance at the clock on the nightstand showed it was after midnight. She yawned and wondered how she was going to get up in the morning for work. Turning back the sheets, she slipped into the bed.
Aidan stepped out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist. Self-consciously, she clutched the sheet around her. “Did I wear you out?” he asked, with a grin.
A shy smile curved on her lips. “A little,” she replied. She couldn’t bring herself to turn away when he dropped the towel and slid on his underwear. But then her heart sank as he started to reach for his pants. “Aren’t you staying?”
He turned back to her. “I hadn’t planned on it really. But you can. The room’s covered for the night.”
“Oh,” she murmured, unable to hide her disappointment.
She felt the heat of Aidan’s stare before he drew in a ragged breath. The bed sagged under his weight when he sat down. “Em, you knew what kind of man I was before we got into this. I don’t usually—”
“No, it’s fine.”
“You sure as hell don’t sound or look fine about it.”
“It’s just you just threw me for a loop with the lingerie and champagne. It all became less business-like and more...” She shook her head. “But I get it now. It’s always going to be just sex with you.”
Aidan groaned and ran a hand through his wet hair. “I should have realized this would happen,” he muttered.
“I’m fine, okay?” At his skeptical look, she sighed. “This is all a whacked out emotional roller coaster for me, and I’m sorry. I’m sure you hate women who get all demanding and emotional.”
He grimaced. “Sometimes.”
She gave him a sad smile. “I figured as much.”
“Actually, it’s me I hate this time for leading you on.” With a frustrated grunt, he dropped his pants and started back to the bed. When his hand gripped the sheet, she jerked her head up in surprise. “What are you doing?”
“What the hell does it look like I’m doing? I’m coming to bed,” he grumbled.
“But I thought—”
“I guess since you’re going to be the mother of my child, I can make an exception in your case.”
A strangled cry erupted from her lips. The last thing she wanted from him was pity. The moment Aidan got into bed she edged as far away from him as possible. In a huff, she twisted around in the sheets, leaving him in the cold in more ways than one.
“Em?” When she refused to answer him, he scooted across the mattress to her. “Why are you so pissed off? I’m staying, aren’t I?”
Emma turned back to glare at him. “I don’t want you to stay out of obligation or pity, Aidan. I want you to stay because you wanted to.”
“F*ck. I didn’t mean for it to come out like that. I just meant that I should stay since you were different than the others…someone special.”
She momentarily softened her expression. “Really?”
“Yeah, really.”
“Okay, then.”
“Can I have some cover now? I’m freezing my ass off.”
“Of course. I mean, we can’t have anything happening to that fabulous ass of yours now can we?”
“That mouth of yours is trouble,” he mused, as he slid under the covers. Surprise flooded her when he spooned up against her, and she couldn’t keep the satisfied sigh from escaping her lips.