Earlier, as she and Colin had been dancing, she’d caught herself thinking that the night couldn’t possibly get any better. And then, all at once, it had. Listening to him express his feelings without fear or regret had left her speechless. She wondered whether she was capable of such a thing. Probably not, but then again, Colin wasn’t like most people. He accepted himself, faults and all, and forgave himself for the mistakes he’d made. More than that, he seemed to live in the moment without regard for either the past or the future.
The greatest revelation was how deeply Colin was able to experience his emotions, perhaps even more deeply than she did. Watching him over dinner and on the dance floor, and hearing his words just now, she knew that if he wasn’t in love with her yet, he was on the brink. Like her, he was willing to surrender to the inevitable, an idea that made her hands tremble. As Colin stepped back onto the balcony behind her, she took a long breath, savoring the wave of desire that flooded through her. He leaned over the railing next to her, and as their breaths fell into steady rhythm, she took another sip of wine, the warmth coursing down her throat into her stomach and limbs.
Studying his face in profile, she thought again about the way his external calm enveloped the coiled emotions within him, and she suddenly imagined the way Colin might look as he hovered naked above her, his lips gently brushing hers, as they gave themselves over to each other. Her stomach tightened and she felt her mouth curve into a faint smile.
“Did you mean what you said to me earlier?”
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he lowered his head before turning to face her.
“I meant every single word.”
Feeling a cascade of sensations in her body, she moved closer and kissed him gently on the lips. They were soft and warm, and pulling back, she saw in his expression something akin to hope. She kissed him a second time then and felt her skin begin to come alive as he slid his arms around her. He tugged softly, bringing their bodies together, and in that instant, she began to lose herself in him. She could feel the strength of his chest and arms surrounding her and the warm urgency of his tongue, and she knew with fierce certainty that she needed Colin, all of him. They continued to kiss on the balcony beneath a foggy, star-filled sky until she finally reached for his hand. Their fingers intertwined as he kissed the hollow of her neck, the sensation tantalizing and erotic. She shivered, enjoying the sensation before wordlessly leading him to the bedroom.
Moments after she woke the next morning, Maria felt the soft glare of the early-autumn sun, and the night came rushing back. She rolled over and saw Colin lying on his side, only half covered by the sheet, already awake and alert. “Good morning,” he whispered.
“Good morning,” she said. “How long have you been up?”
“About an hour.”
“Why didn’t you go back to sleep?”
“I wasn’t tired. And besides, I kind of enjoyed watching you.”
“That has the potential to sound very creepy, you know.”
“Okay.”
She smiled. “Well, since you were watching me, I hope I didn’t do anything embarrassing or make any strange noises.”
“You didn’t. You just lay there looking sexy as hell.”
“My hair is messy and I need to brush my teeth.”
“Right now?”
“Why? What did you have in mind?”
He reached toward her, using his finger to trace her collarbone, and after that, no words were necessary.
Later, they showered together and dressed. Maria dried her hair and put on makeup while Colin leaned against the bathroom counter beside her, nursing a cup of coffee.
“Are we going someplace?” he asked.
“Brunch. With my parents.”
“Sounds good. I’m going to need to change first, though. What time?”
“Eleven.”
“I take it that we won’t be riding together.”
“That’s probably not a good idea. It’s going to be hard enough to prepare them for your visit. Because this time, they’re going to ask a lot of questions.”
“Okay.”
Maria put down her mascara wand and took his hand. “Does that bother you? Or scare you?”
“No.”
“Well, it sure scares me,” she admitted, returning to her makeup. “The whole thing is terrifying, in fact.”
He took a sip of coffee. “What are you going to tell them about me?”