Fliss could scarcely breathe. It was as though he’d read every last emotion written in her heart and he was rewriting her future even as he did so, throwing out her old rulebook and giving her more freedom. A future with Ash sparkled in a way she’d never dreamed possible.
‘I don’t want to wait either,’ she breathed as he slid the ring onto her finger, then cupped her jaw and drew her into the sweetest yet most intense kiss.
It seemed to last an eternity, drawing her down into its aching longing and beauty. She wrapped her arms around Ash’s neck and held herself as close to his body as she could, as if to convince herself that it truly was real and not one of those bubbles about to pop any moment.
By the time they eventually came up for air, Fliss felt more at peace with herself than she ever had.
A sliver of mischief slipped into her head. Sliding off the chair, she pushed Ash’s shoulders until he was on his back on the rug, then she moved astride him.
‘What, exactly, are you doing?’ Ash demanded, the cocked eyebrow suggesting he knew exactly what was on her mind.
Leaning forward, she dropped a kiss to his lips as she shushed him.
‘Last time we were outdoors like this, back at the carnival, you taught me something I’d never done before. But when I tried to do something for you, you wouldn’t relinquish the reins.’ Reaching down, she began to unbuckle his belt, thrilling in the sensation of him finally allowing her to take control.
‘I think it’s time I repaid that favour.’
His body, already hard against hers, now reacted even further under her touch, making Fliss feel more powerful than ever before.
‘Fine,’ he managed through gritted teeth. ‘But, just so you know, I intend us to spend a lifetime learning new things about each other. And for us to repay each other so many favours that we lose track of whose turn it is, and we won’t even care.’
‘I can’t wait,’ Fliss managed, as Ash shifted deliberately beneath her.
And then she resumed her own task, feeling him give himself up to her the way she always did for him. The way she would for him later that night. The way she knew they both would for the rest of their lives.
Because sometimes it was good to lose control.
* * * * *