My eyes fly open, and I press my head back into the pillow with a groan.
Maybe, if I knew what room Brahm is in, I could—no.
“It’s one night, Alice,” I scold myself. “You’ve been sleeping by yourself for a lifetime. Surely you can manage this.”
I fluff the pillow several times, roll onto my side, and bunch the blankets against me. I close my eyes, sternly telling myself that I really will go to sleep this time.
And then there’s a knock at the door—the quietest knock imaginable.
I freeze in the bed, my heart thrumming hard enough it makes me dizzy.
All is silent.
Did I imagine it?
Yes, that must be it. Maybe I was closer to dreaming than I realized.
I close my eyes once more, but there—again.
I heard it; I know I did.
I throw back the covers and hurry across the room, my bare feet nearly silent on the wooden floor.
“Yes?” I whisper through the door.
“It’s me,” Brahm says from the other side.
Immediately, I unlock the door and pull it open. He stands in the hall, his hair disheveled and his shirt open and loose. He leans a forearm against the doorframe, and his eyes trail over my nightgown.
Just seeing him makes my knees weak.
“Did I wake you?” he asks quietly.
“No.” A delicious chill feathers over my skin, making me shiver.
“I…” Brahm pauses, glancing away. When he looks back, he gives me a roguish smile that makes the cold hall feel like a fiery inferno. “Do you want company?”
I reach for him, and he responds immediately. We crash into each other, both desperate. Brahm kisses me, his mouth greedy, his hands possessive at my sides. I cling to him, dragging him into the room. He closes the door behind us, fumbling with the lock without breaking the kiss.
I’m on fire, burning with sensation. I tug at the hem of Brahm’s shirt, desperate to toss it to the floor.
“Alice,” he groans, stripping it over his head.
My hands trail over his bare skin, exploring his muscular stomach and back, roaming where they will.
He sits on the bed and then pulls me onto his lap. I’m taller than him in this position, and I set my hands on his shoulders, cherishing the moment.
“I love you,” Brahm breathes, dragging his lips down my neck, peppering my skin with kisses.
I tuck my finger under his chin and tilt his head back. He looks up, his dark brown eyes meeting mine in the dim candlelight of the tiny inn room.
“And I love you, Brahm. With all my heart.”
He takes my head in my hands, pulling me down to meet him. He kisses me long and slow, the pace suddenly slowing to a simmer.
“Brahm,” I plead against his lips.
He angles his head, deepening the kiss as he lays me on the bed. Then he tilts his head back and brushes his hand through my loose hair. “You’re beautiful.”
I trail my hand over his chest—down and up, down and up—while letting him drink his fill, reminding myself we’re in no hurry.
He glances around, taking in the room before he looks back at me. “We can wait.”
“I want you,” I say simply, trailing my fingertips over his biceps and forearms, learning all his ridges and soft angles.
“You’re sure?” he asks, catching my hand and kissing the silver ring, loving me enough to wait.
I nod, pulling him to me. “I’m positive.”