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**** DRACO ****

It had been a week of risks - her randomly showing up at my office and me acting like an idiot; me wanting details of where she would be, and then turning up and basically stalking her. And then Daphne finding us. Yes, it had definitely been a week of risks.

And now I was about to take the biggest risk of all. I'd gone beyond what she had expected with Trinity College; had surprised her even more with The National Gallery; even the flying lesson had been a resounding success, and the club and what happened after was beyond anything I had expected. But this, date number five, the date that would put an end to all the secrecy and I could finally tell the world she was mine, was the most important of them all

However, what I had planned was not a big, grand gesture. Far from it. She knew I loved art, knew the calm it brought me, but this was something else entirely. It was a different type of quiet and calm and I hoped that after the noise and the lights and the music at club she wouldn't hate it.

But I wanted to show her who I really was, wanted to show her that I didn't need to do big and flashy. I wanted to show her a different side of me, to show her how simple I actually liked my life to be. And what I had planned was possibly even more personal than taking her to the gallery and admitting my love for art.

I knew that she had feelings for me that went past these five dates - she had all but assured me that we would be together after this final date - but I also knew that her feelings were nothing in comparison to the feelings I had for her. Feelings that went well beyond fucking her against my office door; or touching her in a library; or having her lips sliding over my cock on my hallway floor. No, this certainly wasn't just about sex. My feelings ran much deeper than any of those things.

I wanted her in my life every day, and in my bed every night. I wanted to wake up to her scent, I wanted her to reach out and touch me in the way that in such a short time had become natural. I wanted to feel the press of her lips on mine when she left for work in the morning, and then the rambling stories of her day when she returned each night. And even more than all of that, I wanted to be tied eternally to her. And I wanted the entire word to know that she was mine, and that they should all look away.

The last weeks had been like torture having to watch how the eyes of other men would linger over her. I had seen it all before and hated it, but now those looks made my blood boil, and I hated even more that I could do nothing about it.

I smiled to myself, and my heart sped up and the thought that after tonight, I would no longer have to stand by and watch. I would be able to tell them all to sod off, to stop looking at her, that she was taken, that I was the only one who was allowed to look at her.

The knock on my door made my smile even wider, and my cock stirred in my jeans. I took a deep breath, telling myself to calm down and not to ravage her as she came through the door.

She wore a pale pink pullover and fitted jeans. Her hair was down, hanging in loose curls over her shoulders. She looked comfortable, casual, like I had told her, and completely adorable.

"Hello," I said, pressing a kiss to each side of her mouth and a long, lingering one in the middle. And then I kissed her once more, simply because I could. "You look beautiful."

She twisted my t-shirt in her fist, "I thought you were going to burn this."

"Well," I mused, "After having you sleep in it, I had second thoughts."

"Hmm," she hummed and slid her hands across my chest, leaning in and pressing her nose to my collar. "It will smell like you when I put it on in the morning."

I groaned, "You're barely in the door and already I want to shove you against the wall."

She shot me a playful look, "You can, you know. I'm perfectly fine with being shoved against walls...or doors."

"Not yet," I laughed and kissed her again, "I have plans, and I don't want them ruined."

"How does sex against a wall ruin any plans?" she asked as I took her hand and led her down the hallway.

"Well," I said, "Walls don't necessarily ruin plans, but if you get naked now, we'll spend the entire evening in bed, and you'll miss out on the spectacular surprise I have for you."

She looked around my living room and raised an eyebrow, "Spectacular, you say."

"You don't like my living room?" I teased, following her gaze around the room. We'd eaten breakfast the previous Sunday at my kitchen counter, and afterwards we'd talked for hours sprawled on my couch. But I sensed that her expectations of what I had planned were more than my living room looking exactly as it was that morning.

"Ah, no," She smiled up at me, "I just thought..."

"You just thought?" I was trying not to laugh at her confused expression. I had told her two weeks ago that this last date would be spectacular, and I meant it. However I had meant it in a completely different way.

"I just thought..." she trailed off again, and then looked thoughtfully at me, "Actually, I really shouldn't think anything with you. You constantly surprise me, so I shouldn't have expected this to be any different."

"Well, fortunately for you, this isn't where our date is happening." I tilted my head to the side and indicated that she should follow me. I headed up the stairs and she chuckled.

"I've been up the stairs," She said, "And I'm sure you already told me we weren't spending the evening in bed."

"Mind out of the gutter, Granger," I looked back over my shoulder at her, "There's a whole other floor that you haven't seen yet."

We reached the second floor and I didn't miss the way her eyes darted sideways as we passed my bedroom. I had deliberately left the door open so she would see the fire burning in the hearth, the strategically placed pillows on the floor beside it. She reached for my arm and I smiled at her, knowing full well what my simple staging had done.

Another set of stairs led to the roof of my flat, and I nervously ascended them, hoping that she would love what was beyond the door. I paused on the landing at the top.

I turned to her, "Are you ready?"

"You have me intrigued, Mr Malfoy," she looked between me and the door, "Should I be concerned as to exactly what is behind this door?"

"No," I shrugged, "I think it should be me who is concerned that you'll think it stupid."

She smiled and touched my cheek lightly, "Nothing you've done so far has been even close to stupid, and I'm sure this isn't either."

I kissed her palm, and smiling at her, opened the door, holding it open and allowing her to step through. Her gasp was all I needed to know that I had made the right choice.

"Draco," she whispered, her eyes wide her jaw slack. She stepped forward, her shoes crunching on the stone path. "This is...oh, this is not even close to stupid."

I felt my face heat up and a pleasant warmth spread through my chest. I smiled as I watched her take it all in. Four years it had taken to establish this garden, and her face was enough to make it all worth it.

The path she was now walking along led to a central arbour that was open on two sides and the other two sides were covered in a mixture of climbing ivy, jasmine and peppermint. The path was bordered with sage, ginger, and belladonna, and the wide garden that circled around the arbour held wolfsbane, asphodel, hellebore, squill, moondew, bergamot, and much more.

A path stretched from either side the arbour and led towards two more circular gardens, both home to apple trees with white and blue Moly lining the edge of the raised garden beds. Either end of the roof was enclosed with flowering dittany, which climbed along the trellis creating a protective wall, and was interspersed with white and yellow daisies.

Everything was precise, and symmetrical, and laid out in an orderly fashion, and I hoped that my need for such precision didn't make her think I was some crazy person.

I watched carefully as she stood in the arbour and stared around her. A wooden table had been set and tiny candles were flickering in the light breeze. Glass orbs floated above her filling the space with a warm glow, and fireflies happily flitted about.

She turned to look at me, her face stunned.

"Draco, this is...how..?"

"How did I do this?" I asked and she nodded. I stepped under the canopy and took her hands in mine, lifting them to my lips, "Neville helped."

Her eyes grew wider and she shook her head, "Neville? But he didn't say anything."

"No, I asked him not to. It's taken us four years to do this, some magic may have been involved, but it's been quite a lot of work. And I am indebted to him for his brilliance." I kissed her fingers, "And besides Neville and myself, you are the only other person who knows this is here."

She looked around again and I couldn't help but notice her mentally cataloguing the plants growing around us. "Are you thinking of supplying your own ingredients?"

I laughed, "No. I have a supplier that I'm more than happy with, this is just for me."

"Well, it's amazing, Draco," she pressed up on her toes and kissed me, "Thank you for trusting me enough to show it to me."

"Not lame then?"

She shook her head, "Far from it."

She walked back along the path and slowly circled the garden, murmuring to herself the names of all the plants she recognised - which to no surprise, was all of them. She stopped at the rear of the arbour, studying the tiny white stars of the jasmine flowers, closing her eyes and breathing in the light fragrance, a smile flickering across her lips.

She continued on, following the path towards the rear of the garden, stopping briefly to smile up at the apple tree, and then moving to the rear wall of dittany and daisies. She touched one of the yellow petals, and the paused, a tiny frown creasing her forehead.

She turned to look at me, "The daisies you left on my doorstep, they were from here?"

I nodded, "Yes. I know you weren't aware of it, but I wanted to give you something from me."

She turned back to the flowers, holding one bloom gently in her fingers. I watched as her chest rose and fell, watched as her throat bobbed, as her breath caught and a single tear slid down her cheek.

"Hey," I said and gently touched her shoulder, "What's going on?"

She stood silently for several moments, staring at the bright yellow daisy, and then turned and wrapped her arms around my neck. I slid my own arms around her, holding her to me, completely confused as to what was happening.

Had I made a mistake? Had I shown her too much of me too soon?

"You gave me daisies from your garden." she whispered.

"I did," I said, holding her tighter.

"You're supposed to be thoughtless and selfish and unkind, but you're not."

"You may have mentioned this already." I said and she chuckled against my shoulder. "Are you alright though?"

She nodded and looked up at me, "Is this what I should expect all the time?"

"How's that?"

"Grand gestures and thoughtful gifts," she looked around, "Because I don't think I can compete with this."

"This is a grand gesture?"

"Draco, yes. This is better than the library or the art gallery," she smiled, "This is so much more. This is you."

"So dinner at a villa in the Greek Isles isn't necessary?" I said, teasing, trying to lighten her mood, but her face remained serious.

"No. This is perfect. I don't need anything more than this." She rested her hand on my cheek and then shook her head, "Actually no, I do need more than this. I need you."

As if in slow motion, she leaned in, sliding her lips across mine and kissing me with a heat I wasn't expecting. Her hands curled into my t-shirt as her tongue danced over mine, and I was lost.

"I had other plans," I murmured against her lips.

"Change them," She said before tugging at my bottom lip with her teeth. She flicked her hand in the direction of the arbour and I watched as the wooden table transfigured into a large day bed.

I stared down at her; I couldn't ever remember wanting – needing – another person so intently. I wanted to crawl over her, cover her with my body, and bury myself inside the heat I had been so craving. I threaded my fingers through her hair, drawing her back to me, kissing her softly, deeply, and my plans did indeed change.

"Make love to me, Draco." She whispered, her eyes pleading with mine.

And with those words, something fierce and possessive curled in my chest, and my hands dropped from her hair to her arse, pulling her against me and crashing my mouth back to hers. My heartbeat pounded in my ears, my blood simmered in my veins, and my need for her almost overtook my want to go slow.

She leaned further into me, as if trying to climb me and a tight moan broke free from her throat. I didn't think it possible that a kiss could make me feel completely consumed; the way our tongues flicked over each other, the way she nipped at my lips, the way her fingernails scratched at my scalp as they slid through my hair. It was almost too much.

I walked her backwards until her legs hit the side of the bed, and I gripped her hips, stopping her from falling back.

"Not so fast," I said with a willpower I didn't know I possessed,and inched my fingers beneath her light pull-over, "I'm going to take my time, because I suspect," I leaned in and kissed along her jaw, "that you have something blue on underneath this."

She smiled and slid her own hands under my t-shirt, travelling them up to my chest, "Your suspicions will only be confirmed if you undress me."

"This isn't going to be a quick or rough fuck against a door," I told her, "I don't want to rush." I slowly slid her top up her ribs exposing the flat plane of her stomach. "I want to show you how I feel about you."

I pulled her top higher and she raised her arms, allowing me to completely remove it from her and my breath caught as my suspicions were confirmed. The blue lace that I had spent hours imagining was now on full display. What I hadn't imagined, however, was the lace pushing her tits up and together, giving me a view that had me almost dropping to my knees in worship.

I cupped her face, kissing her mouth and then moved my hands from her jaw to her throat, and then lower, dragging my fingers along the edge of the lace, "Much better than the pictures."

"I would hope so," she murmured and pulled my shirt up and over my head and tossed it to the ground.

I unclasped her bra, pulling the straps slowly down her arms, swallowing hard as the lace fell away and her chest was finally revealed. Her breasts were full and plump, her nipples were hardened into tight pink peaks, begging to be touched. But I held back, simply wanting to sear this moment into my brain.

"Better than the pictures?" she asked quietly, dragging her fingers lightly over the curve of one breast.

I nodded. I'd been given a fleeting glimpse of her chest, first in my office where I was too consumed with simply fucking her to truly appreciate the view, and again I'd taken too little notice of them covered in black lace when she'd sucked my cock into her mouth. But now, she stood half naked before me, her chest rising and falling with each deep breath she took and I could do little more than stare open-mouthed at her.

"Draco?"

"So much better than the pictures," I assured her, pulling my eyes away from her chest and back up to her face. "You're perfect, Granger."

She smiled, her eyes lighting up the world around me, and lifted my hand to cover her breast. I could feel her heart beating rapidly beneath my palm, and I swore under my breath; she was as consumed by this as I was.

I cupped both her breasts in my hands, plumping and squeezing, running my thumbs back and forth over the tiny peaks, wanting so much to lower my head and suck one of those perfect pink buds into my mouth.

I kissed the tip of her nose, making her giggle, and then landed my lips back on her mouth, sliding my tongue across her lips, tasting, sucking, and biting, every millimetre of her mouth. But I wanted more. I wanted to mar her flawless skin, wanted my teeth marks to cover her chest, wanted to lick her from neck to navel, and then feast on her thighs, and finally have that one taste I desired more than anything.

Reaching up and curling her hair around my hand, I gently tugged her head back, trailing my tongue down her neck and across her collarbone to the tiny hollow at the base of her throat. She gasped, her head lolling to the side as I lifted her breast and sucked one hard bud into my mouth. Her whimpers and gasps increased, her entire body shuddering as I pulled her nipple deeper into my mouth and bit down.

I licked and nipped at her skin, kissing my way back up the other side of her throat, "I'm going to make love to you," I murmured as I kissed her jaw, "And then I'm going to fuck you. And before you fall boneless into my bed, I'll make love to you again."

"Please," she whispered and I gently guided her back to the bed, following her down. She wrapped her arms and legs around me, our bare chests pressed together, her teeth grazing my jaw. I rose up slightly, leaning on my elbows, looking down at her flushed skin, her dark eyes filled with desire.

"Draco, please," she whispered again and lifted her hips, grinding her denim-covered pussy against the hard bulge in my own jeans.

"Please what?" I asked. My cock was straining against the confines of my jeans, begging to be released, begging to be inside her, and the thought of having her wet pussy clamped tightly around me made my balls burn.

She reached between us, her fingers fumbling with the button on my jeans. I sat back on my heels, and slapped her hands away. "Not yet," I told her reaching for the button of her jeans and stripping them down her legs, kissing every inch of skin that I slowly exposed. Her stomach, her hips, her thighs, the insides of her knees, then moved back up to kiss the three freckles I had stared at every night as I fell asleep.

I crawled back over her, burying my hands in her wild curls, lifting her head towards me, and taking her mouth fiercely. We'd already fucked, I'd had my fingers inside her, and she'd already had her lips on my cock. But I couldn't get enough of her mouth. The soft press of her lips, the tiny nips and bites of her teeth, the breathy moans, I could listen to them all night.

"You're perfect, Granger," I said as I kissed her neck, "So very beautiful." I moved back to her nipple, tonguing the tiny bud. She shivered and another tiny whimper escaped her.

I kissed my way back down her body, the satin between her thighs was already wet, and I traced my tongue along the edge of the blue oval covering her sex, breathing in her scent. With slow, deliberate pressure, I licked and bit at her through the satin, feeling the hard bud that was her clit pulsing against my tongue.

"Draco," She gasped and lifted her hips, pushing herself against me, wanting more.

I hooked my fingers into the lace of her knickers, pulling them down her legs and I smiled. She was naked, finally, and my first look at her naked form took my breath away. She was a decadent expanse of smooth, creamy skin, more gorgeous than I imagined. Impossibly so.

I studied her in the dim light from the orbs floating above; her neck and chest, her perfect round breasts, her waist, the curve of her hips. She was perfection, she was sex come to life.

I ran my hands over her stomach, sliding my thumb over the freckles that I was so enamoured with, leaning down to press a gentle kiss over them, and smiled against her soft skin when her fingers slid gently through my hair.

I moved my hands higher, covering her breasts again, feeling her nipples grow even stiffer against my palms. And I took no small amount of pleasure in listening to her breathy moans as I sucked her breast into my mouth.

I looked up at her and she was smiling down at me, her eyes soft and glassy; a look that was both sweet as sugar and sexy as sin. I inched up further so my mouth hovered over hers, the tips of our noses brushing, our breath mingling.

"What do you want first?" I whispered.

"I don't know...I just..." She stuttered, "Just let me feel you."

"Feel me here?" I kissed her throat then dropped my lips to her shoulder. "Or here?"

"Lower," she murmured, her eyes fluttering closed.

I smiled as I kissed the valley between her breasts, "Low enough?"

"No." Her voice was breathy, distant, as if she'd put all her other senses on hold, and just wanted to feel.

I kissed both her nipples and moved back over her, whispering against her lips, "I'm going to spread you open and taste you with my tongue."

She made a tiny mewling sound, watching me closely as I kissed my way down her chest, her ribs, as I dipped my tongue into her belly button. Her skin was smooth and warm, her muscles twitching with each press of my lips. As I got closer to the space between her thighs, she reached for me, her hand caressing my cheek.

"Okay?" I murmured against the inside of her thigh

"Yeah," she breathed, gently tugging my head back to her core.

She was smooth and bare, and I pushed her legs further apart, watching as the folds of her sex opened, glistening with desire. I dragged my finger up her slit, feeling the wetness there, and I inhaled a deep breath. I didn't just want to taste her, I wanted to devour her.

Her hips bucked as I settled between her thighs, my tongue landing on her clit, circling the hard bud. She twisted beneath me, crying out. She was slick and sweet and she tasted like honey, and she cried out again when I moved lower and plunged my tongue inside her.

Her hands gripped my hair, twisting and pulling, grinding against my face as I feasted on her. I looked up at her and found her staring back at me, breathing hard, her pupils blown.

I ran my tongue up her slit again, kissing her clit before taking the tight bundle between my teeth and biting down. She dropped to the bed, arching her back, moaning, and pulling my hair even tighter. I flicked my tongue against her clit, over and over, until she was bucking and twisting, trying to pull away. But I gripped her hips, keeping her still, plunging my tongue back inside her, pumping in and out, licking and twisting and sucking.

"Oh fuck! Draco, more...please!"

A loud wail burst from her chest when I slid two fingers into her, working her, pulsing them in and out, moving faster and faster as my tongue continued to circle her clit. Her body tightened, her breath was ragged, and her legs clamped hard against my head as she came. I didn't stop, continuing to move my fingers, adding another and curling them inside her. Her hands flailed wildly at the mattress, and I reached for one, linking my fingers through hers, anchoring her to me.

I smiled against her, licking gently up and down her pussy, before covering her clit with my tongue, circling slowly over and over and over. She rocked into me, and with a shaky cry, she squeezed my fingers, and my name floated into the air around us.

I slowed my movements, licking her softly, before easing her thighs away from my head and looking up at her. She was gasping, tears filling her eyes.

I was over her in a second, pushing her hair back from her face and cradling her head, "Did I hurt you?"

Her head shook and she blinked the tears away. "No," she gasped. "Draco, no."

"Are you sure?" I hated to think I had somehow hurt her, that I was the cause of her tears.

Her hands came up to my face, her gaze falling to my lips, "Not hurt, not in the slightest."

With a relieved smile, I leaned down, kissing her, "I never want to hurt you. Never. You know that, yeah?"

"I know." She pulled me back to her, licking my lips, and sucking on my tongue, tasting the evidence of her own arousal.

"Do you like how you taste?" I asked against her lips. She hummed in response and I felt her feet go to my jeans, fumbling to shove them down my legs.

"I want you, Draco," she panted, shoving her hand between us and gripping me through the denim. "I want you now."

I rolled off the bed and made quick work of my jeans, raising an eyebrow when she told me to stop and scooted to the side of the bed. Her fingers brushed over the front of my boxer briefs, and she looked up at me in question.

"You wanted me to wear them."

"I didn't think you would." She hooked her fingers into the waistband, "You don't have to, not if you're uncomfortable."

I gripped my cock through the material, "This belongs to you now, you get to make the rules."

She laughed, pulling them down, her tongue licking at her lips as my cock burst free. She leaned in, kissing the tip before moving back to lay on the bed, pulling me with her, reaching between us, giving me a rough squeeze. "Are you ready?"

"Are you kidding?" I looked up at her, a sexy grin spread across her face. I narrowed my eyes at her, "Maybe I'm not ready."

"Oh, I think you are." She squeezed me again, guiding me through her soft, warm folds and over the rise of her clit. I watched as she rubbed me over her slick skin, circling, pressing, and teasing until I could barely think straight.

"Granger," I groaned, "Stop teasing and put me inside you."

Her sexy grin returned as she slid me to her opening, pressing me against her and then pulling me away, repeatedly teasing me until I slapped her hand away. I flexed my hips, pressing against her, wanting to get inside her, and stay there. Her eyes never left mine as I shifted forward, sliding into the tight heat of her body.

A tiny wince flashed across her face, and she pulled her legs higher along my sides, rolling her hips so I slid in deeper. We both groaned as our hips met, my cock seated fully inside her. I leaned my chest to hers, circling her head with my arms and kissing her deeply.

The sensation of her thighs pressing against me, of our chests pressed together, of her pussy tight and hot around me suddenly overwhelmed me, and I buried my face in her neck. My body was tight, tense, and a lump formed in my throat. My breath caught and despite my trying to swallow it, a choked sound escaped me. I had been prepared for her to be overwhelmed, for her to let me take control, for her to fall apart. What I had not been prepared for was my reaction.

As if sensing my state, her hands came around me, rubbing gently down and up my back, her fingers tracing over my spine. I felt her lips on my shoulder, heard the soothing whisper of my name, and lifted my head to look at her. She was smiling at me with a tenderness that I hadn't expected.

"Alright?" she whispered.

"No," I rasped, bending to kiss her. "You're a dream."

"I'm real," She said and as if to prove it she gave my cock a tiny internal hug. "I'm real, Draco, and so is this."

I nodded and leaned my forehead on hers. I closed my eyes, and slowly began to move, groaning quietly as she rolled her hips in time with my movements. Her breath was warm against my lips as her mouth hovered close to mine, her fingers still traced along my spine. This wasn't my office, nor was it the library. This was naked and raw. This was intimate. This was the woman I had fallen in love with. And nothing else mattered but that. Nothing in this moment, nothing but the woman beneath me, nothing but the sensations she was causing. Nothing else mattered.

I leaned up on my elbows, and her smile was sweet when she looked up at me.

"You feel good," She whispered, "So fucking good."

"So do you." I murmured, "You feel..." Fuck! I couldn't find the right words.

"I know," She pressed her palm to my cheek, "You don't have to tell me, I can see it in your eyes."

I swallowed hard. Buried inside her like I was, it was hard to form coherent words. But clearly my face was giving everything away. She was seeing what so few others saw; she was seeing my heart, seeing everything I was feeling, seeing what I couldn't say in words.

Her hands moved to my arse and she rocked against me, telling me without words that she wanted – needed – more. I began thrusting in long, hard strokes, and she gasped, a sound that was both surprised and relieved. I picked up the pace, moving faster, sucking her bottom lip into my mouth, relishing the way her hands gripped my arse. I felt her tremble and slowed, and smiled at her frustrated growl.

"Draco," she whined and I covered her mouth with mine, swallowing the sound.

I wanted to build the need in her, wanted her to know just how much I wanted her, wanted her to know that I would do anything for her. But I also want to make love to her, not to simply fuck her.

I sped up again, then slowed, teasing her, pulling her deeper into the abyss with me, until she was shaking, and begging me not to stop. Her hands became restless, clutching at my ribs, my shoulders and then sliding into my hair. I kissed her hard, and gave her what she wanted.

I pulled her legs around my waist, pivoting into her, hard and fast, driving through her pulsating heat, I closed my eyes, pressing my face into her neck, and giving in to the pure sensation of her beneath me. Her wet pussy; her warm skin sliding against mine; her tight nipples brushing my chest with every thrust. And as hard I was pumping into her, as frenzied as it had become, this wasn't fucking, this was more, this was lust and desire. This was us, making love.

I exhaled a loud grunt when her pussy began to flutter around me. She gasped, her arms wrapping around my shoulders, holding me tightly against. Her pleas became urgent as our bodies moved together, and a deep, insatiable need washed over me. I needed her closer, I needed to be deeper, I needed to feel her release all over me.

"You're right there, Granger. You're right fucking there."

Her body tensed, and her eyes squeezed shut, her body shaking under me. She was right on the edge, and I shoved my hand between our bodies and pressed hard on her clit.

"Come, Granger," I growled in her ear, "Fucking come all over me."

And she did, exploding all around me, her pussy tightening in a rhythmic pulse as she cried out my name. Pleasure flooded my veins and my balls tightened, drawing up into my body, and I followed her over the edge, bucking wildly, filling her with what seemed to be an endless stream of my essence.

She kissed my neck, my shoulder, her hands sliding through my sweat-soaked hair, and her breath was hot when she whispered words of how good it was, how good I felt, how she wanted me to stay inside her.

I lifted my head, it was heavy and I felt drowsy, completely spent, completely exhausted. Completely in love with her. She was beautiful beneath me, her face flushed, her hair a wild mess across the pillows.

"I hope no one can see in here." She giggled.

My eyes went wide, remembering where we were. We had just made love in my garden. The private space that was only mine, and was now hers.

I circled my arms around her head, threading my fingers through her hair, and leaned my forehead on hers. "No one can see in here, but I don't care if they could. If anyone saw that, they would know exactly how I feel about you."

Her hand went to my face, her thumb caressing my cheek, "I feel the same, but I'm not—"

I cut her off with a kiss. I wanted to say those three words, they had been threatening to burst from me the minute I opened the door. But I had tamped them down, knowing even without her saying, that she wasn't ready to voice them herself.

"You don't have to tell me," I kissed her again, softly, once, twice, the third time lingering for just a few seconds. "Only when you're ready. But just know that I want only you."

Nodding, she touched her fingertip to my lip, a sly smile creeping across her face.

I narrowed my eyes at her, "What?"

"Well, after that, I was just wondering," She ran her finger down my chest, "What were your original plans?"

A/N:

Forgive me for taking forever to get this one written...my normal, everyday life gets in the way sometimes and the creative side of life gets put on hold.

As always, thank you for your comments, thank you for reading, thank you for loving (or hating, as the case sometimes is) xxx