Although Richard had his mind set on pleasing her again that night, he felt Kahlan drift off into sleep shortly after her head made contact with his chest. After she succumbed, he did shortly after, allowing his lids to slide closed.

Richard blinked his eyes a few times, adjusting to the light that was now bathing the room. He swept his gaze over the area, taking note of the mess that the room now was. He sighed as he rolled his head to the side. Kahlan's back was bare. She was gripping the covers over her breasts with one hand while her left leg wrapped itself on top of the bedding, also leaving it exposed.

Richard smiled as he turned to his side, sliding closer to her. He traced the pads of his fingers along her skin, causing her to stir. She mumbled some inaudible sound, causing Richard to chuckle as he leaned in and swept her hair away from her neck, placing a light kiss along the flesh. She shifted and turned to him, her eyes fluttering open.

"Morning." She drew out, mumbling as she shifted to make herself comfortable. She had to adjust her exposed leg, drawing it back under the covers. He smiled down at her and placed a kiss on the tip of her nose.

"Morning." He responded, his hand moving to rest on her cheek while he was propped up by his other arm.

The sunlight reflected off of the blue stones of her bracelet, causing them to sparkle. Richard smiled, hoping that she would continue to appreciate the gift as much as she had last night. He moved the pad of his thumb along her cheek.

"I'm quite surprised at you, Kahlan."

She groaned as she continued to adjust her eyes to the light. "What do you mean?"

"Last night was a huge milestone."

"It was not." She huffed, fumbling with her bracelet and scrunching her nose. He laughed as he placed a kiss on her lips. When he pulled back, he looked at her intently.

"It absolutely was."

"How so?" Her eyes gleamed at him, and Richard had the feeling she thought she had him beat. She didn't.

"Why, my dear Kahlan, you were actually concerned for my pleasure for one fleeting moment."

"Lies." She scoffed, batting him in the shoulder. He saw her cheeks redden. "It's not like you wanted it anyway." She added, her tone bitter and sarcastic, her cheeks still reddening. Richard clenched his eyes shut, gathering that when he pulled her hand away, it must have told her that she was doing something wrong. He groaned.

"Lies." She looked up at him, her face in a scowl. "I wanted it more than you would know, but as I said, last night was all about you." He poked her nose with his finger. "Another night can be about me."

"The probability of the opportunity arising again is slim to none, Cypher." She retorted, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. Richard laughed and kissed her again, this time more deeply than before.

"I believe you are forgetting something else, Amnell."

Kahlan's eyes focused on him and her brows furrowed in questioning.

"You didn't try to take control, you let me take care of you." Kahlan's eyes widened and her face adorned the deepest shade of red Richard had ever seen on her. She clenched her eyes shut and sighed, rolling onto her back and covering her face with her hands.

"That will not happen again."

"Oh, but it will."

"Oh, but it won't." She looked over at him, her lips pursing, expecting her word to be the final decision. Richard, however, was not keen on the idea. He liked taking care of her, and after having a taste of what it was like, he wasn't sure he'd accept going back to how things were. He shook his head as he tugged on her arm, urging her to roll back over on to her side and face him. She obliged.

"You were pleased, were you not?" Richard asked teasingly as Kahlan's nose scrunched and her cheeks began to turn a shade of pink.

"That is not the point. The point is you were in control."

"But it pleased you?"

"That is not the point."

"If you told me to do those things, you would be in control, would you not?" Richard's eyebrows shot up playfully and a smile crept on Kahlan's face.

"Perhaps."

"Control isn't necessarily taking me on your terms, Kahlan. You can command me to take care of you and you would still hold the same amount of control. You would tell a confessed man how to make love to you, would you not?" He saw her nose scrunch and her lips purse. "It's the same thing. If you tell me to take care of you, to do things I know please you, then you still hold all of the command."

Richard was more than happy when he saw her sigh and nod, knowing that he was now going to be able to do with her as he wished. He was more pleased when she tugged at his pendent and brought him in for a deep kiss. He wrapped an arm around her back and rolled on top of her, his pendent waving above her chest as her hands rested on the sides of his neck.

"I was thinking," she began, uncertainty crossing her features, "maybe I can reconsider my whole disbelief of love." Richard started smiling and Kahlan shook her head vigorously. "I'm not saying it will work, but maybe I should keep my mind a little more open to the concept."

"That's all I ask for, Kahlan." He leaned down and placed a light kiss on her lips as her hands roamed his torso. She sighed into his mouth and he pulled away, resting a hand on the flesh between her shoulder and neck, lightly tracing patterns along her skin. "And what do you wish, Mother Confessor?"

She smiled up at him, "Do what pleases me most." He returned the smile, leaning down capturing her mouth with his, her limbs embracing him.