He dipped his finger in his own mouth then slid it into mine. I bit down softly. A moan rumbled from his chest.

“I’ve always...” His breathing was ragged. “…heard that good things come to those who wait. Besides, I figured you’d reward all that good behavior with a little bit of bad behavior…”

Demetri pulled his finger from my mouth and replaced it with his lips, hot and heavy. He kissed me deep, letting me lose myself, my fear, everything in the taste of him.

When he pulled away, his voice cracked. “Are you still nervous?”

Our foreheads touched. “That depends…”

“On?”

“How bad you want that reward.” I offered a playful wink and tried to jump off the bed but was caught from behind. Demetri swung me back against him. I tried to wiggle away, but it just seemed to encourage him.

“Naughty girl.” He growled in my ear. “Teasing the guy who’s hanging on by a freaking thread. Didn’t your mom ever tell you not to run with scissors?”

“Did I cut your thread?”

“Sweetheart…” His teeth tugged at my right ear. “…the thread’s been missing for quite some time.”

“Oh.” I grinned, feeling better than I had in days.

“Rehearsal tomorrow,” he whispered. “And the next day we’re married. Then after that, we’ll have a little… lesson on why you shouldn’t tease.”

“Hmm, you gonna spank me too?” I tried to get away again, but he jerked me against him so hard I let out a rough exhale.

“I’ll think of nothing else when I close my eyes…” He released me, but not before actually spanking me on the butt and shoving me toward the door. “Now, leave before I decide to throw my self-control out the window.”

“Dem...” I paused at the door. He got up and made his way over to me, his long muscled body lit by the moon. “…I love you.”

“You…” Demetri kissed my forehead. “…are my life. You’re my heart. Now please go to bed so I can go have fitful dreams about you naked.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re such an ass sometimes. One minute you’re romantic, the next… naked talk.”

He shrugged. “Part of my charm.”

“Right.” I licked my lips and kissed him on the shoulder and walked out. When I turned around to wave, he was still watching me, his eyes heated. I half-expected him to run after me; he looked so predatory. Instead, with a curse he softly smacked his head against the door and then shut it behind him.

How did I get so lucky to have that type of guy in my life? I fell into a peaceful sleep the rest of the night, dreaming of Demetri’s kisses and, funny enough, his promised punishment.

A bit of spanking.

CHAPTER FOUR

Demetri

TO SAY I GOT no sleep would be the understatement of the year. The minute Alyssa left my room I went and took a cold shower; when that didn’t work, I decided to do pushups. Yeah. Pushups, like someone stuck in freaking prison. But what else was I supposed to do? I figured pain and pleasure were basically on the same threshold, right? So when the pushups worked, I decided to do some more and then added in some crunches until I was so wiped that I collapsed into my bed with dreams of a naked Alyssa lulling me to sleep.

The only problem? By the time I’d worked everything out of my system, it was close to six A.M., and I had to be up early to make breakfast for her.

Not that I was complaining. In fact, she had no idea that I’d planned it, which was also why I’d hit the sack so early the night before. I’d wanted to be able to plan breakfast in bed and not look like a zombie.

I groaned as I made my way downstairs and started firing up the stove. One breakfast in bed for my seriously hot fiancée coming right up. Just as soon as I drink my body weight in coffee. Damn. I’d need an IV of the stuff before the day was up.

I was suddenly super grateful that I’d bought a townhouse right on the beach that Lyss and I could share. It gave us more privacy; meaning, I didn’t have to worry about seeing a naked Jaymeson greet me in the morning.

Not that it still didn’t happen, on account that he’d bought the giant-ass beach house next door, and, more often than not, thought it was totally appropriate to knock on my door clad in nothing but his boxers, holding out an empty coffee cup while he read my newspaper and walked by me.

He only did it when he was lonely, which wasn’t often, but still. Not. Okay.

I started the coffee and cracked the eggs into a bowl. A half-hour later I had scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and a cup of coffee for Lyss. I put everything on a tray and quietly walked to her room.

“Lyss?” I whispered.

She groaned and moved from her stomach to her back. I nearly choked on my tongue when I noticed that her shirt had ridden up way past what was deemed appropriate. Swear, I couldn’t stop my hands from shaking. The damn tray started clattering. Right. Self-control? Hell no. I was seriously ready to drop the tray to the floor and just jump on her, slamming her against the mattress and taking her in any way I could. Then again, there was nothing even remotely romantic about that.

Romance, romance, romance. Stupid Ashton Hyde would romance… not that I was thinking of him and romance in the same stupid sentence. Hell, I needed to get a few good punches in on that guy.

“Lyss,” I repeated, setting the tray on the nightstand and lightly touching her shoulder. With a sigh, she reached for me and pulled me on top of her.