From the Bookshelf of Turning Pages At Midnight…

"Hmm," I murmured, scratching my chin while I stared at her. "You need me to tie you to the headboard again, don't you? Maybe a good, hard fuck to start the day? We can bend that bratty attitude of yours into shape."
Shannon murmured to herself, a small smile lifting her lips, and she narrowed her eyes in my direction. "That's a charming offer," she said, "but I don't think your dick can reach my attitude, let alone bend it.”

"I like you like this," I said, my fingers twisting in her hair.
"Drunk?" she asked. "I've heard that before. All of my law school friends said I was too much to deal with until I'd had a few beers."
"Relaxed," I clarified. "You're never too much for me. But right now, you just look…" I leaned back and cupped her face, my thumb sweeping across her flushed cheek as I studied her. "Like you aren't holding up the world. Like you're as sweet and simple as summer peaches. But sweet and simple are the last words I'd use to describe you. You're smart and beautiful and really fucking complicated."
"Too complicated?"
"Probably not," I said, my lips brushing over her neck. "Why don't you sit on my face while I think about it?"

‘I was drowning in Will, and as he banded his arms around me and squeezed tight for the tenth time this evening, I knew this wasn't scheduled sex anymore. It was tipping into affection and concern and other feelings.
It was scary, but then it wasn't.
I knew scary things—death and disease, violence and abuse—and this wasn't like that. This was warm and happy and special, and maybe…maybe it was finally my turn.’

"I love you," I said. I could live for centuries, and I'd never forget the way Will's eyes softened and glowed when I said those words. "And you have to know I don't come to that statement lightly, and —"
"Shut up," Will interrupted. His hands raced up my body to cup my face. "I love you, too, and I'm not listening to any opening remarks or qualifications on the matter. You are my fire and ice, my calm and chaos, my everything, and I can't remember life before loving you. Now shut up and strip, unless you want me ripping those clothes off."

"Hmm," I murmured, scratching my chin while I stared at her. "You need me to tie you to the headboard again, don't you? Maybe a good, hard fuck to start the day? We can bend that bratty attitude of yours into shape."
Shannon murmured to herself, a small smile lifting her lips, and she narrowed her eyes in my direction. "That's a charming offer," she said, "but I don't think your dick can reach my attitude, let alone bend it.”

"I like you like this," I said, my fingers twisting in her hair.
"Drunk?" she asked. "I've heard that before. All of my law school friends said I was too much to deal with until I'd had a few beers."
"Relaxed," I clarified. "You're never too much for me. But right now, you just look…" I leaned back and cupped her face, my thumb sweeping across her flushed cheek as I studied her. "Like you aren't holding up the world. Like you're as sweet and simple as summer peaches. But sweet and simple are the last words I'd use to describe you. You're smart and beautiful and really fucking complicated."
"Too complicated?"
"Probably not," I said, my lips brushing over her neck. "Why don't you sit on my face while I think about it?"

‘I was drowning in Will, and as he banded his arms around me and squeezed tight for the tenth time this evening, I knew this wasn't scheduled sex anymore. It was tipping into affection and concern and other feelings.
It was scary, but then it wasn't.
I knew scary things—death and disease, violence and abuse—and this wasn't like that. This was warm and happy and special, and maybe…maybe it was finally my turn.’

"I love you," I said. I could live for centuries, and I'd never forget the way Will's eyes softened and glowed when I said those words. "And you have to know I don't come to that statement lightly, and —"
"Shut up," Will interrupted. His hands raced up my body to cup my face. "I love you, too, and I'm not listening to any opening remarks or qualifications on the matter. You are my fire and ice, my calm and chaos, my everything, and I can't remember life before loving you. Now shut up and strip, unless you want me ripping those clothes off."