Page 71 of A Dream for Daphne

“Why?” she asked, frowning.

“Because you’re acting all skittish again. Does this have to do with never having an overnight guest? I’m assuming you’ve spent the night with people before, just at their place.”

“I have,” she said. “It’s not that.”

“Then what is it?” he asked. He did take a bite of food at least.

She put her head down and said softly, “The way I acted last night.”

“You mean the way you made me feel as if I was the sexiest man in the world?” he asked. “What’s so wrong with that? I’d like to bottle whatever came over you last night and sneak it into your dinner every night.”

She snapped her head up. “Huh?”

Her face was on fire. “Are you embarrassed over that?” he asked.

He looked about as confused as she felt. “Yes.”

“Why?” he asked. “It was hot. Like the Big Bang hot. And damn, did we bang.”

She stared at him for a second and then burst out laughing. “You make a joke out of everything.”

“I wasn’t trying to. Just being honest,” he said. He reached his hand over and laid it on hers. “I did like the way you acted. It turned me on. It might have even scared me for a bit, but only in a good way.”

She was starting to relax. “How did it scare you?”

“No man likes to think they can’t keep up or control their body. It was really touch and go there for a bit.”

She snorted. “I’d already finished once. It was fine.”

“No,” he said. “It wasn’t. And you got yourself there a second time. If you hadn’t, I would have...once I caught my breath. We might need to keep a can of oxygen here though.”

She swatted at his arm. “Will you stop it?”

“I’m being serious,” he said. “You worked me hard.”

“You did the same to me,” she said.

“It was a nice workout,” he said. “And a great night. Don’t worry about anything. I can see it on your face. What has you concerned?”

There was no way out of this and she didn’t want to lie. “I don’t want you to think I’m loose.”

He laughed, but she didn’t think it was funny. “Fine,” he said. “I don’t think you’re loose in the least, but if you want to be with me, I’m good with it.”

“Really?” she asked. “Tell me I’m making more out of this.”

He stood and reached his hand out for her. She went into his arms. “You’re making way more out of this. I loved it. I really did. Any guy who says otherwise is only lying to you and I don’t make a habit of lying to anyone.”

She let herself be held and nodded her head. “I hate feeling so unsure of myself. I’ve spent so much of my life like this and I came here and thought it would all change and it’s not.”

She wouldn’t bring up the fact that she’d had men judge her before for not being more active in bed. Then when she was, they’d comment on that in a negative light too.

It always felt as if she did something wrong and she didn’t want that to happen with Abe.

“Your life is changing,” he said. “But you’ve got to accept that maybe it’s not the way you thought it would be. That doesn’t mean it’s bad or good, just different.”

“I know,” she said. “I’m getting there. A lot of it is because of you.”

He kissed her on the forehead. “Good,” he said. “Keep working on it.”

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