After folding down the covers, he beckoned her to sit on the edge of mattress. He knelt on the floor in front of her and gazed up into her face. It seemed both familiar and strange to him, her eyes bright in a way he’d never seen them before, her lips curved in a knowing smile. This had not been an impulsive decision on her part. She understood what she was doing in Kip’s room. She had willingly chosen to come here. He turned his attention to her feet, easing off her shoes and setting them aside. He skimmed his hands up her legs, beneath her skirt, along the outer edges of her thighs. Her breath grew short but she didn’t object. He raised his eyes back to hers. She lifted her hips so he could remove her nylons. Her skin felt warm against his fingertips, silky. His hands shook slightly as he peeled down her stockings and panties. He prayed she knew how much this meant to him, how important she was to him. He prayed that after so many months of self-imposed abstinence—in thought as well as deed—he would be able to contain himself, to please her, to make this as special for her as it was for him.
