“Lincoln Mathis, I’m pretty sure you were put on this earth to give women pleasure.”

He dipped his head, giving her a hot, tongue-twisting kiss. “I’d like a chance to prove it.”

His hand slid down her side, slipping between her thighs, and nudging them apart.

“Lincoln, you don’t have to—”

He swallowed her protest with a kiss, his thumb pressing against her as he slipped a finger, then a second inside her.

“What was that?” he murmured against her mouth.

“Don’t stop,” she gasped.

He quickened his pace, the circles of his thumb growing faster and smaller until Daisy’s body tightened and shattered beneath his skilled hands. He stayed with her through every shudder, his lips capturing every cry and gasp.

Finally her heartbeat slowed, and he propped his head on his hand, looking down at her as he idly stroked her side.

“Hi,” she said, feeling suddenly shy.

“Hi,” he said with a smile.

“What are you thinking?”

He snorted. “Seriously, Wallflower?”

Daisy laughed. “I know. That’s the ultimate cliché of what not to ask a man, but then our circumstances are hardly normal. Our story is hardly typical.”

“I happen to like our story,” he said, his hand widening its strokes over her torso, accidentally-on-purpose skimming the undersides of her breasts. “Especially now that it’s taken a turn for the naked.”

“No regrets?” she asked, hating herself for asking, but unable to stop herself. She’d just slept with a guy who hadn’t had sex in almost three years, most of those being engaged to a woman who didn’t even recognize him.

They weren’t just two mutually attracted adults acting on their lust. Her past was complicated. His even more so.

Lincoln’s body had been with her every second, she’d known that with every thrust. But what about his mind?

What about his heart?

Had he been thinking about her, Daisy? Or had he been remembering Katie, either out of missing her or guilt?

“Wallflower.” Lincoln’s voice was firm, forcing her eyes up to his. “I don’t regret a single moment.”

“No?” she whispered.

He slid a hand into her hair, palming her cheek and looking down at her with something…affection?

Then he bent his head to hers, claiming her mouth in a kiss that was sweet with promises.

He rolled on top of her, and her eyes widened as she realized he was hard again.

“Already?” she asked.

“Guess I’m making up for lost time,” he murmured, his lips drifting over her chest, his breath warm on her nipple.

“No complaints here,” she said on a gasp as he licked her.

“Good,” he whispered. “Because now I plan to take my time.”

He did. He worshiped her with hands and mouth, and she did the same for him. And good as it was, and it was more than good, as they drifted off into a sex-dazed sleep, she couldn’t help but wonder what came after the “naked part” of their story, as he’d called it.

More alarming, Daisy was realizing her story with Lincoln Mathis was one she never wanted to end.

Chapter 28

A week after Lincoln had gotten back from vacation and walked into his office to see Nick Ballantine behind his desk, he had déjà vu of the worst kind.

Lincoln’s whistling stopped abruptly at the sight of the tall dark-haired man in his chair, leaning back and looking at his phone, feet on Lincoln’s desk like he owned the place.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

Nick glanced up and smiled when he saw Lincoln, but there was nothing friendly about it.

His feet dropped to the ground and he stood. “Sorry, Mathis. Had you staked some sort of claim here?”

The other man’s tone was purposefully casual, and Lincoln immediately understood. Daisy.

She and Nick had prearranged brunch plans for yesterday. Lincoln had been less than thrilled about her insistence on keeping their date but had been mollified slightly when she’d explained that she wanted to break things off with Nick gently.

Not that there’d been anything to break off, precisely, but Daisy had pointed out that some news deserved to be delivered face-to-face.

She’d said he’d taken it well.

Looking at the man now, Lincoln wasn’t so sure.

“Look, man,” Lincoln said quietly. “I’ve known her longer than you have.”

And she’s been mine since the very beginning.

“Right. So I’m supposed to be impressed that it’s taken you months to figure out how great she is, when I knew it right off?”

“Circumstances were different when I met Daisy,” Lincoln said, his voice clipped as he walked around the desk.

Nick backed away, but only slightly, shoving hands in his pocket. No suit today. Just dark jeans and a black dress shirt. “I was sorry to hear about your fiancée. Bum deal.”

“Understatement,” Lincoln snapped.

Nick nodded, and Lincoln got the uncomfortable sense that he was being studied.

“Something you want to say?” Lincoln asked.

“She a rebound?”

The question had Lincoln’s head snapping up, his shoulders going tense with anger. “Seriously, man? I’ve met you exactly once. I don’t know you.”

“And I don’t know you, so reassure me that you’re not dicking Daisy around, using her to get over your shit.”