He put his hands on her shoulders and held her at arm’s length, saying as he did so,
“You look very beautiful, my darling, but then you always do.”
“I hope you will always think so,” Brucena said. “And shall I tell you how handsome I think you are or will you grow conceited?”
“I am the most conceited man in the world because you love me,” Ian answered.
As he spoke, he pulled her close against him and she lifted her face to his, longing for the touch of his lips on hers.
He looked down at her for a long moment before he kissed her with long slow passionate kisses that made her heart beat tumultuously.
She wanted to be close to him and for him to go on kissing her, but to her surprise he took his arms from her and drew her to the sofa.
As they sat down, he began,
“I have something to
