“It does, sweetheart. It matters a great deal,” Michael said. It also told him a great deal. If my inexpert touch pleased her more than anything she experienced before, her experience must have been deeply unpleasant.
Apparently, the conversation awakened some of those painful memories because she shuddered and hid her face in his shoulder.
He hugged her tight with one arm and toyed with her hair. “The afterglow is nice,” he commented, trying to lighten the mood.
“I agree.” She kissed his chest. “Thank you, Michael. This was wonderful.”
“I'm glad,” he said. “Thank you for sharing yourself with me, sweetheart.” He closed his eyes and let his other senses take control: the feeling of her soft skin and thick, curly hair under his hands. The throbbing of her pulse against his shoulder. The
