Melissande nodded then sat up beside Quinn, filled with resolve. She seized the hem of her chemise and lifted it over her head, casting it toward the foot of the bed before she could change her thinking. She looked away from Quinn, uncertain what he would say or do.
She was nude. Exposed. Vulnerable. Her heart fluttered at her throat and she took a quick breath, hoping her instinct had been right. She feared otherwise when silence filled the solar.
“Beautiful,” Quinn breathed finally.
Melissande dared to look, only to find his eyes glowing. His hand moved slowly from her waist and she knew she did not imagine that his fingers quivered.
His uncertainty reassured her as naught else could, and Melissande rolled toward him. Quinn’s other hand rose to her cheek and she reveled in the streng
