"Not invaluable," he said. "Just valuable. There's a difference. These have prices. You are invaluable. There's no price for you."
She moved to him and kissed him, and this time it was soft. Tender. Not about possession or dominance, but about connection.
"I want you," she said softly. "Right now. Here. But I want it slow. I want you to take your time."
He smiled....a real smile, not the predatory ones he usually gave her.
"Come," he said, taking her hand.
He led her up the spiral staircase to a loft area above the library.
There was a daybed there, positioned under a skylight. The afternoon sun poured down through the glass, illuminating dust motes that floated in the air like tiny stars.
Dimitri laid her down gently and removed her bikini. Then he lay beside her, and for a long moment, they just looked at each other.
"I love you," he said. It wasn't a question or a statement of possession. Just a fact, stated simply.
"I love you too," she replied.
