Under his scrutiny, she truly did feel exposed. But there was no threat to his gaze and she met it head-on, arms raised over her head until he pulled away her top. She lowered them only when his hands passed over her skin, settling them against his sides as she did before.

The warmth he had, once she was pressed back against him, was intoxicating. Her fingers sought the contours of warm muscle, feeling rather than seeing the lines he had from practice and training. She might have commented on them, complimented him, had his lips not closed around her ear. The sound that tumbled out of her lips was more vocal than she'd been before but no less pleased; her shoulders hunched instinctively in every attempt to smother another shiver, and she tilted her head to offer him access to her.