...“You could still get to know me.” I slipped my hand out of his and then touched his head just above his ear. I began sliding my fingers along the smooth, shaved skin until I felt the tickle of hair. He wore a high and tight; my brother had the same kind of haircut. In fact, most of the men I saw last night had this type of haircut.

“Maybe.” He closed his eyes as I ran my fingers over his hair, down his neck, then gently circled the back of his head.

“Why aren’t you going home for Christmas?” I asked.

“My mom went home to see her family. I was invited, but I don’t like them much. I’m an only child and I’m a Marine; her family is Air Force. My dad is still in Japan, so I figured, why bother?” He opened his eyes then, as if he only at that moment realized they had been closed.

“I’m not trying to take more than you can give me right now. I know you’re leaving. Besides, I don’t know where I’ll end up after I finish school.” I continued to touch his skin as I spoke. “I know that I want you. I want to know what you feel like, what you taste like, what you sound like when you come. I know it sounds crazy, but…”

“No.” He looked at me with those clear blue eyes and smiled. “It sounds like you read my mind.”

He lifted his hand to touch my face. The contact sparked like electrical wires through my neck and into my arms and legs. His lips came down on mine with gentle precision. I opened my mouth, and his tongue slid in to caress mine. We embraced, my hands finding his back warm and welcoming as I searched for the hem of his T-shirt. Our tongues dueled for control of the kiss.

He backed away, looking into my eyes. “Your nose is still cold.”

“It’s the only part of my body still cold,” I said, as I pulled him back into the kiss.

His hands slid down my back until he’d pushed between my ass and the cushion. He gripped both cheeks and pulled me upward. I followed his lead and was soon straddling his hips as we adjusted to the new position. I had his shirt yanked up to his shoulders and then it caught between his back and the cushion on the loveseat.

He pulled back from the kiss and, as he did, I nipped his upper lip with my teeth. He made an mmm sound, then said, “I love the way you look at me with those big brown eyes of yours.”

“How do I look at you?” I asked, though I knew how I looked at him.