Raymond kissed her. Soft, tender, lips on lips, gentle breath. Then it deepened ever so slightly and his tongue brushed the creases of her mouth. Emilia opened her mouth and let him taste her. As nice as that was, she needed more. She needed to taste him right back.

And then it was an intense kiss because he stood up, pulled her up with him, never breaking the contact between them, and she was in his arms. There was the faint aftertaste of spaghetti in his mouth, which Emilia would have found disgusting on any other night but this one. There was heat wherever they touched, especially in the kiss,...