I took his hand, placed it gently between my breasts, over my heart, amused and touched by the quick breath he took. "Be yourself. Always, always be you. It's you that I'm falling for. Changing that is the only way you're going to mess this up. Be you. Just you."

He swallowed, and nodded.

"You could have just asked me to take my top off, you know," I added, grinning.

"And would you have?"

"For you... after tonight? God, yes. I'd flaunt myself for you shamelessly, like the hussy I am. In fact..." I rolled away from him, and reached for the hem of my jersey, wincing. My shoulder twinged,...