Here & Now by Melyssa Winchester, Joey Winchester Page A

scoop her off her feet and push my body through the door, not stopping until we’re completely in the room with the door shut behind us and she’s catching sight of what I spent hours before the game making sure to get just right.
    A pathway of flower petals, a lot of the same ones from the limo travel all the way to the bed and on top of the duvet, it’s covered in color. Red, blue, pink, yellow, orange and white rose petals cover it and from the look in her eyes when I finally come to stand beside her as she takes it all in, my attempt at creating something as beautiful as her has hit it’s mark.
    What I’ve done obviously making her speechless, she turns to me and immediately starts signing.
    Did you do all of this?
    “No. I wish I could take credit, but I just asked the hotel to set it up.”
    “It’s beautiful.”
    On both of the bedside tables, there are large candles, all waiting to be lit and if it was done the way I wanted it, they’re also scented.
    When I make love to Cadence for the first time, I want to have the smell of roses and vanilla, with a hint of lilac—her favorite scent—surrounding us. Wanting to make this night absolutely perfect depends on it.
    Squeezing her shoulder gently, I move away from her and over to the left side of the bed. Sliding the lighter out of my pocket, I flick it until the flame appears and I light each of the four candles, only stopping long enough to do the same thing on the other side.
    As I turn to make my way back, I feel her body brush up against mine and that’s when the temperature in the room starts to rise. Her hands are on me, making their way up until they’re sliding under the jacket to my suit and I feel it slipping down over my shoulders. Raising herself up, I feel her breath hot on my neck before her lips follow, trailing a line of kisses from the base of my neck all the way up until I can feel them dangerously close to my ear.
    Exhaling, a moan escaping as she slips the jacket completely off without even the slightest break away from my body, she continues to kiss as her hands come around to my shirt, first loosening the hold the tie has around my neck before beginning to make quick work of the buttons.
    I can hear her breathing in between kisses and it’s as labored as mine, but she doesn’t stop. As much as I should probably reach out and slow her down so I can take back control of the moment, I don’t do it.  The way she feels, her hands working their magic on my clothes and the intense heat from her lips on my skin, it’s too good. Stopping is not an option now. The need is too strong.
    When she reaches the final button on my shirt, her hands lift up again, her lips finally breaking away from my ears, and kissing along my jawline until they’re on mine, soft at first, until the need to feel her tongue wrapped up in mine is too powerful and I force her lips apart and capture it.  As she slides my shirt down over my shoulders and her fingers finally make contact with my skin, I’ve had more than I can take.
    Her fingers are the match and the second they touch me, bare, with no obstructions, she sets my body ablaze. I wanted her; ached for her before, but with one intimate touch she’s set me on fire and I don’t want to burn alone.
    Breaking our kiss, hating the way it feels not being able to taste her anymore, I wrap my arms around her and lift her until I’m turning toward the side of the bed, making quick work of the zipper on the back of her dress before laying her down and really taking her in.
    Her intake of breath the minute my hands make contact with her flesh, the heated desire in her eyes when my gaze lands on her, and the wicked half smile on her lips as she lifts her hand up and motions me toward her with an outstretched finger. Cadence is being playful and it’s driving me crazy.
    I’m gonna burn up right here on the spot.
    Sliding on top of her, bringing my lips back down to hers, I pause before kissing her, focused so