His hand roams her chest, planes of uncushioned muscle. His other maps the barely-there curve of her waist, the relief of her ribcage an open accusation of neglect. His counter, and his answer, is to seize her wrist and yank her hand out of his trousers.

Arm winding around her back, Hap slips down her body to hitch her leg up over his hip and lift her remaining foot off the ground. He carries her to the bed where he sets her down none-too-gently on her back. On his knees, he stays close in retreat to lavish her swallow flesh with his mouth. A nip at her collarbone, her sternum, the breast his hand had ignored. He unfastens her jeans as his lips close around her nipple, tongue teasing.