Quin's fingers continued to work at the knot as Dahlia focused on his lips, her hands pulling at the back of his shirt to pull it out from his trousers. Why were men's clothing so much simpler? Perhaps she ought to start wearing trousers and shirts as well? There was a final tug at the skirt and Dahlia dimly heard the rip of fabric, but she didn't care as her fingers skimmed the warm skin of his back. His fingers roamed her waist searching for the ties to her petticoats, they left trails of sparks in their wake through the fabric of her chemise. And then there was cool air as her petticoats pooled around her ankles.

Quin leaned forward slightly and Dahlia wrapped an arm around his shoulder to step from her clothes, but instead he surprised her. A delighted squeal flew from her lips as he hoisted her up into his arms, his hands under her butt, her legs with no place to go but around him, pressing her molten core right into his stomach. There was a small tremor of mortification at that thought, but he moved quickly, seeming unbothered by this development. She hardly had time to take in the sensation of his hands in that most unknown space before he had laid her out on the bed.

There was a moment then, when he stood there and stared at her, where she felt both want, a desire so deep she had never known the like before, and embarrassment. Quin didn't allow her time to dwell on the latter emotion, instead he brought himself to her. Dahlia wasted no time, wrapping herself back into his embrace, pulling him closer, meeting his lips in a frenzy of her own. "'Quin." She found herself sighing against his lips. There had been such love in that look he had gazed at her with that she could not doubt it and now she sought to return it. To show him just how much she loved him, wanted this, would ignore the uncomfortable moments if they led to kisses and embraces like this.

As they laid there she missed the closeness of their embrace standing. Wanting only to feel his hips at her own, Dahlia pushed her hips toward him, wishing he'd wrap his arms around her legs again as he had when he carried her. There were so many things she wanted at once, so many new and overwhelming sensations that Dahlia was at a loss as to how to tell him what she wanted - no what she needed.