But I did remember striding into the bedroom, wrapped in a fluffy towel, and stopping dead at the sight of Q.
Would he ever cease to amaze me? I'd never get used to how darkly handsome he was, with his widow's peak, luminous pale eyes, and sculptured cheekbones.
He was a festival for my eyes: black leather loafers, perfectly ironed grey slacks, crisp silver shirt, open blazer, and no tie.
I couldn't latch onto the seamless thoughts in my head.
When is his birthday? I want to buy him a shirt that matches his eyes.
Where did he get those clothes?
It isn't fair he's so beautiful-I look like a homeless runway on his arm.
I must've done something right to deserve him.
The thought I decided to go with was: "Is there another bathroom in this suite?"
Q shook his head, smiling wryly, enjoying my tongue-tiedness. "Yes. His and Hers. Now come here. I have a surprise for you."
I glided forward, noticing he'd drawn the curtains. I sucked in a breath as he hooked a finger around the knot in my towel. "It's only fair I dress you, seeing as I stripped you before."
With a sharp tug, the towel unravelled, pooling at my feet. My blood scorched to have him, kiss him, but at the same time, I loved the tease-the knowledge he was taking me out on a date, and I wouldn't be able to ravish him until we got back.
Guiding me toward the bed where two packages existed, he positioned me at the foot of the ginormous mattress, and opened the smaller box.
I swallowed hard as he pulled out a matching set of purple lingerie.
Purple.
The same colour I'd bought in the hopes of seducing Brax. I swayed as every little change in my life sucker-punched me. It felt like a different universe where I'd laid my heart open and tried to be honest with Brax. It felt like a century ago I'd thrown away an innocent vibrator all because he'd been hurt and scared.
Q leaned closer, diving into my eyes. "Tess … ?"
I forced the memories to fade, but there was one question refusing to disappear. I wanted to know the answer. I wanted to finally acknowledge how all my dreams came true in a way I'd never suspected. "If I said to you I used to have a vibrator and made myself come with the thought of some unknown master biting my shoulder and striking me with a whip-how would that make you feel?"
I knew Brax's response: I don't have to fuck you to be a man, Tessie.
I didn't know Q's and I wanted to. Desperately.
Q's forehead furrowed, holding out the lacy bra. "How would that make me feel?" His head cocked. "Is that a trick question?"
I laughed quietly, hiding my nervousness. "No. I honestly want to know."
Q tossed the bra on the bed, before planting his large hands on my hips. "I'll tell you how that makes me feel. It makes me fucking hard at the thought of you getting yourself off. I can picture your flushed cheeks, taste your wetness, hear your pants." His head dipped, kissing my neck. "I adore the thought of you fantasising about the exact things I've done to you-almost as if you were always meant to be mine."
Pushing me away, he held up the knickers and dropped to his knee. I obediently stepped into the lingerie as he held it, shivering as he pulled them up my legs. "I should've had Alonzo buy something else for us tonight," he murmured, positioning the lace between my legs.
"What?" I breathed.
"A vibrator. I can't get the damn image out of my head of watching you come and then using it on you all over again."
I didn't need wings. Q made me fly with words. He wasn't unsure, or jealous at me seeking pleasure on my own. He wasn't prudish or tame. He was perfect. He was mine.
And I never wanted to lose him.
"When will you marry me?" I blurted.
Cringing, I let Q thread my arms through the bra straps, then held up my hair for him to clasp it. The roles had changed-it wasn't Q pushing me anymore but me pushing him.
Q didn't answer. Instead, he opened the last box, lifting out the sexiest, demure dress I'd ever seen. A seamstress's work of perfection with silk and netting in every shade of grey possible.
Silently, Q helped me into it. The sleeveless gown kissed just below my knees, cocooning my body like air.
He stepped back, nodding. "I'll marry you when I'm damn well ready, esclave. But tonight, I'm taking you to dinner."
"Chose anything you want." Q smiled.
I looked at the menu again, frowning at Italian. Knowing French gave me a benefit-I was able to get the gist of the word, but I didn't have Q's aptitude for foreign dialects.
Carbonara with horse? No, that can't be right.
Parmesan shredded with rabbit? Could be, but I didn't want to risk it.