“The latter, mostly,” she said gratefully. “I haven’t met anyone else who even so much as hinted that they were interested in me.” Composing her hands in her lap, she looked away, embarrassed. “But if I did … well, I mean, just because I sleep with you, and I love you, doesn’t mean I can’t do so with anyone else, unless I choose that. /I/ choose it.”
Victor sighed then nodded. “I-I’m sorry tha’ I acted so presumptuously. I don’t think it’d be right t’ ask you now. But, if you’d like, I’m not rushin’ you or anythin’ but I’d like us t’ be a couple, if you want to be tha’ is. I love you with everything tha’ I am but I don’t want t’ force anythin’ on you anymore.”
“If there’d been force I’d’ve said no.” She reached out and laid a hand on Victor’s chest, stroking his breastbone. “No one ever looks at me the way you do. Now is the time to ask. I belong to you, you belong to me.”
His eyes turned a molten amber colour and he kissed her slowly before pulling back and looking her straight in the eye. “Summer, you’re so unlike anyone else I’ve ever met an’ I mean tha’ sincerely. I want t’ be with you for forever, or as long as you’ll have me. ‘M yours an’ I want you t’ be mine as well. If you want t’ be.” There was so much emotion in his eyes, everything was laid out bare. He let his love, devotion, loyalty, and hope show in his entire being.
Her mouth twitched, holding back a smile. The edges of it broke through, though. “You sure you don’t want to collar me?” Then she lost it, grinning hugely and wrapping her arms around his neck. “Yes, I’m yours. Now I’m yours.” She precluded any other answer, kissing him firmly and passionately and pouring her sudden desire into his mind. One hand slid up into his hair.