"I can't seem to keep my hands off you." He sighed. "I really want to kiss you, but I don't know if you will appreciate it."

  Her tears had dried up by the time and she gave him a smile. A real smile. It looked like those of her in the pictures with her friends, a smile he had thought he would never get to see for himself. "You want to kiss me?" she asked, her pouty lips moving, making him go wild. She was the most beautiful woman in the world. He wouldn't look at anyone the same way.

  Her heart thudded in her chest. 'He wants to kiss me,' came her excited thought. Other than the conflict in her heart and insecure suspicions, there was nothing more she wanted to do than to kiss his lips when she found out that he was Ray. How could she? She had finally met the man of her dreams and she couldn't help but enjoy every single touch he bestowed upon her.

  Her eyes were slightly red from crying, but she still looked so enticing. "I wanted to kiss you and hold you since I met you online. Now, my instincts are screaming at me to take you," he whispered, almost embarrassed by the confession. "You're gorgeous—" he was cut off by her.

  "Nothing like the women you surround yourself with." He snorted.

  "Of course, you are nothing like them. They are vying for attention and do not appeal to me. You do." He paused. "Now let me finish." He tapped her cheek with his thumb. "I am sure I wouldn't be able to stop once I start. You look amazing in this dress, smelling so good and your skin so radiant." He looked her over once. "I feel jealous when I think that another man almost got the chance to be with you. I don't think I would have handled that well."

  The admission brought on an onslaught of giggles from Katherine.

  "I can't believe Cage Cavanaugh just said something like that outside my fantasies," she snickered.

  "You've fantasized about me?" he asked, shocked. Well, it wasn't shocking, considering that most of the female population of their country probably thought of doing lewd things to him at least once, but to hear her say it really pleased him. He knew she was a fan, but featuring in her fantasies was a whole different ball game.

  "I would love to get to know them," he said, but then he stopped. "But not now. I won't be able to stop if you start now." She licked her lips, resulting in the stiffening of his cock. It didn't take much effort when it came to her.

  "Why don't you?" she challenged.

  "I won't stop," he threateningly reminded her.

  "You don't need to." Her voice grew husky. 'She's going to kill me,' he thought as he peered into her eyes. They spoke of devious things that she wanted him to do to her.

  'Soon,' he promised himself.

  "I have more to say," he said with a sigh. "I have to go to red carpet events with dates and there will always be rumors surrounding me. Sometimes it will be for publicity, and other times it will really be because the media need something new to talk about. I know that you reacted poorly to a girl picking up the phone, but I need you to know that none of those things in the media are true. None of those news articles and journalists know me. They will try to spin stories about me that are untrue and I can't have you believe them. Now that I think about it, I never told you about myself. I don't know how much trouble I would have gotten in if you knew about Keira's thing."

  "I saw Angelina cursing over that incident and I probably would have been the same, but I would have confronted you and called you out just like this time." She grimaced. "But I would like to think that I would have been more restrained if not for you ditching me." She looked at him curiously. "What do you think?"

  "I think you are a level-headed woman and it is my fault for not telling you who I am. I should have made sure that we communicated before like we are doing now. Honestly? I didn't think it would be an issue. I should have known that keeping it from you would lead to complications."

  "You just wanted to surprise me. I get it," she defended him, even though she should have been the last person to do so. She then looked down at her lap. "I really should have listened to you and not assumed the worst." Seeing her so upset, he tilted her chin up and saw her smile sadly. "I wish I could go back and not act that way. I wish for so many things… I just… blew up when I heard someone else talk on the phone."

  "Don't you think I know it was because of that awful ex of yours? I know, but I tried to deny it for the longest time." That man had really done a number on her self-esteem. Now it was up to Cage to make sure that her lost confidence could somehow be resuscitated. "You are a naturally incredible woman."

  She tried to smile. "I might be over Jonathan but the guy really did make me feel like I didn't deserve to be loved. I really thought I was past that after I met you, but hearing her over the phone really brought out old wounds."

  "They were never properly tended to," he said. "I don't know why she said those things, but I will have a talk with her. Don't worry. She almost ruined my relationship with my precious rinrin."

  She laughed. "Fortunately, you salvaged the situation somehow. You meant so much more to me than I realized."

  "Meant?" he asked hopelessly. "Do you not see me as important any longer."

  She shook her head. "No. I still like you. A lot."

  "I need you to trust me. I will never cheat on you. Whatever you hear in the future, come find me first before assuming. I don't look at women the way I look at you, Katherine. I didn't even consider dating anyone before I met you."