Next time... Wait. Why there was a next time? Patting her slightly flushed face, Raegan scolded herself inwardly. What on earth was she envisioning her future with Mitchel?

When Raegan slipped into a night robe, ready to go to bed, her phone rang.

It was Mitchel. Despite the late hour, he hadn't turned in for the night yet.

With a furrowed brow, Raegan answered. Mitchel's magnetic voice resonated through the phone. "Are you asleep?"

“How would I answer the phone if I was asleep?" Raegan retorted in an irritable tone.

"Are you upset?" Mitchel asked.

"Well, I just found out what you did."

"What?" Mitchel questioned, perplexed. "What's going on?"

"You..." Raegan paused, blushing. “How can you leave a hickey on me?"

"Oh..." Mitchel drawled, clearly teasing her. “Don't you like it?

Your skin is delicate. I lost a bit of control when kissing you.

That's the cause of the hickey. By the way, don't you find the hickey add to your allure?"

"You are so annoying!" Raegan huffed.

“Well, I had heeded your words. I hugged you and then kissed you. I also wanted to..."

"Stop!" Raegan interrupted, turning redder. “Don't you have anything else to say?"

"I just want to hear your voice." His voice, low and intimate, felt as if he was whispering into her ear.

Suddenly, Raegan felt like her heart had been tossed into a serene lake like a pebble, creating ripples.

"You're such a bore," she declared. It had barely been two hours since they had last seen each other, yet his words made it sound like an eternity had passed.

"Raegan..." Mitchel softly called out.

For some reason, he sounded particularly sincere at this moment, touching Raegan's heart.