Catherine's breath caught for a moment as the warmth of him pressed against her through the thin fabric of her dress. The playful laughter in her eyes dimmed slightly, replaced by something softer, warmer… curious.
Maximilian's arm tightened around her waist as he rested behind her on the couch, his lips brushing the shell of her ear.
"Maybe?" he repeated in a low voice. "That's a dangerous answer."
Catherine bit back another giggle, though her cheeks had already begun to burn.
"It's still ridiculous," she muttered. "You suddenly talking about punishment and spanking… You sound like one of those dramatic men in romance novels written by divorced women."
Maximilian let out a startled laugh against her shoulder.
"That specific?"
"Very."
He buried his face briefly against the crook of her neck, laughing quietly before kissing her there again, slower this time. Gentler.
And somehow…
That softness affected her far more than the teasing.
