All the more he had to learn the value of earning a person's respect and trust - and not because Mirari was a demon with formidable battle prowess, but because she was another living, breathing being.

She enjoyed the view as Dirk climbed over her - his golden hair stood out nicely against his tanned skin - and Mirari gave him a smile as she accepted his kiss. She drew it out, her own kiss slow and heated, inviting him to linger, coaxing him to taste.

"That's good, yes," she murmured against his mouth, the smile evident in the soft warmth of her voice. "Seeing if your partner is comfortable with your touch and letting them get used to you."

She decided to return the favor, one hand drifting down his back, mapping his skin. Meanwhile, she tugged his other hand to her breast. Mirari showed him how to stroke the soft flesh before she brushed his fingertips across a pink bud, eliciting a gasp of pleasure from her.