Page 65 of Deception and New Direction

Did he need more?

Go big or go home,Iguess.

“I…”Ipaused.Thiswas even harder thanI’dthought it would be. “Jack,I’m…I...”

“I love you too,Ruthie,” he said, reading my mind and saving me the embarrassment of telling him and not having it reciprocated.

“You love me?”Iasked, barely above a whisper.

“Yeah,Ruthie,Ilove you.AndIknow you feel the same but just have a hard time saying it.”

My mom had told me she loved me when she was alive.Butno one else had—certainly not my father.Sure,Ellie,Cat, andValhad jokingly said it as friends often did, but not in the same wayJackhad said it just now.

I knewIloved him too.Ihad just been too afraid to say it.Iwasn’t afraid now.Thisman had shown me what love truly was, andIwanted him to knowIloved him back.

“I love you,Jack,”Itold him and leaned up to kiss him.

Seconds later,Iwas up and wrapped around his waist and transported to his bed.

He kissed me softly as he removed my clothes.Hismovements were slow and methodical…and torturous.

“Jack,”Ipractically begged him to go faster.

“Zip it,Ruthie,” he said. “ThewomanIlove just told me she loved me back.I’mgonna enjoy this moment, and no begging or witchcraft trickery from you is gonna make me move faster thanIwant to.”

I didn’t think it would ever get old hearing him say he loved me.

I moved to sit up soIcould slide my hands under his shirt, lifting it up asIran my hands over his perfectly carved chest.Ifthey made molds of his chest and sold them, he could be rich.

His gaze moved back to mine, and he paused for a moment.Igave him a small smile back, but there was something burning in his eyes thatIdidn’t know what meant.Ididn’t know what he was thinking.

“What?”Iasked him softly. “What’sthat look for?”

“I really want to take you bare, feel all of you, butIknow we shouldn’t,” he said, his honesty coming through, even though it was strained.

“I’m on the pill,”Itold him asIran my hand up his arm that was still at my side, over his shoulder, and up his neck. “Igot tested afterImoved here, and you’re the only personI’vebeen with since.”

He closed his eyes and put his forehead to mine. “Iwas tested regularly in the military, andIhaven’t been with anyone other than you sinceIgot home.”

Wow.Iguess the illusionIhad in my mind about him being a playboy was just that—an illusion and not rooted in any sort of reality.

“Are you sure,Ruthie?Wecan wait.”

I knew he meant it too.Hiseyes communicated to me that he would wait for me for whateverIneeded, butIdidn’t want to wait.

I told him as much. “Idon’t want to wait.”

“Fuck—what you do to me, woman.”Hisvoice was gravelly and raw.

“Jack…”Ididn’t know what else to say, butIhoped my voice conveyed whatIneeded him to know.

“God, when you say my name like that,Iwould give you the whole world if you asked.”

Ohmigod, did he just say that?

He lifted my hands and stretched them out behind me on the bed.Hisleft hand reaching to intertwine his fingers with mine while his right hand delicately brushed along my side, creating goose bumps along the way.

He lined himself up against my entrance, andItrembled at the excitement of feeling him—all of him.Ihad never had sex without a condom before.Iknew it felt better for the man, obviously, but had no idea what to expect for myself.

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