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He latches his lips over my clit and sucks hard, sending me hurtling over the edge of pleasure. I cry out and grab hold of the blankets under me, reeling from his touch. He licks and sucks and curls his fingers inside me again and again until I’m shaking and breathless. Finally, when I can take no more and push his head away so I can catch my breath, he withdraws and joins me on the bed, pulling me upward so our heads both rest on the pillows.

He wraps an arm around me as I curl up against him and try to steady my breathing.

“That was . . . Incredible. ” I say. I don’t even have strong enough words to describe it.

We lay in comfortable silence for a few minutes as I come down from the high. His cock is hard to ignore, still jutting upwards in all its glory. I reach for it, intent on reciprocating, but he stops me.

“It’s okay. We have plenty of time tonight, no rush.” I turn on my side to face him, and he lifts a blanket over us before pulling me in close to him.

I rest my head on his shoulder and lay my hand across the dark smattering of hair across his chest, feeling more at peace in this moment than I have in a long time.

When I lean my head upward to look at his face, he places a soft kiss on my lips.

I smile at the small signal of affection.

“What are you smiling about?” he asks, as if he doesn’t already know that it’s because of him.

“I was just thinking . . .”

“About?”

“How you were right. Ireallyenjoyed watching that movie,” I joke.

He rolls his eyes but can’t hide the small smile pulling at the edges of his mouth. “Whatever. We’ll actually watch it one day.”

And with those two simple words, my heart jumps in my chest at the idea of this being something more.

One day.

CHAPTER SEVEN

I’M ALMOST ASLEEPon James’ chest when he speaks and pulls me back to consciousness. “I’m glad you came over. I was worried you wouldn’t.”

The rumble of his soft, low voice sends pleasant chills through my body. “I’m glad I came too. I was pretty nervous,” I admit.

“Why?”

I think about giving him a vague half-answer, but decide it would be better to just tell the truth. “A few reasons, I guess. I just got out of a relationship where I was constantly given backhanded compliments at best, and hurtful insults at worst. That didn’t exactly help my confidence, so having someone like you show interest in me seemed too good to be true. Plus, I’ve felt nervous around you since the first time I saw you. I don’t think you realize how intimidating you are, hardly speaking and always wearing this stony expression. When I was brave enough to sneak a glance at you, I couldn’t tell whether you were bored or angry or perfectly fine.”

He chuckles and shakes his head softly at my last confession.

“Why is that funny?”

“Just the fact that you found me so intimidating.” He takes a breath and I watch him, waiting for him to continue. “There was a reason I didn’t speak to you much and tried to act uninterested, especially when I noticed you not-so-subtly sneaking glances at me,” he adds with a chuckle. “I wanted you from the moment I saw you, but you were clearly in a relationship. I figured I’d try to do the noble thing and keep you uninterested in me by seeming standoffish. I knew he wasn’t great to you, but if I had known just how poorly that boy was treating you, I would’ve taken you away in an instant, virtue be damned.”

“I should beat the shit out of that kid for treating you like that,” he continues. “But, I’d rather redirect my energy into showing you how a real man can treat you.”

“But you already did that earlier,” I tease.

He smirks as he traces the soft curves of my body. “Oh, baby girl, I didn’t show you the half of it. I’m going to fuck you so hard that you forget his name, his face, and everything else about him. The only thing you’ll be able to think about for months is how good my cock feels inside you. When you wake up in the mornings and feel that sweet little pussy all sore and sensitive, you’ll be dying for more of me. Not him,me. You’reminenow.”

His promises send a thrill through me, and I’m at a complete loss for words, though I’m now hyper-aware that we’re both still naked underneath the blanket, my body pressed against the side of his and my leg draped over his thigh.You’re mine, he had said, and even though I know realistically he meant just for now, I can’t help but feel a spark of excitement at the idea ofactuallybeing his for more than just a one-night fling, even if the idea is a bit far-fetched.

My thoughts stop in their tracks as he trails his fingertips over my bare skin, moving slowly and getting close but not yet touching the sensitive parts of me. I inhale a sharp breath as he gently passes over my nipple, but he doesn’t stop, instead continuing downward and slipping a finger in between my legs.

“Fuck, Ivy,” he whispers, “You’re dripping for me.”

I can only nod and try to hold myself together as his fingers slip through the wetness pooling between my thighs.

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