Page 4 of Library Lovers

She gapes at me. “Are you serious?”

I nod. “Yep.”

Pain explodes in my cheek. The sting from the impact of her little hand makes my eyes water as Ava wriggles to get free from my hold. I place her on her heeled feet and stare at her, mouth ajar, cupping my smarting jaw. “What was that for?”

That flame I love so much has come out to play, and my dick jumps to attention.

“You’re certifiable!” Ava shouts. “And ridiculously childish.” Her nose flares as she drags in fresh air, filling her lungs. “You picked on me so I would react? I understand the logic in that if we were still ten, but we’re adults. Have been for a while now. You’re twenty-seven-years-old for god’s sake.”

I scratch the back of my neck; she may have a slight point.

She paces back and forth along the wall, muttering to herself, pausing every now and then to glare at me. I let her process for another couple of minutes then step into her path, stopping her in her tracks.

Wrapping my hands around her shoulders, I take a deep breath and tell her the only thing I can think to calm her down. The truth. “Ava, you’ve always been important to me. Yes, I annoyed the shit out of you on purpose, maybe for longer than I should have, but I wasn’t ready to settle down yet. You’ve always been my end game, and I’m ready now.”

Her brows hike up to her hairline. “Excuse me? You think that just because you want to settle down, I’ll just forget that you’re an asshat of epic proportions? Not bloody likely, Jenn.”

I’ve been waiting for her to call me that. The smile that takes over my face can’t be restrained as I bend to be at eye level with my little spitfire. “You’ve forgotten what I said at the grocery store the other night already…” I tilt my head, waiting for her to realize her error.

She blanches and attempts to flee, but I lock my hands around her shoulders tighter, ensuring she can’t get away. I shake my head, press a small kiss to her temple, then I tell her what’s about to happen.

Chapter Three

I swallow as Jennings's lips brush against the shell of my ear as he speaks. “I told you there would be consequences the next time you called me that,” he says on a long exhale.

My breath hitches in my throat as his fingertips skate down my arms then lock around my wrists. He spins us, walking me backward until the backs of my legs connect with a chair. Then he spins us again before he drops into it, keeping a hold on my wrists as I stand before him, breathless.

My knees tremble the longer he stares at me, hunger shining bright in his green eyes. Shit, he’s hot.

In one swift move he tugs me to his side then yanks me down across his lap. I gasp in shock. Then his big rough palm is skating up the back of my thighs, pushing my dress up over my butt.

Sweet baby Jesus. I’m practically panting. And why the hell am I letting this happen?

I plant my hands on his leg and try to push myself up, but he splays a palm between my shoulder blades, forcing me back down. Lust overshadows my wits. This is like one of my dirty fantasies come to life.

Jennings grips my ass cheeks and squeezes. “Fuuuck, I’ve been dying to touch you like this for so fucking long,” he growls. In a split second his hands are gone, and I’m jolted by a hard slap against my butt.

I squeal.

When he speaks again, his voice is a deep, husk filled growl that heats my insides. “I mean everything I say to you. So, when I said I was done, I meant it. You’re mine, Ava. It’s about time you knew it.”

Oh my… I’m speechless, and that never happens to me. Like ever. All I can do is moan as his palm gently caresses the sting away from my ass.

“Nothing to say, my nerdy little princess?” he murmurs. “You’re usually so mouthy. If all I had to do to shut you up was give you a spanking, I would have done it a long time ago.”

I roll my eyes, finally able to find my words. “You like me mouthy.”

His hand smacks against my ass again, then he bends over and bites down right over the spot.

“Oh, shit…” I whimper. I can feel his dick hard beneath my stomach, so I squirm against it.

“Don’t,” he warns as he sits back up again. His hand goes back to rubbing soothing circles over my burning butt then he gently tugs my dress back into place and helps me to my feet.

I stand before him on shaky legs. What in the hell just happened?

Jennings smirks, then caresses my cheek. “Feel free to call me Jenn any time you like, but just know this is what will happen every time you do.”

My answering scowl transforms his smirk into a full-blown smile.

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