Page 37 of Protector

“I love you too,” I say through my laughter, and Puck joins in.

I thought I’d felt happiness before, but it’s nothing compared to the feeling overtaking my whole body, mind, and soul of hearing I love you from his mouth.

I lean in, kissing him hard, his tongue breaking past my lips in an instant. I climb into his lap, straddling him and pulling my body as close to his as I can.

My arms go around his neck, holding him tightly whilst Puck’s hold both of my hips in a tight grip.

I have never felt more content in my whole life than I do right now.

Pushing myself closer, I feel the insides of my thighs brush up against Puck, who is hardening underneath me, and I pause my movements, pulling back from his lips to look down at him.

I’m panting, the kiss stealing my breath from me, my cheeks pink as Puck breaths heavily. I roll my hips back a little, and Puck flinches underneath me when I feel his bulge.

“Bonnie,” Puck whispers, and I can hear him swallow.

“I’m minutes away from being sixteen,” I whisper back, my heart racing.

He chuckles softly and brings a hand up to stroke my hair behind my ear.

“It’s not about your age, Bon, it’s about here.” He taps my head. “And here.” He taps my heart.

“I want to,” I say quietly, and he nods, shifting us so I’m no longer kneeling and my legs fall around his waist.

“Me too,” he admits, and my stomach twists and turns. “But I need you to be ready.”

I look into his eyes, and I smile, wondering how on earth I ever found someone so kind and protective and perfect.

“Okay.”

Puck leans in, kissing me softly.

“Soon, Bonnie.”

I kiss him, then flatten myself against his chest in the tightest hug.

Puck said he loves me. I said I loved him back.

This is our time.

“Look up at the sky, Bon.” Puck breaks the silence, and just as I do, a huge, colourful firework explodes, followed by another and then another.

I jump off Puck’s lap and look up at the clearing through the trees, watching the fireworks bang, lighting up the sky.

“Happy birthday, Bonnie,” Puck says amongst the noise, pulling me into him.

“I love this!” I exclaim, feeling like a normal sixteen-year-old girl, ringing in her birthday with the person she loves.

“I wish King and Dax were here. That would make this perfect,” I say almost to myself, wondering if Puck would hear it over the loud noises echoing through the trees.

“Who do you think is setting off the fireworks?” Puck asks, and I turn to look at him, a smile on my face, feeling unbelievably lucky to have these boys in my life.

Life might not always be the way you expect it to be, but that’s the problem with comparison; you’ll never be happy with the hand dealt to you if you compare it to someone else's who might have a royal flush.

I don’t need a full suit. I’m quite happy with my dysfunctional family of four.

Bon,

Happy sixteenth birthday.

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