Page 116 of Jump on Three

Slowly, he relaxed again, his mouth molding into a grin. “Good morning, angel.”

“The next time you get a tattoo, take me with you. I’d love to watch how it’s done. Is it terribly bloody?”

His grin widened into a beam. “Do you wake up with questions on your mind every morning?”

“Well, I’ve never woken up with a boy before. I didn’t think I would like sleeping with you, but I did. I slept like a rock, so it makes sense I’m so full of energy. Sometimes, I’m pretty grumpy, but you being here has definitely contributed to my good mood.”

Ivan reached up to cup my jaw and rubbed his thumb over my bottom lip. “You liked sleeping with me?”

“I did.” I flattened my palm on the center of his bare chest. “Did you?”

“Yes. Probably too much. I’m going to need it now.”

“You can have it. Not every day. I do love being alone, but I’m open to negotiations.”

His mouth hitched, and his lids lowered. “Good.”

“I love you too, by the way.”

With that, his lids reopened fully. “What?”

“Yes. I’ve thought about it, and I do love you. I knew I liked you and that you were important to me, but this morning, I looked at you as you lay there and I gained the clarity I needed to be certain. I love you.”

Ivan went still except for his eyes darting between mine.

“Did I short-circuit you?” I tilted my head, unsure what to do next. Shock him again to cancel out the first one?

I tried it. “I’m ready to have sex now if you are.”

He sucked in a harsh breath, then his arms locked around me, pulling me down to his chest. His mouth sought mine, giving me the most tender kiss of my life. His lips were soft with sleep and his love for me. There were a thousand sweet kisses on his tongue.

All for me.

And when we needed to breathe, he took my face in both hands. “I love you, Evelyn. You are my favorite person.”

“Wow,” I whispered.

He tapped my lips. “You don’t have to tell me I’m not your favorite person. I don’t need to be. I just want you to keep loving me.”

“I don’t foresee that being a problem.”

Laughing, he flipped me to my back and buried his face in my throat. He growled with hunger, and my toes curled, hoping he was ready too.

We kissed and shed our clothes. This part was familiar. We’d gotten to this place almost every day since we’d started. His skin against mine, our mouths everywhere, without boundaries, holding hands, panting breaths, licking kisses—it had all been enough until it wasn’t—until I discovered this unabating ache to feel him inside me, to know him in that way, that I couldn’t think of anything else.

It was because I trusted him. I was comfortable being myself around him. Not only being accepted but loved.

Also, he was hot and turned me on to levels I hadn’t known possible for my body.

Ivan paused his trail of kisses at my belly button, looking up at me. “Do you want to have sex now?”

I nodded so fast I made myself dizzy. “Yes, I want you so badly. Please don’t make me wait any longer.”

He shook his head, and my stomach dropped, but only until he spoke. “I won’t make you wait. I want you just as badly. I need to get you ready for me first. You’re going to be dripping when I enter you.”

My inner walls clenched at him saying he was going to enter me. Ivan’s smirk dragged over my skin until he reached my slit. Then it was his tongue touching me. Unlike previous times, he didn’t tease or take his time. His tongue stroked my slick flesh with precision meant to bring me pleasure as quickly as he could.

And he did.

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