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“I have to say this. If I don't, I'll explode. Ah—” I held my fingertip to his lips and left it there. “Just let me get this out.”

He nodded, his lips curving beneath my touch.

“EJ, I'm crazy about you. I know I messed up. God, I messed up in a huge way, but I meant it when I said I was sorry and have been ever since that day. What I didn't tell you was this—not a day has gone by that I haven't relived that moment. No other kiss has ever compared. No one else could hold a candle to you. For the last ten years, I've been searching for… pining for something and that something was you. I know that I asked if we could try being friends. Screw that. It's not enough, and if I haveto wait another ten years to convince you to give this a shot, to give us a shot, God dammit I will.”

He grabbed my hand and pulled it from his lips with a quiet laugh. “Can I talk now?”

“Yeah, shit. Sorry.”

“God, you're so fucking cute.” His hands landed on my chest as he grinned. “Remember when I said I accepted your apology and that you needed to stop apologizing so much?”

I nodded, swallowing audibly as my hope grew stronger and larger. I needed his next words to be good ones so badly, I could barely breathe.

“Well, I meant it.” His hands traveled higher over my pecs to slide around my neck, his fingertips shifting to brush along my hairline at the back of my head. “As for that bit about just being friends?”

“Yeah?” My words came out rough around the edges as my eyes darted all over his face.

“I lied too. I want more. But you're going to need to make the first move this time. It didn't end so well for me last time. This is how you show me you mean it.”

“Shit, EJ.” I pulled him flush to my body in an instant, my arms winding tight around his torso. He was so firm, so warm, soreal. Like every dream I'd had for years came to life at that moment and my heart soared. “God, I mean it. I absolutely meant every word of it.”

“Then kiss me, you fool.” His voice was full of mirth.

My lips landed on his brow, his cheek, his nose, his other cheek, and then finally, in a blissfully brilliant flash of delight, the plush cushion of his lips was beneath mine. His grip tightened around my neck as mine tightened around his torso and with the most subtle repositioning, the kiss deepened. Lips parted, breaths mingled, and our mouths fused in a perfect, poignant reconnection ten years in the making.

His tongue teased over my lower lip and I shuddered head to toe before sweeping it into my mouth and dancing mine around it. God, I needed this. I needed him. It was a burning need that transcended the physical and shot directly into my very soul. It was push and pull and more and yes all wrapped into a singular, defining moment so intense, fireworks erupted behind my closed eyelids.

He broke the kiss with a soft moan that I could feel in the core of my body—molten hot and delicious. Incensed, I dove back for more. Grappling hands and urgent desire kept our bodies firmly pressed together, top to toe, as I shifted my leg between his thighs to press against his burgeoning erection. I needed more and more and more.

“Oh, fuck,” he groaned, throwing his head back with a panting breath. “Christ, Will.”

“Told you… I meant it…” My lips trailed wet kisses over his jaw and down his neck.

“I believe you.” He tugged at my shirt, shifting his arms under mine to slip his hands underneath the thin fabric. The sensation of his palms on my bare skin combined with the chill of the autumn night brought a shiver to my spine as I moaned against the pulse pounding in his neck. I nipped along the tendon and rocked my hips against his, desperate for friction and connection and more. Just more of him.

“Will… good God…” He huffed out a breathy laugh and gripped my sides. “Time out.”

Immediately, I froze. Still panting, my pulse pounding in my ears, I pulled back to search his face. His pupils were blown wide in the pale moonlight and the flush bleeding over his cheeks and chin was enough to have my vision tunneling. His words, in contrast, had my heart plummeting.

“Hey, no…” He cupped my chin and pecked my lips. Somehow that sweet, tender, innocent act was even more powerful thanthe wanton kissing that had left us in this state. “Your face just got so sad. We are definitely doing more of this. I just want to do some general housekeeping before we get too carried away.”

“Oh,” I mumbled, shifting my hands lower to grip his hips, partially to keep him from leaving and partly because I never wanted to be apart from the bliss of his body. I'd already lost too much time. My brow furrowed. “Housekeeping?”

“Oh man, you're panicking. This is your panicking face.” He smoothed my frown away with a thumb to my brows. “Housekeeping. Top, bottom, side, preferences, likes, dislikes, consent.”

Realization had heat flooding my cheeks in shame and arousal combined. I laughed with relief and let my forehead fall to rest against his. “Okay, so maybe I was panicking a little. Now I know what you mean.”

“Mm, you always were a little quick to jump to the worst case scenario.” Once more, he stole a tiny kiss and the butterflies resumed their swirling dance in my gut. “Now tell me what I want to hear.”

“Consent is a hell yes. I've… never bottomed but not because I don't want to. I'd be willing to try that. I really like eating ass and giving head. I guess… dislikes… oh, no sharing. I don't think I could.”

“Jesus, I'm going to blow in my pants.” He chuckled and shifted his hips against mine to illustrate his point. He was most definitely rock hard, even with our momentary time out. “I also enjoy all forms of oral pleasure, giving and receiving. I can go either way. Top or bottom. And if we’re doing this, we’re going to do it monogamously. Just let me know if you want to explore something else with someone else before—”

“Literally shut up right now.” I brought a hand to his mouth and laughed. “You think now that I've gotten what I never should have run from afterthislong, I'd want anything else?”

He nipped at the muscle of my palm and grinned like the devil as soon as I pulled my hand away. “Babe, we haven't even slept together. Don't make promises when you don't know what is in store. Maybe I'm a boring lay? Maybe you hate my sex sounds? Maybe—”

I pressed my hand back to his mouth. “Shhh. Too much crazy talk.”

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