Page 120 of Seeds of Malice

My heart thumps hard against my chest.

He slides his hand through my hair and kisses me so intensely I get dizzy. I whimper, and he retreats. "I need you, Ivy."

Dax needs me.

"Don't you need me, baby girl?"

"Yes. I need you," I whisper.

"Then let me give you all of me. Give me all of you," he murmurs.

I slowly inhale.

"Please, gorgeous," he pleads, then adds, "I'd never let you get pregnant. Not until we're ready to start our family. I promise. I'll only ever protect you."

My heart soars. I lean into his ear. "Okay, Mr. Sexy." I try to take a step back but almost fall.

"Whoa!" He steadies me, holds my face in front of his, and disapproval fills his gaze. "Maybe you're too drunk."

"I'm not drunk!"

"I don't want you to regret me."

"I won't!"

"If you're too intoxicated?—"

"I'm not too intoxicated. I told you, I'm fine," I insist.

He slides his hand on my head and strokes his thumb over my cheek. I close my eyes, leaning into his warmth. I mumble, "I love how you make me feel, Dax."

He cups my pussy, and tingles explode everywhere. "You do?"

"Yes. Please, Dax. Give me all of you," I beg.

"Ivy, I need all of you. But I need all of you when you can handle it."

Avery's voice haunts me, singing,You can't handle it.

It makes me feel crazy. And desperate to prove I can handle anything Dax gives me—anything he needs from me.

My eyes refill with tears. I cry, "You believe the same thing Avery does, don't you?"

He tenses. "Of course I don't."

"You do. You just said it. You think I'm not good enough for you."

"That's not true, Ivy. I've never said that or thought that. I've told you that's not true several times. So stop talking. Stop making things up. You're being paranoid again."

Am I paranoid?

I can't help it and accuse, "You didn't even want to bring me to the party."

"No, I wanted to go home and spend the night with you in bed. Is that so bad?"

Guilt fills me, but part of my insecurity still questions whether Dax didn't want to bring me here. It only makes my desire to please him stronger.

He asks, "What do I have to say for you to get it through your head?"

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