Page 158 of Naughty & Nice

“Maybe, but he understood and embraced it faster.”

He quirks a brow. “Faster than you wanting both our dicks?”

“Oh shush,” I laugh.

“Deny it all you like; I know you’re thinking about it right now.”

I smirk, my temperature spiking. “Well, I never did get my full Christmas wish, did I?”

“Dirty girl,” he teases.

“What have you done this week?”

“You mean, other than what you've seen by stalking my socials?”

I want to cringe, but I refuse.

“I was worried about you,” I confess. “Your outburst before we parted ways... I knew it was coming from a place of hurt. You might think you hide your true feelings from the world, but I see more than most,” I inform him.

“Great,” he deadpans. “I really am sorry, though. I didn’t mean it. Everything you did blew my mind. You were amazing,” he says, reaching out and tracing my bottom lip with his pointer finger. His eyes follow the movement as he sucks his own bottom lip into his mouth.

“So were you.”

“Where do we go from here?” he asks, doing a U-turn in the conversation.

I shrug the shoulder I’m not lying on.

“Wherever we want. But we probably shouldn’t make any plans while one of us is snoring.”

“What should we do instead?”

The speed at which he flips between vulnerable and arrogant gives me whiplash, but I let it go.

He’s trying here, but he’s also fighting the persona he’s worn like armor for years.

“I can think of a few things. You still have some making up to do, after all.”

He shifts closer, ensuring that every inch of our bodies is pressed together.

Desire washes through me. Hendrix has kept me more than satisfied this week, but that doesn’t mean I’m not ready for more.

“Noelle,” Wilder whispers so quietly I almost miss it. “I think I’m falling in love with you.”

His lips find mine the moment that confession is out of his mouth, stopping me from responding.

I’m glad he does, because I have no idea how I’m supposed to respond to that.

He kisses me so deeply, it brings tears to my eyes and ensures my heart continues to slam against my ribs.

But despite him being ready for more, he never pushes it further than a kiss.

He’s the perfect gentleman while Hendrix is sleeping, and as impressed as I am with his restraint, I’m also a little bit disappointed.

I have no idea how long we make out for, but eventually, we give up and drift off with our bodies tangled together.

I sleep deeper and longer than I have in a very, very long time.

39

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