Page 43 of Full House

“Victoria, shut up.”

“Would you stop telling me to shut up.”

“Then stop talking nonsense.”

“Defining our relationship, or lack thereof, is not nonsense and something we should have discussed long before now.”

He placed his forehead against hers, rolling it back and forth while his shoulders shook as he tried to contain his mirth over the ridiculousness of the situation. “You drive me batty, woman. Do you know that?”

“Me?” She pushed at his shoulders, and he let her have some space—not a lot, but some.

“Yes, you. Now, I’m going to say this slowly and simply so there’s no misunderstanding. I love you.”

She blinked. Her mouth opened then closed. Then she blinked again. She swallowed.

His shoulders started shaking again, trying to control his laughter.

“Are you laughing?”

He lost it. His barely contained laughter spilling from his lips.

Her lips pressed together, and she frowned. “Was that a joke?”

That sobered him up. “Fuck no. Trust me, sweetheart, that’s not something I would joke about.”

“Then why are you laughing?”

He captured her face in his hands. “You’re too fucking adorable.”

Her eyes slanted, giving him a dirty look. “I was going to say it back, but now, not only don’t I love you, I don’t think I even like you.”

And with that, he lost it again. He buried his face in her neck, chuckling. Each breath in was filled with her scent. He’d missed it. Missed her. He pressed his face deeper into her neck, opening his mouth to taste her, sucking her flesh into his mouth. She tasted even better than she smelled. His cock grew impossibly hard, throbbing in his pants, and he knew he couldn’t wait another second to have her.

Backing from the counter, pulling Victoria with him, he swooped her up and made his way toward the stairs.

“What are you doing?” Her arms had automatically found his neck and latched on.

“I’ve missed you.” His mouth found her neck again, and he navigated the steps by feel rather than sight.

“I’ve missed you too, but don’t you think we need to talk?”

“After. Right now, I need to be inside you. Surrounded by you. I need to cover you in my scent. Mark you as mine.”

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