Page 37 of Now You're Mine

“Are you hungry?” I ask.

“No.”

With a nod, I grab my clothes and then move to leave.

The comforter is pulled up over her head, but she pulls it down enough to peek out. “Where are you going?”

I shrug. “I just figured I’d—”

Fuck I don’t know how to do this. In the most rookie move ever, and in the heat of the moment, I’d said those three forbidden words.I love you.

And I feel it. I feel it to my core. I love this girl. I’m just not sure I should have admitted it out loud. I can only pray she didn’t hear me.

She opens the comforter, exposing the empty spot next to her. “You said you’d stay with me.”

I eye her, and decide I owe her that, at least. Plus, I’ve fucked her twice now, so there’s a chance Imightbe able to keep my hands off her. As long as we don’t talk about theI love you,then we’re golden.

Dropping my clothes, I walk over to the bed, and climb in naked, like she is. The second I get into the bed, though, I realize keeping my hands off her isn’t going to happen. There’s no way I can sleep next to her lush, naked body andnottouch her. It’s like asking the devil not to sin. It’s impossible.

I should probably insist we both put clothes on, but let’s be real, that’s not going to help. Lux is my addiction, and clothes or no clothes, I’m going to find a way to get my cock inside her.

I’m so fucking depraved.

I settle against the pillows, and fold my hands over my chest, trying my damndest not to touch anything. I’m already rock hard, though, just knowing she’s lying next to me, those pretty pink nipples brushing against the sheets.

Christ,I might need another ice-cold shower.

“What are you thinking about?” she asks, her tone light, curious.

“How on earth I’m going to sleep beside you without fucking you again,” I say honestly, closing my eyes so I don’t have to look at her. I can still smell her, though. Honey and vanilla waft over me and like an idiot, I inhale.

I can feel the mattress move as she repositions herself. “So…are we going to just pretend you didn’t just say what Ithinkyou said?”

Fuck.

Shoot me now.

“That would be great,” I say with a sigh.

The last thing I want to do is examine my fucking emotions and leave myself vulnerable to her. Do Iactuallylove her? I suspect I do, but does that change any of the fucked up shit I’ve done? I know it doesn’t, and I also know that the chances of us walking out of Exeter House happy and blissful are less than zero.

She hates me, and I can’t blame her.

I fucking hate me, too.

“We should talk about it,” she says.

It’s just like Lux to get straight to the issue. And I know she won’t let up until she gets some kind of answer out of me.Damn.Why did I have to fall for such a stubborn, hard-headed chick?

Opening my eyes, I turn my head to look at her. She’s up on one elbow, peering at me with those wide green eyes that are lit up with curiosity.

“What do you want to know?” I ask, already dreading her response.

“Why did you say it?”

Her tone is casual, nonthreatening, like we’re talking about the fucking weather. But it’s not a casual conversation. Or maybe it is for her. But for me, it’s like ripping my chest open andallowing her to judge what she finds inside, which is nothing more than a blackened, charred chunk of muscle that should be a heart.

There’s a long stretch of silence because truthfully, I don’t know what to say. I’ve never been in this position before. Do I tell her the truth? Do I shrug it off and blame it on the heat of the moment?

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