Page 104 of Juliet & Her Romeos

My stomach feels like it’s filled with butterflies. My eyes sting.

When I drop my curls, Ambrose adjusts the necklace. He traces over it, as it rests in the dip of my throat.

Ambrose returned Mom’s necklace. It’s the only thing that I have of hers, and now it’s hanging around my neck again.

Plus, he kept the keepsake safe all these years, which I gave him, only to return it as a bonding gift.

“Corny.” I smile, but my eyes glimmer with happy tears. I raise my hand to clutch at the necklace. “Because that would makeyouPrince Charming.”

Ambrose’s expression cools. “Hardly.”

Then he points above his head.

When I look up, I give a soft gasp at the sea of mistletoe that’s been fastened across the ceiling.

“Oh look, mistletoe,” Ambrose deadpans.

Then he tips me off his lap onto the mountain of presents, leaning over to cage me with a growl.

Up close, his eyes are the most beautiful color that I’ve seen like gleaming gems.

“Was the mistletoe on discount?” I pant.

“I love to take gambles.” Ambrose grabs my wrists and pins me down. “But not when it comes to you, my Juliet. And not about our first kiss.”

Our first kiss.

My chest is rising and falling rapidly. My lips are already tingling simply from his breath against my skin.

Still, that sounds like the overachiever that I knew, whether in sport or grades.

Ambrose is competitive. He was raised that way the same as Silvanus was.

I often wonder if their greatest fear is failure. And that’s such a fucking dangerous way to think.

“I’m here,” I reassure him. “I’ve always been yours. You’ve got me now.”

Ambrose snarls, before kissing me, hard and deep and passionate.

There’s no hesitation or slow exploration. He kisses me like he’s been kissing me for a lifetime.

As if I’ve already been claimed.

I moan, allowing Ambrose to dominate the kiss, at the same time that he tightens his hold around my wrists.

I struggle a little, simply to enjoy the sensation. It appears to turn him on even more (as I guessed that it would), and he deepens the kiss further, thrusting his tongue in and out, until I’m dizzy.

I’m wet, pushing up against the muscled line of his leg.

I’m drunk on Ambrose’s spicy scent and the taste of him.

Finally, he breaks the kiss to allow me to breathe, but when I burst into satisfied purring, he gives his first genuine smile.

It gentles his expression, which makes my purring become louder.

Then he lowers his head to my neck, licking my scent gland.

“I can’t wait to bond with Vito and you,” I say, dreamily. “You’re going to bond with Swan too, right? I know that there will be challenges ahead like winning this next contest against the Cinders and facing your mom, but we can face them together now.”

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