Page 112 of Collect the Pieces

Now alarmed, I roll over. He props himself up on one elbow, eyebrows drawn down. His serious expression pulls me fully awake. He’s not waking me up for sex. “What? What’s wrong?”

His frown deepens. “Nothing’s wrong.” Then he reaches for me, cupping the side of my face. “I just…I can’t…”

I draw back, dislodging the covers as I go. Did he wake me up to…break up with me?

No. My gaze drops to his tight black boxer briefs. He wouldn’t wake up hard and insistent with someone he wanted to break up with, would he?

His jaw’s clenched tight and he’s studying me with that burning intensity that leaves me breathless and excited.

Not a breakup. Then what?

“Talk to me.” I reach for him, tracing my fingers over his shoulder and down his arm.

“Come back here.” He coils his arm around my waist and drags me closer this time. So tight to his front that I drape my leg over his hip.

He groans and grinds his hard length against my center. “Fuuuck.” He squeezes his eyes shut. “Don’t distract me.”

“How am I distracting you?” I ask with an innocent lilt. “You wokemeup, remember? If it’s not to give me this,” I push my hips forward, gasping when his hardness nudges my clit, “then what?”

He breathes harder, like he’s running a marathon in his mind. “I love you, Margot.”

The heat simmering inside me explodes. “What?” I whisper.

“I think, no, I know, I’ve felt this for a while. But I’ve never…beeninlove.” His frown deepens. “I love my club, my brothers, my sister…so I know what it is, I think. But this is…so different than anything else. I love you.” He shakes his head. “I don’t want to fuck this up.”

His gaze studies my face. Questioning. Waiting.

He might be braver than I am, but he needs to hear this as much as I did. “I love you too, Jensen.”

“You don’t have to do that,” he says. “You won’t hurt my feelings if?—”

“I love you,” I repeat.

He slides his erection against me and takes a shuddering breath. “I’m already fucking this up. I didn’t want to say it when we’re naked.”

“We’re not naked.”

“I very muchwantyou naked.”

I run my fingers through his hair and cup his cheek. “I love you.”

He stares at me as if he can’t decide if I’m telling the truth. As if he wants to believe but can’t.

“Iloveyou,” I say, with more force behind it. “I’ve wanted to tell you that…I’ve almost said it…but I was scared.”

“Of what?”

“Losing you. Scaring you away. Being too much.”

He drops his forehead to mine and breathes a deep sigh of relief. “Too much? I love everything about you. You could never scare me away. I’m afraid I’ll scareyouaway. I’m way too fucking needy when it comes to you.” A sharp scowl crosses his handsome face. “And I hate that I just said that out loud. But I trust you.”

“You’re not needy.” Or if he is, then so am I. I slide my body against his. His skin’s so warm, searing through my thin camisole. “You can say anything to me.” I press my lips to his. “Tell me anything. Everything.”

He rains kisses over my forehead, my cheeks, my lips, and down to my neck. “I love you.” He drags the straps of my top down my arms and kisses his way to the tops of my breasts. “I want tomake loveto you.”

“You already are.” In every touch of his lips against my skin. In every word he whispers, I feel it.

I don’t ask what this means about our future. Of where we go from here. I’m too happy to ask any question that might ruin the moment.

---