Page 124 of The Score

Dean halts midsentence. For a second, he looks genuinely confused, as if he doesn’t know what I’m talking about. As if he doesn’t realize what he’d said.

But I heard it. Loud and clear. My heart skips a beat. He just told me he loves me.

“You just said it,” I tell him, fighting the huge smile that’s threatening to surface.

“I…” He clears his throat. “Well, damn. I guess I did.”

“Did you mean it?” When he nods, my lips start twitching uncontrollably. God, I want to smile so fucking bad right now. “I want to hear it again,” I beg.

He scrubs his fist over his chin, looking adorably uncomfortable. “Aw shit, babe. Don’t make me say it again. It’s bad enough that I said itfirst. That’s never happened to me before.”

The smile breaks free. It stretches my face from ear to ear. I fly off the bed and into his arms, too giddy to kiss him like a grown-up. My kisses are sloppy and overly eager and Dean is laughing like crazy as I maul him with my mouth.

I abruptly pull back. “Are you sure your head doesn’t hurt too badly?”

“It’s fine,” he insists, and a deep rumble ofdelight leaves his throat when I smack some more kisses all over his face.

“Okay, good, because I think we should have sex now.” I push him toward the bed and reach for his waistband.

He’s highly amused. “We should? And why’s that?”

“Because you told me you love me, and I love you too, and youknowhow turned on I get by all this emotional stuff.” I’m already ripping my shirt off. “You have no idea how wet I am right now, sweetie.”

The humor in his eyes is replaced with smoky desire. “Show me,” he orders.

I ease my yoga pants off my hips. Undies too. I kick them away and move closer. Then I take Dean’s hand and bring it between my legs. He instantly curls it over me, and I cover his knuckles with my palm, grinding both our hands against my damp core.

Dean groans, and this time not in pain. Or maybe it’s a different kind of pain. His erection tents in his boxer-briefs, a hard, long ridge of arousal that I’m dying to feel inside me.

“Allie…” His voice is husky.

“Mmm?” I rock my hips against our hands.

“I love you.”

Those three syllables send a jolt of heat to my core. I moan. So does he. I know he felt the way my thighs clenched and the rush of moisture that must have coated his palm.

“Jesus,” he chokes out. “This love thing really does make you wet.”

“Told you.” I give him another shove and he hits the mattress, falling back on his elbows. “I’m goingto be coming all over you. Like, exploding ovaries and multiple orgasms kind of coming.”

Dean reaches into a drawer for a condom, and I’m on top of him before he even has his dick out. “Love you,” he whispers, then presses his mouth to mine.

The kiss is sweet and gentle, sending flutters of pleasure through my body. His hand trembles as he puts the condom on, and our mouths are still locked when he rolls me over and pushes just the tip of his cock inside me.

I wrap my arms around his shoulders and cant my hips, trying to draw him in deeper. It works. With a soft groan, he slips in another inch, then another one, until finally he’s all the way in, stretching me, filling me.

Our eyes lock in a hazy stare as he starts to move. I feel so fucking full. It’s incredible. Dean pushes a strand of hair off my forehead and strokes my cheek, making love to me in a lazy, blissful tempo that has my toes curling.

“Love you,” he says again, and damned if my entire body doesn’t sing with joy.

I hold him tighter against me, welcoming each slow thrust. He slides his hands under my ass and lifts me up so his pubic bone presses into my clit every time he drives deep. It brings stars to my eyes. Makes me gasp and moan and writhe until my whole world centers on Dean. When my orgasm ripples through me, I have the words “I love you” on my lips.

His green eyes burn with emotion. He lets out a husky groan and sags on top of me, thrusting deep one last time. Then he says, “I love you too” as he trembles with release.

29

ALLIE

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