Page 73 of It's Only Ever Been You

The vulnerability in those words doesn’t scare me anymore—it anchors me, making me fall more in love with him than I thought possible. Ethan leans down, capturing my lips in a kiss that’s slow and deliberate, like he’s savoring it. The feel of him is comforting and every movement, every touch, sends sparks racing through my body.

He shifts slightly, his lips running down my neck, lingering on the sensitive spot just below my ear.One he clearly knows drives me insane. A shiver runs through me, and I arch into him, my fingers sliding over the broad expanse of his back, memorizing the way his muscles tense and flex under my touch.

“Emma,” he murmurs, his voice low and filled with reverence. “Tell me what you need.”

His eyes lock with mine, and for a moment, the world stands still. “You,” I whisper, my voice trembling with need. “I need you inside me, now.”

The way he looks at me—like I’m the only thing in the universe—steals every breath from my lungs. His lips brush against the corner of my mouth, soft and tender, before moving to my collarbone, leaving a path of fire in their wake. His hands find my hips, firm yet gentle, as he holds me in place beneath him.

When he pushes into me, the sensation is all-consuming. My body stretches to accommodate him, every inch of him filling me in a way that makes me gasp, my hands gripping his shoulders like they’re the only anchor I have. He doesn’t move right away, giving me a moment to adjust, his forehead pressing against mine as his breathing comes fast and ragged.

“Fuck, Emma,” he groans, his voice thick with restraint. “You feel… incredible.”

The sound of his words sends a shiver down my spine, igniting a fire deep inside me. My nails dragacross his back, urging him to move, and when he finally does, it’s deliberate and slow, like he’s savoring every second. Each thrust is intentional, every movement a silent declaration of everything he feels but hasn’t said.

“I’m here,” he murmurs, his voice low and steady, grounding me in the moment. “I’m not letting you go.”

I cling to him, meeting him with a rhythm of my own, but it’s not enough. I want more—need more. Gathering my strength, I push against his chest, flipping us over until I’m straddling him. His hands immediately find my hips, steadying me as I move above him, rolling my hips in a slow, deliberate grind.

“Christ, Emma,” he growls, his head falling back against the pillow as his fingers dig into my flesh. “You’re going to kill me.”

A wicked smile tugs at my lips, and I lean forward, bracing my hands on his chest as I take him deeper. The angle is perfect, each movement sending jolts of pleasure through my body. He reaches up, cupping my breasts in his hands, his thumbs teasing over my sensitive nipples as he watches me with a mixture of awe and raw hunger.

“You’re so fucking perfect,” he murmurs, his voice strained. “Do you have any idea of the things you do to me?”

I answer by leaning down to kiss him, my lips capturing his in a searing kiss that leaves us both gasping. He doesn’t let me stay in control for long. With a low growl, he shifts, rolling us until I’m on my hands and knees, his body pressing against mine from behind. The change in position sends a shockwave of pleasure through me, and I moan his name, my voice breaking.

“That’s it, baby,” he says, his hand sliding up my back to gently grip the nape of my neck. “Let me hear you.”

His other hand slips around to the front of my body, his fingers finding my clit with unerring precision. He circles it slowly, teasingly, as he moves inside me, the dual sensations leaving me trembling. I press back against him, desperate for more, and he obliges, his pace quickening as his grip on my neck tightens just enough to make my pulse race.

“You take me so well,” he whispers, his breath hot against my ear. “Every inch of you, so fucking perfect.”

The words, combined with the relentless pressure of his hand between my legs and the feel of him driving into me, push me closer to the edge. My body tightens, the pleasure building to a crescendo that feels almost unbearable.

“I’m so close,” I manage to gasp, my fingers gripping the sheets as my bodybegins to tremble.

“I’ve got you,” he murmurs, his hand on my neck sliding down to wrap around my waist, pulling me flush against him. His lips brush against my shoulder, his movements becoming more urgent as he chases his own release. “Come for me, Em. Let go.”

His words are my undoing. The tension snaps, and I cry out, my body shattering around him as wave after wave of pleasure crashes over me. He follows moments later, his grip on me tightening as he buries himself deep, his groan vibrating through me.

For a moment, neither of us moves, our bodies trembling as we come down from the high together. He holds me tightly, his lips pressing gentle kisses along my shoulder and the curve of my neck. It’s not just sex—it’s something more, something I can’t put into words but feel in every fiber of my being.

Finally, he pulls back just enough to turn me in his arms, his gaze soft as he brushes a strand of hair from my face. “You’re everything to me, Emma,” he says quietly, his voice raw with emotion. “Everything.”

I press a kiss to his lips, my heart full. “And you’re everything to me.”

As we lie tangled together, I can’t help but think that this moment—this —is worth every risk, every fear. Because with Ethan, I’mfinally home.

Lying here in the stillness, his hands move over my skin, soothing and steady, as if he’s reassuring himself I’m really here.

“You’re it for me, Emma,” he says softly, his voice rough with emotion. “Always.”

Tears prick at the corners of my eyes, but they’re not from sadness. They’re from the overwhelming certainty that, for the first time in forever, everything feels exactly as it should.

“I love you, Ethan,” I whisper, the words coming as naturally as breathing.

His smile is soft and radiant. He kisses me again, slow and unhurried, like we have all the time in the world.

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