Page 126 of I Could Be Yours

She grins. “You like my princess lingerie?”

“I love your princess lingerie.” I suck a nipple through the sheer fabric. “You are unbearably sexy.”

“So are you.” She hooks her leg over my hip. “Please make love to me.”

I settle between her thighs, and my erection slides over slick, hot skin. I hold her gaze as I sink into her, joining us.

“I love you,” I whisper against her lips.

Her expression softens, eyes glassy with desire. “I love you, too.”

“With my whole heart,” I promise.

We move together, limbs entwined, eyes fixed on each other. My heart is safe with her, protected, cared for. I feel it in the gentle way she invites me inside her, mind, body, and soul.

She’s everything I’ve ever wanted, and I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure her heart is cared for in the same tender way she cares for mine.

My sunshine-and-rainbows other half.

The love of my life.

The woman of my dreams.

CHAPTER 41

ESSIE

“Where the heck is it?” I plant my hands on my hips, close my eyes, inhale through my nose, and exhale through my mouth. “Please be there when I open my eyes.”

I crack a lid, but my most favorite dress of all is still not where I expect it to be. To be fair,nothingI own is where I expect it to be anymore.

“Do not murder your very smart, very thoughtful, exceptionally organized, well-endowed, hot-as-hell boyfriend who embraces you and your slightly manic love of all things pink and romance because you cannot find your dress. Or literally anything you own,” I mutter.

“Who you talking to, sweetness?” Nate appears out of nowhere.

I shriek and slap a hand to my heart.

He hugs me and kisses the top of my head, and I melt a little at the feel of his arms around me and the smell of his cologne. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” He pulls back, and that delightful furrow in his brow makes traitorous parts of my body excited.

I try to remember that I’m slightly annoyed with him for not being able to telepathically communicate where he’s moved allmy things. “Do you know where my pink, cap-sleeved, A-line, knee-length dress with the heart-patterned, hot pink belt is?”

He blinks at me. “I don’t know what half of those descriptors mean.”

“My favorite pink dress. The one that really highlights my cleavage.” It might be modest, but I know how to work it. Also, Nate is highly obsessed with my piercings and never passes up a chance to play with them. “Do you have any idea where it might be?”

“Oh! Yes.” He steps inside the tiny walk-in closet with me. I move to the doorway so he can turn around because the closet only qualifies as a walk-in when you’re under five-seven and not as broad as the doorway. “It’s right here.” He magically produces it. “I reorganized the closet, and since it’s technically autumn as of yesterday, I rotated these dresses to the back and brought your fall clothes to the front. I don’t know what your fall favorites are yet, but when I do, I’ll cycle them to the front so they’re easy for you to find.”

He smiles down at me, proud as punch and completely oblivious to the upheaval his organizational skills are creating in my life. But he’s so handsome when he smiles like that. And he’s just trying to be helpful.

“Can you also help me find the shoes that go with the dress?” I ask, as sweetly as I can.

“Absolutely. Again, I cycled your summer shoes to the back of the closet, because of seasonal changes. Your sandals are all here, arranged according to style, height of heel, and color. If you’d prefer closed toes because it gets cooler at night, and I know you’re not a fan of cold toes, your hot pink kitten heels are right here.” He helpfully pulls down both pairs.

I bat my lashes. “Can you also help me find my matching bra and panty set?”

“Of course.” He leads the way out of the closet, carefully setting the shoeboxes and my dress on the bed before he crosses to the dresser.

Since I’ve become Nate’s girlfriend officially, he’s started spending more nights here, which I love, a lot. But it means making room for his things in my tiny apartment, like his suits and changes of clothes. I’ve freed up a couple of drawers in my dresser for boxers, socks, T-shirts, and loungewear. Nate took it upon himself to reorganize the kitchen cupboards to make room for his snacks and his collection of Star Wars glassware. I should not be surprised that C-3PO is his favorite.

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