Page 72 of Where We Bloom

He kisses my pulse point.

“A hard worker.”

Kisses my throat.

“Always moving.”

Kisses my chin.

“So bloody dedicated.”

His lips touch mine, and we’re breathing the same air.

“My bumble bee.”

He’s kissing me, and I’m melting into him, clinging to him. I feel him pull out of me, my feet find the tile floor, and he frames my face, kissing me so softly, solovingly, it makes my heart catch.

He pulls back but doesn’t release me, and I take him in. His biceps are bunched, showing off hisridiculouslygorgeous arms. His chest and abs could be those of a Greek god. He’s phenomenal in every way.

And he’s here withme.

I’m a lucky fucking girl.

“It’s funny,” I whisper as I run my fingertip down the bridge of his nose. “When I think of bumble bees, I picture them covered in pollen, blissed out, and sleeping in a flower.”

“That fits you, too,” he says and lets his hands fall from me, and I already miss his touch. “Blissed out and covered in my cum, sleeping in my bed.”

My jaw drops, then I wrinkle my nose and smack his arm. “That’s …dirty.”

“There’s absolutelynothingdirty about that picture.” He kisses my nose and smiles down at me in one of those heart-stopping, full-on smiles that are so rare from him, and it makes me feel like I’m glowing. “Now come here and let me get us clean again. You distracted me.”

Once we’re clean and dry, he leads me back to the bedroom.

“Do you want a shirt?” he asks.

“Nah, I’ll sleep naked. It’ll just be easier next time.”

I know I’m a plus-sized girl, but I’m perfectly comfortable in my skin. Connor doesn’t seem to have any complaints, so sleeping in the nude doesn’t bother me.

“I have to work for a while,” he informs me as I climb into the bed, and I turn to frown at him. “I’m taking tomorrow off, so I have to get a few things done, but I’m going to work from the bed.”

“Connor, I can go home, and you can?—”

“Absolutelynot.” He’s suddenly wrapped around me, holding me against him and pressing kisses all over my face, making me grin. “You’re staying here, in this bed, with me. And I’ll be right here with you. I just need an hour to tie up some loose ends.”

I yawn and nuzzle my nose against his naked chest, enjoying the light smattering of hair there. I’m also relieved that he’s not asking me to leave because I have a feeling I’m about to have the best night's sleep I’ve had in months. “Okay. Go ahead, just don’t move a muscle.”

He chuckles and kisses me again. I love that he always has his lips on me.

“I’m right here. Go to sleep.”

I’m drifting off as I feel him move away, but he doesn’t leave the bed. True to his word, he sits up and grabs his laptop. I curl up beside him, listening to the lightclick-clackof the keys as he types. Once in a while,he’ll reach down and brush his fingers through my hair, making me sigh.

Yeah, this works.

And before long, I feel myself being pulled down into sleep.

He’s passed out next to me, sleeping so soundly, I don’t have the heart to wake him. There’s light coming through the window, telling me that it’s morning, but we’re both taking the day off, so there’s no hurry to get up.

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