Page 39 of Sweet Torment (The Sweet 1)

“I’m spending the night.”

Fuck, yeah. “How did you pull off an all-nighter with Staci and Shane?”

HerI’ve-been-up-to-no-goodsmile appears. That wicked grin makes my dick twitch every time I see it. “Lies and schemes.”

I bet she told her parents she’s staying at a friend’s house, which has a high likelihood of backfiring. Chances are good we’ll be exposed. But I don’t care; it won’t matter after tonight. “Do I even want to know?”

She grins as she shakes her head. “It’s probably best you don’t.”

“Is that my surprise? That you’re staying with me tonight?”

“It’soneof your surprises.”

I don’t hate the sound of that. “More than one, huh? Very interesting.”

“There are lots of interesting things to come. And then I hope there are just things thatcome.”

“I’m certain there will be two things thatcome.”

Claud licks her lips and rubs them together before she drops her bag on the floor and propels herself into my arms.Guess we’re not waiting around to do this.

I suck her bottom lip and release it with an audible pop before moving my mouth over hers. Our tongues fall into a rhythmic wave, a seductive swirl of soft, wet velvet. I don’t know how I had the strength to control myself with her these last few months. In this moment, I’m powerless to stop devouring her.

The rhythm of our kiss is no longer slow, sweet, and smooth. It’s sensual, seductive, and sexual.

I drag my mouth along her jawline toward her ear, leaving kisses in its path. She squirms when I kiss the sensitive spot below her earlobe. “God, Claud, I want to fuck you so bad that I can’t stand it.”

A rush of guilt forces me to get myself in check when I hear the words I just said to her.Claud’s never done this. I can’t lose control or I risk hurting her.

She pulls back and grabs my face as if sensing the regret and forces me to look down at her. “I want this, Duke. More than I want to breathe.” She grins as she repeats the words I’ve told her on more than one occasion.

“I love you so much, Claudia Laine Bliss.”

“I love you, too, Noel Abraham Windsor.”

I bend down to grab her bag and then her hand. “There’s no going back after we do this. It’s done. You’re mine forever.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.” And I have the ring to prove it.

This is it. This is right. And this is happening.

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