“You like that?” he asked.

“It felt very… nice.”

“Nice?” His dimples deepened. “I’m going to have so much fun finding every way to make you blush… moan… scream my name.”

“Aaron!”

“Yes, Poppy Star?”

“I love you.”

He sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes shuttering. When they opened again, they burned with possession. Because I was his. And he was mine.

And we were doing this.

“Aaron?”

“Yeah?” he choked out.

“Are we going to do this or are you just going to stare at me all night?” I fought a grin.

His hand slipped between our bodies and found the hem of my dress, and then the waistband of my leggings. And then he was right there, pushing two fingers inside me, making me gasp.

“You were saying?” He smirked, curling them deeper. My hips lifted to meet the gentle motion of his hand. God, it felt so good. Even better when he pressed his thumb against my clit.

“Ah,” I cried, pressing my lips together, trapping the whimpers in my throat.

“I can’t even imagine how good you’re going to feel when I’m inside you.” Dipping his head, he kissed the corner of my mouth, running his tongue over my jaw and then down my throat, nipping the skin there.

“Come for me, Poppy,” he whispered. “I want to watch you come undone.”

His intense gaze, his dirty words, and magic touch unraveled me. A wave rushed through me, making my body tremble. Gaining speed and force until it crashed over me and I was crying out.

“Aaron.” I fisted his shirt, dragging him down to me, sliding my lips over his mouth as pleasure saturated every inch of me.

“Say it again,” he said. “Tell me you’re mine and I’m yours.”

“I’m yours and you’re mine.” I smiled, the words spreading through me. Right. Perfect. Inevitable.

Because now we were here, together, I couldn’t ever imagine us not getting to this part.

“Do you think your dad would—”

“Seriously?” I balked. “You want to talk about my dad, now?”

“Shit, no. I… I didn’t—”

“Aaron, it’s okay.” I kissed him, realizing what this was. He was nervous. Trying to give himself a second to catch his breath… by talking about anything except the heat simmering between us.

“I just want it to be perfect.” He inhaled sharply.

“Perfect is overrated, Aaron. I want messy and raw and real… I want us to learn, together.” I smoothed my hand over his cheek.

His body trembled above me, a tightly coiled rope. And I wanted him to break. I wanted him to snap.

“Aar—”

He dived at me, kissing me like I was oxygen and he was drowning. His hands slid up and over my body, mapping my curves, unwrapping me like a present he couldn’t wait to devour. Until I was lying beneath him in nothing but my black matching underwear.