Page 86 of Queen Rose

Nate continues his torturously long journey up my body, with his lips and tongue tasting and sucking along the way, until his cock finally lines up with my pussy and he thrusts inside me with one bold, breathtaking stroke.

He attempts to hold most of his weight off of me as he begins to move, but I’m not having any of it. I pull him down on top of me. “I want to feel every inch of you against every inch of me. Need to be this connected to you.”

He stares into my eyes, and I feel a little lost looking into his. He murmurs, “Baby, I’ll give you anything you want. Anything.”

Hearts pounding as one, Nate shows me he knows exactly what I need. Our gazes lock and hold as he slowly slides in and out of my body, each entry and retreat hitting me just right. He kisses me the way I’ve always dreamed someone would. He makes me feel like I’m the only thing he could or would ever want. He makes my body sing and my heart soar.

I know he has to be close as his breaths come hard with every snap of his hips against my ass. “Fuck, baby. I love being inside you.” He kisses and sucks on my neck as I gasp out in pleasure, then pushes up far enough to wedge his hand between us, rubbing the pad of his finger over my clit.

And that’s when it happens. I see those stars I was asking for. They’re bright and flickering in my field of vision as my body lets go, swamped in sensation. Nate groans, the tendons in his neck standing out as he throws his head back and drives into me a few more times. His entire body stills, and then, I swear, I feel his cock pulsing inside me as he comes.

“Fuuck, baby.” He collapses on top of me, but immediately pulls out and rolls over to his back, bringing me to his side. “Sorry,” he grunts, “I know I’m fuckin’ heavy.”

I bite my lip as I watch him laboring to breathe, knowing his need for me did that to him. “It’s okay. I like it.”

“Good.” He huffs out a breath, then looks at me from the corner of his eye, like he wants to say something, but then looks away again. We’re quiet for a few moments, and I try to put it out of my head. It seems like he has something else on his mind. I have no idea what it could be, though.

Eventually, his breathing slows, and he leans over to kiss me before he slips from the bed. He heads into the bathroom without a word. He’s in there for a few minutes longer than what I’d think would be normal to get rid of a condom and wash his hands. I begin to fidget.

When Nate finally emerges, he’s got this weird look on his face. “Baby, I need to tell you something,” he rasps.

My stomach turns. I start to say something twice as he climbs into the bed with me, tucking me into his side once again, but I can’t get it out. I chew on my bottom lip, nerves taking over. I sit up, drawing the sheet up to cover my breasts.

He pushes up to a reclined position against the pillows and takes my hand in his. He looks into my eyes for several long seconds before he puts me out of my misery. “Remember when we got here last week, and I told you what I’d seen in you that night?”

My brows draw together. “Yeah,” I whisper, “it was really sweet.”

He nods. “There was something else I wanted to say, but I was afraid it was too soon. Or it wasn’t the right time.”

“Oh.” My mind scrambles, trying to suss out what he’s thinking, but I can’t. His face is carefully blank. I don’t know what to make of it.

He scrubs his free hand over his cheek. “How do I put this? I saw an amazing badass, trying so hard to overcome a shitty situation. But I also saw myself that night—just an average guy who has fallen so damn hard for an unattainable girl.” He turns his head to look me directly in the eye. “What I’m trying to say is I’m in love with you, Aria.”

What?

“Is it too soon?” He rakes his teeth over his lip as he takes in my confused reaction.

My heart is pounding so hard, I wonder if I heard him right. “Y-you—did you just say you’re in love with me?”

He nods. “I did.”

“But you can’t love me.” My mouth hangs open, disbelieving.

He cocks his head to the side, narrowing his eyes. “I do though. And what do you mean by ‘I can’t’?” He gently squeezes the hand he’s holding.

Flustered, I drop the sheet so I can put my other hand to my lips, staring at him. “You really love me? But—”

“Aria.” He tugs on the hand he’s been holding until I land sideways on his lap. “I really, really love you.” He lowers his mouth to mine, kissing me slow and soft.

Never in any of my dreams had I ever thought this moment would find me. The girl who had so many secrets to hide would never let someone get this close.

But here’s Nate, who knows all of my awful, dark truths, and he loves me anyway.

When he eases back, he studies my face, a look of such hope in his eyes.

“There’s something wrong with what you said earlier.”

His brow lifts, and he waits, expectantly.

“You’re no average guy, Nate. You’re mine. And I love you, too.”

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