But she just shook her head, moaninglowin her throat.
“I swear to God…” I draped the rag over her leg, cupping her face in my hands. “You’re horrible.” My lips brushed hers, just barely.
“Come on, Winnie.” She tugged at my bottom lip, a devilish look in her eyes. “Show me what youwant.”
“Iwantyou to be still, be quiet, and let me clean you up. Iwantto go back to bed without possibly exposing myself to mymother.” Without turning, without breaking eye contact, I reached behind us, grabbing a clean set of sheets from the closet. “I might be fullpooh bear’ed right now, baby. But I’m about to carry you across the hall just like this.Stay quiet.”
Juniper blushed, clamping her mouth shut quickly. “That’s what I thought.”
Once we were securely back in the guest room, I quickly stripped the sheets and remade the bed, and Juniper took no time falling backwards on top of the crisp blankets.
She didn’t say anything at first. Just lay there, breathing deep, eyes half-lidded but watchful. I could feel her gaze on me — like she was cataloguing every twitch of my mouth, every time my hand lingered a second too long on her skin.
“Pooh Bear,” she finally murmured, voice rough, and it was a miracle I didn’t choke right there.
“Don’t,” I warned, because if I let myself laugh, the spell would break.
Her lips curved slow and lazy. “You’re literally shirt on, no-pants.Pooh Bear.”
I huffed, but it came out softer than I meant it to. “If you’re not careful, I’ll make sure you can’t talk for the rest of the night.” I tugged the shirt off, climbing onto the bed.
The spark in her eyes — oh, it threatened to burn me alive. But underneath it, there was something else. Something heavier. Like she knew this wasn’t just about the joke. Like she could feel the way my pulse was still racing for reasons that hadnothingto do with laughter.
Once I was next to her, I tugged her warm body against mine, fingers tangled in the curls at the nape of her neck, breath still ragged. Her words echoed in my chest —I love you— a confession that had shattered the quiet between us, burned brighter than the sheets beneath us.
It wasn’t just the sex. It washer, finally letting the truth slip free. And now, God, what do I do with it? I wanted to tell hereverything. To say it back in a way that meantmorethan just words. To promise her the whole goddamn world.
But instead, I kept my mouth shut. My thumb brushed along her cheek, tracing the path of tears she hadn’t wiped away. I swallowed hard, the knot in my throat making it hard to speak.
“Junie,” I finally whispered, voice rough and low, “you don’t know how long I’ve waited to hear that.”
She lifted her head, eyes shining with something fragile and fierce all at once. “I’m here,” I said, voice steady despite the storm inside me. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Her smile trembled. I pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, as if I could seal the moment between us forever.
I couldn’t keep my hands off her — not now, not ever. I’m not sure how I was supposed to go back to a life without her by my side every waking minute.
Fingers slid up her ribcage. I cupped her breast, thumb brushing over the peak, careful but desperate, like I was memorizing every inch of her.
Her breath hitched, eyes fluttering closed. “You’re driving me insane, Ansel,” she whispered, voice thick with want.
Good. Because she had pushed me pastinsaneseveral breathy moans ago.
I leaned down, mouth ghosting over her collarbone, trailing kisses that promised everything I’d held back. “Tell me again,” I murmured against her skin, voice husky.
She opened her eyes, lips parted. “What?”
“You. Say it again. ‘I love you.’”
A smile tugged at her mouth, mischievous and shy all at once. “You’re not going to get tired of hearing that, are you?”
“Never,” I breathed, thumb teasing her nipple until it tightened beneath my touch.
She arched into me, warm and yielding. “Then say it back.”
I grinned against her skin, fingers exploring with reverence and fire. “God, Junie... Iloveyou.”
CHAPTER 60
