“Let me talk, please.” Ciprian kisses the tracks of my tears. “I’m trying to wait my turn, but I’m the youngest child, and that’s hard for me on a normal day. Your tears make me want to kill everyone on this realm.”
“I’m listening,” I tell him.
“There’s no problem here, babe. I’m scared of losing you too.”
“You are?” My eyes blur, and I swipe at them, pissed that they’re choosing now to leak obnoxiously and block my view.
“Duh. I’m embarrassingly in love with you. I swore to myself that I wouldn’t let myself come until I could do it inside you, and that was a week after we met. I realize it sounds crazy and stalkerish to say out loud, but that’s not the point, hot wings.”
Ciprian drags his fingers through his hair, making an even bigger mess.
I’m itching to fix it, so I wedge my hands between my thighs to avoid temptation.
“Where was I?” he asks.
“The point,” I whisper.
“Right.” He nods. “The point is: I think I’ve always belonged with you, I just didn’t know it because I hadn’t met you yet. You think I might leave you? Shit, Celine, someone would have to drag me away. I would crawl inside your skin if I could. I’m not trying to sound creepy—but I fucking love you.”
Air catches in my throat, and I give up trying to get a handle on my tears.
“Your confidence, your shit-starting smile, the way you straighten the tassels on the kitchen mat with your toes whileyou’re doing the dishes. I love how you pretend to be a hardass, but as soon as someone you care about needs help, you’ll tear yourself to pieces to make them whole again. Your heart is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, and I want you to give it to me, because you already have mine.”
I kiss him, unable to hold back any longer, then pull away, energy rushing through my veins. “More,” I demand. “Tell me more.”
Ciprian blinks at me, then his eyes sharpen and he grins. “I hate mustard, but I’d lick it off every inch of you if you asked.”
“I don’t see myself wanting that, but I’ll keep it in mind. What else?”
“Sometimes I can’t fall asleep because every time I close my eyes, I picture you and get hard.”
“How inconvenient,” I purr, reaching for the clasp of his jeans. “Prove it.”
Without hesitating, Ciprian closes his eyes.
I watch, eagerly, hand frozen above the waistband of his pants.
Barely eight seconds pass before the outline of his cock becomes visible. After another ten, his erection is straining against the fabric.
I lick my lips. “Ciprian . . .”
“Yeah, hot wings?”
“I’m about to give you the best blow job you’ve ever had”—he groans loudly, and his dick twitches—“but before I do that, I need you to know something, okay?”
He gulps. “Okay.”
“I’m in love with you too, and if you ever leave me, I’ll freak out.”
“Please,” he gasps. “Freak out. Lose your shit over me.”
“I’d come after you,” I say. “Drag you back.”
Ciprian moans. “That’s fucked up. It’s turning me on.”
Nipping at his hip bone, I pull his cock out of his pants. It’shuge and hard and I want to taste it. I run my tongue along the underside, then pop the tip into my mouth, hollowing out my cheeks and sucking lightly.
“Please don’t stop loving me.” Ciprian’s black eyes shoot open, and I feel like he can see right through me. “Because I couldn’t stop loving you even if I tried.” His hand on my cheek is gentle. It twitches once, and I smile.
