It was four in the morning before he made it back to the apartment. With the city lights casting shadows through the kitchen windows it was almost like every night he’d returned home late in the past three years.

Too quiet. Too empty.

Similar to the feeling inside his chest.

Except tonight, everything was different. No amount of fatigue could dull his excitement or ease his nerves.

The gentle sound of her sleeping filtered through his bedroom as he entered.

He stood beside the bed and just breathed until the rhythm in his chest matched the sound she made. Fuck, fuck, fuck. This was what he’d dreamed of and never thought possible.

Coming home to his gorgeous Aria all curled up in their bed.

He removed his clothes but left on his underwear. He’d only hug her. Hold her. Not rush her.

Not even wake her up.

It’d be enough to be beside her.

He peeled back the sheets then froze. Oh, that wicked girl. He reached out and turned on the lamp. So much for that plan.

She opened her eyes and blinked at him. Her soft white arm thrown up over her head, her beautiful tits exposed.

“This is the third time you’ve been naked in my bed without permission, and despite earlier reprimands, you don’t seem to be learning your lesson.”

Even though her eyes squinted against the light, her face cracked in one of her stunning smiles. Little troublemaker.

“Whatever am I to do about this?” His gaze raked her. There were a thousand things he could do. A million.

She shrugged then behaved the way he’d only expected in his dirtiest fantasies. She rolled onto her stomach and lifted—actually fucking lifted—her ass.

For a spanking.

He dragged a hand over his face. Stick a fork in him. He was done. She’d be the death of him. His little, spankable virgin was about to send him out of his mind.

This wasn’t what he’d planned. But then, who the fuck was he to deny a lady what she asked for?

He reached for her then stopped and set his hand on her lower back. His chest clamped, squeezing his lungs. Goddamn. This was too much.

She was really here.

And this time, she was his, and there was nothing and no one to keep him from her. He brushed his fingers along her spine and caressed the curve of her juicy ass.

Her hips settled down on the mattress, and her muscles relaxed.

She rolled over. Her hair was a fiery riot. Her eyes dreamier than usual and his heart just wanted to crack open and spit glitter.

“Hey, Nathan?” she asked casually.

He had to clear his throat twice in order to answer. “Yes?”

“Why is Santa’s sack so big?”

In an instant, the bursting feeling eased, and he smiled. “Why?”

She flashed her even teeth and wiggled her brows suggestively. “Because he only comes once a year.”

Laughter exploded out of his chest. Sassy girl. He flopped down beside her and hauled her close. Innocent, dirty girl. This woman knew him best. Knew just how to make him laugh and talk and feel.

“What happened?” She brushed her fingers under the split on his brow, and her mouth pinched.

He grabbed her fingers. “That’s where your dad socked me in the eye.”

“He did…” she said, confirming not asking.

“Before he gave his blessing.”

Her eyes widened. “He did?”

“Maybe not a blessing, but he accepted how it’s going to be once I explained the truth.”

Her lips parted. “And what’s the truth?”

“That I’m in love with his daughter. That I’d follow her to Greenpea or wherever in the world she wanted to live.” He took her by the back of the neck. “That I’m done pretending not to be, and I’m going to marry her. So, if they want to see their future grandkids, they’re going to have to understand you’re mine now, and I’m never letting go.”

Her head lulled in his grip, and her eyes went misty. “I love you so much, Nathan.”

“I love you, too, and I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but I swear it’ll be worth it.” He pressed his lips to hers. Her sweet tongue delved into his mouth, curling the happiness his life had been missing into his heart. He couldn’t stop kissing her, but her sexy body wiggled against him.

Made him need so much more than kissing.

He broke the connection and rolled on top of her. “You’re going to have to try to behave now, honey. I want to go easy, but you make me need to be hard on you.”

“I don’t have any problem with hard.” She bit her lower lip.

His blood rushed in anticipation. How’d he find a woman so perfect for him? Sweet and naughty, all wrapped up in a sexy package fit to make him fall to his knees and get religious every single time he looked at her.

“Oh, you’ll get hard.” He grabbed her wrists and lifted them above her head. “But right now, you’re going to control yourself and take what you have coming.”

“Coming sounds all right, too—”

He bent down and nipped her nipple.

She giggled, jerking in his grip. “Okay, behaving.”

He released her and finally, finally cradled her breasts into his palms. “I bet they’re sweeter than peaches.” He lowered his lips to her left tit and sucked her entire nipple into his mouth before letting it go and moving to the other. “They are, honey, they are.”

Need clenched his balls, but he only let his body sag against her. She spread her thighs, taking his weight.

He sucked on her nipples until they went hard, and she ground her wet pussy on him with a whimper.

He’d waited this long; no way was he rushing things now.

Her juices soaked his abdomen, but he wasn’t ready to give her everything she had coming just yet. Had to savor her.

Had to get a proper taste of her.

He slid down between her thighs. She kept them nice and spread, like a good girl. Her arms still raised where he left them. He parted her glistening, swollen lips. Her hard, greedy clit jutted, begging for his mouth. He couldn’t resist anymore and sucked the bundle of nerves just as he’d sucked her nipples.

Her hands flew down to grip his hair. “Oh, lord, Nathan!”

There was nothing as sweet as his name whispered in her throaty voice, but having her scream it in his bed was pure magic. He’d make sure she had plenty of chances to scream it tonight to ensure the sound rang in his ears for the next week.

He licked her from opening to clit and back again. She moaned, but it wasn’t enough; he wanted his name again. He pressed two fingers to her entrance and worked them in. Her snug pussy gripped him. Fuck, she was a tight, little virgin. He still couldn’t believe she’d saved herself for him. The joy of that reality made him tremble. Made him feel as though he were the virgin because nothing ever felt like this before.

He’d make this so damn good for her.

Make it worth the wait.

He tongued her clit, working it in small circles while he stroked inside her.

“Oh, shit, Nathan.” She twisted her hips.

Shit?

From her? He must be on the right track. He moved his fingers harder and faster, preparing her for when he’d soon be inside her, and sucked her clit.

Her nails drove into his scalp. “Nath—”

Her entire body shuddered, robbing him of the rest of the sound. Her pussy pulsed around his fingers, and his self-control shattered.

He moved up her body and positioned his cock at her wet, little cunt and, in an effort to dilute her pain, drove into her pulsing entry while she still came.

Her tightness clenched around him, and she screamed. He buried his hands in her hair and kissed her, letting her ride out the remaining pleasure as well as the sting.

When her arms wrapped around him and her tongue met his, he let her have all of his weight and sank deeper into her.

He broke the kiss. “You ready, honey?”

Her cheeks burned a deep pink, but her lips smirked. “You have no idea how long I’ve been ready for this.”

He groaned and pulled out to the tip before sinking all the way back into her magnificent warmth. She gasped and grabbed his ass.

He gave it to her like that, slow and measured, tip to base, until her pussy gave in to him as sweetly as the rest of her.

“See, I knew you were really a good girl.” He thrust harder, buried himself all the way then pulsed there. “You like taking it deep like a good girl, don’t you?”

Her back arched, and her eyes went big. “Oh, heck.”

“You haven’t seen heck yet, honey.” He kissed her before taking her by the back of the knees and shoving her legs up to her chest. He glanced down and nearly came.

Heck. Fucking, heck.

The sight of her stretched around him made his entire midsection clamp in ecstasy. Her pussy lips were engorged and hugging him, and that wasn’t the worst of it.

The smear of virginity on her pale thighs sent animal lust raging through him. He was going to blow, but he’d give it to her properly first.

He lifted up and slammed straight down at an angle that’d get her G-spot just right.

“Nathan!”

His ears echoed with her scream, and he drove into her until she gave him his name again and again.

Bliss squeezed his balls, and he spurted inside her. “Aria.”

His cock pulsed, and she came again, milking every drop from him. He slumped onto his side, rolling her with him. Not withdrawing for an instant.

“I love you,” she whispered into his neck.

He wrapped her in the biggest hug. He’d loved her for-fucking-ever, and for the first time, he was free to give her all of him. “I love you, Aria. And now you’re mine forever.”

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