Delaney fell back on the mattress and closed her eyes, a content sigh leaving her. She was completely spent, her body covered in a light sheen of sweat. Ivan collapsed next to her, breathing harshly, his big, muscular body radiating heat, sexually exhausted just like she was.

Opening her eyes and looking over at him, she couldn’t help the silly grin that spread across her face. He already watched her, a smile on his lips as well.

“How was that for bringing you some holiday cheer?” He lifted an eyebrow and she couldn’t help but start laughing.

Shaking her head and looking back at the ceiling, she thought about how everything had transpired, and where she was at now. Who would’ve thought she’d be lying in bed next to Ivan, the man she’d loathed but had secretly wanted for far too long?

It was funny how things transpired.

“Hey,” he said softly and reached out to cup her cheek, gently making her face him once more.

She shifted on the bed so she was now laying on her side, and Ivan did the same. They stared at each other for long seconds, his hand still on her cheek, his thumb moving along the outline of her lips.

His touch felt good, intimate … perfection.

“Talk to me,” he softly. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

She wanted to be honest with them, to just lay it out there.

Now is the time, now is the perfect time when we’re both vulnerable and relaxed, content and sexually stated. Just tell him how you feel. He’ll understand. And if he doesn’t then you’ll know where you stand.

“I guess I’m confused about how I feel for you.” She saw this flash of worry move across his face. Delaney quickly leaned in to kiss him, to reassure him.

“Shit, not what I wanted to hear,” he said.

“No, it’s not like that. I’m confused because of my feelings for you. They are strong, Ivan. Consuming. I’ve never felt anything like them before.”

He didn’t speak after that, but she could see it was because he wanted her to finish, to lay it all out for him.

“I don’t care about what anyone says. I don’t care about any of that because I want you. I want this for more than what we’ve been doing.”

She took a deep breath and let that sink in. He didn’t say anything but he watched her intently.

Ivan sat up, keeping his body facing her. She could see him thinking over her words, maybe thinking about how to let her down gently, how he didn’t want more than just these couple of times.

She sat up as well, feeling vulnerable and exposed right now, which had nothing to do with her being naked.

“Say something, anything.” She hated this silence.

And then he smiled, a small one that had her breathing out because she knew he accepted all of this. She could see it on his face.

“What would you say if I told you I didn’t want this to just be a sexual thing either? What if I told you I wanted you as mine, that I don’t care what anyone says, that I challenge them to try and stop me from seeing you?”

Her heart jumped to her throat, and she knew she probably looked stunned.

The truth was, she hadn’t expected to hear this from him. She expected Ivan to say he wanted nothing more than the sex they’d had. But what he said was he wanted her, wanted to claim her, and that nobody would stop him from making that a reality.

“I’d say I want that too, Ivan.”

“And I want everyone to know, Delaney. I want to make it known you’re mine, because I’m proud of that fact. I don’t care about the job; I don’t care about a promotion. And it took our night together for that to really sink in.” He leaned in so they were only inches apart now. “Be mine. Say that no one else can have you.”

The breath left her slowly at his words. Every part of her was on alert, was high, was tight.

This was what she wanted.

“I want that. I want to be yours.”

“Say it again,” he said gruffly, the arousal moving between them.

“I’m yours,” she whispered.

He growled low and leaned in to kiss her. “Let me show you how much I want you.” He grinned and started moving down the mattress, taking the sheet that covered her with him. He grabbed her ankles and pulled so she was now on her back.

And then he placed his hands on her inner thighs, pushed her legs apart, and looked up from between them, this wicked glint in his eyes and a smile on his face.

Ivan leaned in and ran his tongue up her center, licking her as if she were a lollipop, flattening his tongue as if he were savoring a melting ice cream in the summer months. Delaney let her head fall back and closed her eyes, moaning at the exquisite pleasure that coursed through her instantly.

“Say it again,” he groaned against her soaked flesh.

“I’m yours.”

And then he devoured her, and she knew he wouldn’t let up until she was a writhing mess on the bed and begging him to stop.

But in all reality, she wouldn’t. She never wanted this to stop.