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Once he was sheathed, he covered her body with his and went back to kissing her. He lifted her legs up on either side of his hips and held his shaft, rubbing it up and down the slit of her opening. He wanted nothing more than to thrust in and slake his desire, but Hannah deserved to be treasured. For him to take his time and savor her.

He came up on his knees and pulled her onto his lap, holding her by the hips. He kissed her lips, nipping playfully until she opened for him, her arms encircling his shoulders as she straddled him.

Blake adjusted and pressed against her, pushing into her passage inch by glorious inch. God, she was so fucking tight, it was excruciatingly wonderful.

Tangling one of his hands in her hair, he kissed her, murmuring against her lips, “I’m sorry, baby.”

And then he thrust up.

Hannah tensed against him, and he caught her soft cry in his mouth. He hadn’t wanted to hurt her, but he figured it was better to get it over quickly than to drag it out.

Blake gave her a minute, kissing her cheeks and eyelids before finding her lips again. He eased back and pressed in slowly, his hand massaging the back of her neck as he rocked her on him gently, lovingly. After a few moments, he felt her hands relax on his shoulders and start to stroke him.

And when he glided out again, she actually sighed.

God, he wanted to wait. He wanted to make her come again, but he was already close. His hips picked up tempo, and he gritted his teeth and then groaned, a deep guttural sound of satisfaction that vibrated all the way down his body as he jerked inside her. Her lips pressed against the side of his neck as he tried to say something, to apologize for being too rough, but nothing came out.

Instead, she was the first one to speak.

“I love you.”

OH SHIT.

Why had she said it aloud? It was too soon, and he was going to freak.

But it didn’t make it any less true.

She knew that she loved Blake Kline. She’d loved him since the first time he’d coaxed a smile from her at Dale’s, and that love had only deepened as she’d grown closer to him the last two months.

And she knew that Blake loved her, even if he wasn’t ready to admit it. She wasn’t afraid that her love was all one-sided.

No, Hannah was scared that he wouldn’t be able to admit it. Ever. She knew Blake’s hurt and his fears; he’d had one love ripped from him. He was protecting himself from losing another.

Blake’s breathing evened, and he pulled away from her, his hands coming up to frame her face. “Are you okay?”

“Mmm . . . yeah, I’m good.”

Blake rolled to his side with her, and when his dick slid out of her, she winced.

“Hey, I saw that. I’m sorry I was so rough—”

She kissed him, shutting him up. “I said I was fine, and I meant it. I think I’d like to get cleaned up, though.”

“Hang on, let me go first.”

“Okay, I’ll just wait here.”

Blake kissed her lips swiftly and got up from the bed. He shut the door to the bathroom, leaving Hannah alone on the big bed and lost in thought.

Hannah remembered all the years sitting around listening to her girlfriends complain and bitch about their first times and their boyfriends, how much both had sucked and that they had hated every minute of it, but it got better. Even with the pain, Hannah hadn’t been disappointed with her first time. It had been tender and sweet and with someone she loved.

It was everything she’d ever wanted.

She heard the shower go on, and she closed her eyes, suddenly sleepy.

BLAKE STARED AT the blood on him with a grimace and felt like a selfish asshole for asking to clean up first. Dropping the condom into the wastebasket and stepping into the shower, he let the hot water run over him, scrubbing himself down as he tried not to panic.

Hannah had told him she loved him, as clear as day. And he hadn’t known what in the hell to say back.