Page 291 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 10

It wasn’t the first time she’d said it to me. I pictured her straddled on top of me on my bed, confessing her lies. Confessing her love. She’d said it in a state of desperation. And now she was saying it again, but I wasn’t sure if she’d even remember it in the morning. But it still made my heart feel warm. Like her goodness was seeping into me.

A tear slid down her cheek. "I'm sorry. Geez, I don't know why I'm so emotional today."

"It's a side effect of having a concussion."

"Oh." She laughed and wiped the tears off her cheeks.

No one should look this beautiful when they cried. "You're so gorgeous."

She laughed. "I have a huge bandage on my head."

"You're still gorgeous."

She slowly reached up and traced the bruise around my eye with her index finger. "I love you."

I had no right to be loved by her. And her words haunted me.Does love always hurt this much?I was so tired of hurting her. And I was scared that saying it back to her meant she’d be doomed for the rest of her life. A life with me. I tried to push away the thought, but it clung to me. So I didn’t say it back.

And I wasn’t just scared of hurting her. I’d never truly given my heart to someone before. I didn’t like how out of control that made me feel. But I did love her. I’d told her as much in my letter to her. She knew it. I didn’t need to say it out loud. I loved her so much I physically ached when we were apart.I love you.I ran the tip of my nose down the length of hers.You know that I love you.

"I'm actually really tired now." She rolled over so that she was no longer facing me.

Fuck.She was going to keep pressing this, wasn’t she? "Hey." I leaned over and grabbed her chin in my hand. "What's wrong?" I asked, even though I already knew.

She sat up so that my hand fell from her skin. "Why won't you say it?"

"Say what?"

"I've told you multiple times that I love you. You never say it back. Why won't you say it?"

"I have said it." I wasn’t sure what I was so scared of really. This was what a relationship was. Feeling vulnerable. And when she was staring up at me with tears pooling in the corners of her eyes, it didn’t seem so scary to be vulnerable too. I could do this. It didn’t mean she’d be doomed. It didn’t mean she’d run away. What we had was real.

And I knew this was important. She’d told me once that her ex didn’t believe in labels. And she’d just told me she’d never been in love before. This was a big moment. For both of us. And I’d promised her I’d always be better than her shit ex. She deserved someone that would worship her and love her out loud. I took a deep breath. It was time to jump all in.

"No, you haven't."

I tried to hide my smile. "I haven't?"

"No."

I pushed the sheets off of us and straddled her, pinning her in place. "I could have sworn I said it."

"You haven't."

"My mistake." I kissed the freckles on her shoulder. "I love you." I was surprised at how easily the words fell from my lips. I kissed the curve of her neck. "I love you." I pulled down the neckline of her hospital gown and kissed her clavicle. "I love you." I tugged on the string behind her neck and pulled the gown down evenmore. "I love you," I said as I kissed her between her perky breasts. Once I started saying it, it was like I couldn’t stop.

The machine she was hooked up to that monitored her heart rate started beeping like crazy.

I laughed. I loved riling her up. I loved her. I hesitated at her stomach and lightly kissed the bruise on her stomach. "I love you." I pushed the fabric to the side and kissed her hip bone, where I’d bruised her before against my desk. "I love you."

She moaned.

I smiled against her skin. The heart rate monitor kept beeping faster every time my lips touched her skin. My breath lingered between her thighs. “I love you.” I pressed my lips against her clit and gently sucked.

She lifted her hips to meet my mouth.

But I was setting the pace tonight. I pushed her hips back down, spread her thighs wider, and licked her delicious pussy. The machine beeped even faster as I slowly swirled my tongue around her wetness. God, I’d missed the taste of her. I’d be perfectly content eating her out for the rest of the night. But I wanted to show her that my words were true. I looked up at her. "I love you. And I want to make love to you."

"Then do it."