Page 43 of The Dating Ban (Mind the Corbin Brothers #1)

Cuddles, Kisses & Ice Cream

Theo

I vy is underneath me.

Naked. Flushed. Beautiful.

I brace myself above her, trying to breathe, trying to hold onto some scrap of control, but it’s slipping fast. She’s warm and soft, her hands roaming over my back, her nails trailing down my spine in a way that sends heat straight through me.

She just said my name—breathless, needy—and I swear to God, I nearly lost it right then.

I rest my forehead against hers, trying to steady myself, trying to take this slow, but she shifts beneath me, pressing closer, and a sharp exhale escapes me.

Her lips brush mine, light, teasing, knowing, before she whispers, “Theo, I need—”

I don’t let her finish.

I kiss her like I need her to survive, like she’s the essence of my life.

She melts into me, her fingers tightening in my hair, and any remaining restraint I had left is gone.

I don’t hold back anymore. I thrust into her with all my need. My cock is hard, painfully hard… but it's good pain.

I let my hands roam, let my mouth explore, learning every sound she makes, every gasp, every shiver. I want to memorise her—how she reacts, how she moves, how she falls apart beneath me.

We move faster and I am sure I can’t hold on any longer. My fingers find her clit again and when I start circling it, she digs her fingernails into my back.

“This feels so good, Theo. Don’t stop. Don’t bloody stop,” she demands. Not even the end of the world could get me to stop. Here, now, this is why I knew we needed a second chance. We are perfect as friends and we are even better as lovers.

Ivy's body is warm and yielding, her hands roaming over my skin, pulling me closer, urging me deeper. And God, she feels incredible.

I press my forehead against hers, swallowing hard, trying to ground myself, but it’s impossible. Every breath, every sigh, every quiet sound she makes drives me closer to the edge.

Her fingers tighten in my hair, and I groan, my grip on her waist firming.

“Ivy,” I murmur, voice rough, desperate.

She tilts her head, brushing her lips against mine in the softest, laziest kiss—like she’s savouring this, like she’s savouring me.

It undoes me completely.

I shift, angling myself just right, and Ivy lets out a sharp gasp, her back arching .

Fuck.

I press my lips to her shoulder, my breathing uneven. Ivy calls out and I can feel her pussy fluttering around me as her orgasm hits. That’s enough to set me off as well. For a moment I see stars and I stop breathing before I half collapse on top of her, mumbling her name like it’s a prayer.

Nothing will ever feel this good. Nothing will ever feel this right.

Neither of us moves for a while. I rest my forehead against her collarbone, still catching my breath. I half-expect her to shift, to pull away, to crack some joke to ease the intensity of what just happened.

But she doesn’t.

Instead, she lets out a soft, satisfied hum, running her fingers lazily through my hair, her nails scraping gently against my scalp.

My eyes flutter shut.

I could stay like this forever. But I can’t. I roll off her to take care of the condom, still trying to catch my breath.

After a moment, I shift onto my side, pulling her with me, not wanting to lose the warmth of her. She comes easily, tucking herself against my chest, her leg sliding over mine, her skin still flushed and warm.

I press a kiss to the top of her head, and she sighs, her breath fanning against my skin.

“That,” she murmurs, voice thick with sleep, “was worth boxing up the gnomes for.”

A low chuckle rumbles through me. “High praise.”

She lifts her head slightly, meeting my gaze. “You’re still thinking about it.”

I blink, caught off guard. “Thinking about what? ”

She smiles, small but knowing. “This. Us.”

I exhale, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Yeah,” I admit, voice quieter. “I am. Glad I asked for a second chance?”

Ivy studies me for a moment, her fingers absently tracing along my chest. “More than glad.”

Then she leans in, pressing a kiss just above my heart before settling back down.

I tighten my arms around her, holding her close, and for the first time in a long time, everything feels exactly as it should.

I wake to warmth. Solid, steady warmth pressed against my chest, my arm draped over her waist, fingers lazily tracing soft circles against her skin.

I blink sleepily, stretching just a little, and the movement makes Ivy shift against me. Instinctively, I tighten my hold, pulling her closer, burying my face in the crook of her neck so I can breathe her in.

"Good morning,” she mumbles, voice thick with sleep.

I hum against her skin. “Hmm. Good morning.”

Her voice does something to me. That soft, sleepy rasp pulls at something deep inside me, making me want to stay here forever.

She shifts in my arms, turning to face me, and when I open my eyes, she’s already watching me. Her hair is wild, curling in every direction, and her eyes are still heavy with sleep. She’s never looked more beautiful .

She reaches up, running her fingers through my hair, trying to smooth it down.

I smirk. “Am I a mess?”

“The messiest,” she says with a grin, tugging lightly at a strand.

I shift, leaning over her with a slow, satisfied smile. “Well, whose fault is that?”

She giggles, and I catch that little flicker in her eyes—the one that makes my stomach flip.

“Oh, I don’t know…” she says, voice playful. “I seem to recall you being very determined last night.”

I lower my head until my lips just barely brush against hers. “Determined, huh?”

“Mmhmm.”

I kiss her deeper, slow and unhurried, like we’ve got all the time in the world. And maybe we do.

She sighs into my mouth, her fingers sliding down my back, leaving goosebumps in their wake. The feel of her beneath me—soft, warm, home —makes me want to hold on tighter.

Suddenly, she pulls back, grinning like she’s up to something.

I blink, slightly dazed. “What?”

She presses a quick, teasing kiss to my lips before wriggling out from under me and sprinting out of the bedroom.

“What the—? Ivy!”

I groan and fall back onto the pillows, listening to her laughter echo down the hall.

A minute later, she comes back clutching something, her grin wide with triumph .

I sit up, raising a brow as my eyes drop to the tub in her hands. And then I see it. Ice cream. A flash of pure delight sparks in my chest.

“Ice cream?” I ask, smirking.

She plops down beside me on the bed, holding up a single spoon. “For breakfast.”

I let out a low chuckle, shaking my head. “You are chaos.”

“I am,” she agrees proudly, popping off the lid and scooping out a generous bite of salted caramel. She holds the spoon out to me. “But you love it.”

I eye the spoon for a second before leaning in and taking the bite. The cold hits my tongue in the best way—and the way her eyes darken when I wrap my lips around the utensil? Yeah, that does things too.

I lick my lips. “Blimey. That’s good.”

“Right?” She scoops another bite for herself, her satisfaction clear as she lets the cold hit her tongue.

I watch her, smirking. “So this is your idea of a perfect morning?”

She grins. “Cuddles, kisses, ice cream? Pretty much.”

I shake my head, amused, and steal the spoon from her hand, scooping a bite for her this time. “Alright, but we need to lay down some ground rules.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Rules?”

"Well, one rule really. You can never, under any circumstances, let Lucy know I had ice cream for breakfast.”

She snorts. “Why?”

I sigh dramatically. “Because I’ve forbidden her from doing it, and if she found out, she’d never forgive me.”

She gasps in mock horror. “Theo! You hypocrite! ”

I level her with a serious look. “I know. She would end me.”

She bursts into laughter, collapsing against me. “Okay, okay! I promise I won’t tell your tiny overlord.”

I exhale in relief. “Good. You might have just saved my life.”

She shakes her head, taking the spoon back from me and scooping another bite. “You’re a terrible influence.”

I smirk, pulling her into my lap. “Yet, you seem to love it. Besides I’m not the one that brought ice cream to the bedroom.”

She hums in agreement, letting me kiss the lingering taste of caramel from her lips.

Yeah. This is the perfect morning.