“Jasper.” Milo breathed my name like I truly was the answer he’d been seeking. And his eyes were glassy, but when his gaze met mine, I felt seen in a way I wasn’t sure I’d ever been before. Maybe there was something to what he’d said about seeing me for the first time because I certainly felt like I was seeing him in a whole new light these days too.

Inspired by his comment on missing out on things, I slithered down his delicious body. He hadn’t been lying about the tattoo—it was a tiny one, an Italian flag, right above his hip bone. Lost a dare, he’d said. Sexy, I’d said, right before I’d kissed it. I did it again.

“What are you…” He half chuckled and half groaned as I painted his torso with kisses, inching lower. Finally reaching my destination, I took him in my mouth, teasing and showing off my collection of tricks.

“Oh…do that again. You’re…incredible. That.” I loved how damn responsive and appreciative he was. In fact, while I’d done this before, I’d never done it with someone so unabashedly grateful.

“Like that?” I asked before redoubling my efforts.

“Yes. Please… So good… That’s…it. Please.” A steady stream of wonder and praise escaped Milo’s lips before he buried his face in one of my pillows to muffle his moans. Being able to coax that sort of response from him was my new favorite thing, and more than enough to have me tumbling over the edge with him a few moments later. I rested my head on his firm stomach for several long minutes, luxuriating in the way he idly stroked my hair as we both worked to reclaim our breaths.

“Okay. Wow. That was…” Milo gave me a dopey grin. “Are you gonna chuck a pillow at me if I say I’m not sure how I lived without experiencing that?”

“I am pretty good.” I pretended to gloat as I finally left bed to search out another towel and some clothes. “Was it worth skipping coffee?”

“Oh, we’re not skipping coffee. I owe you a doughnut. You pull up the GPS app and start deciphering clues, and I’ll worry about food for us.” Milo sat up in the bed, covers pooling in his lap. And damn, I could write an ode to his broad, sculpted chest that would make my English lit professor impressed.

“I’ll walk with you. No sense in you doing the stairs twice.” I sped up getting dressed as Milo climbed out of bed.

“Quit worrying about my leg.”

“Can’t help it. I inherited my mom’s genes. It’s what I do. I worry over all my friends.” Now that I didn’t have Milo warming me up, I shivered in the chilly air as I yanked on a shirt. I needed spring to hurry up.