He chuckled and then he finally moved. He lifted his head and pressed a kiss to my forehead and then my brow. He dropped a kiss on each eyelid and then the tip of my nose before he found my mouth, and gods, when he kissed me it was the sweetest, tenderest thing ever. It spoke those three words I’d said, but he hadn’t. That kiss said it all and more.

Not only did it say love.

It spelled hope.

Seth

Lying on my side with Josie tucked to my front, I told myself over and over again that I could do this with her.

But I had to do this right.

Josie snuggled against me, wiggling her bottom against my groin, and fuck, I’d been hard since she fell asleep, and each time she moved it sent a jolt straight from my dick to my spine. Curling my arm around her waist, I held her tighter, unwilling to wake her.

She was worn out, falling asleep minutes after I had gotten rid of the condom and brought a warm, wet cloth to her, washing away the evidence that there had been no one else before. Not that I needed to see that to know, but gods, there was a knot in the base of my throat that wasn’t easing off. I wanted to worship her all over again.

Sex had never been like this. Nothing in my life had ever been like this. Everything from the moment I’d met Josie had been a new experience for me. She was truly a miracle and even the simple act of lying beside her soothed me.

I was awake, but my body was at ease. My mind was a different story.

I can do this.

I’d been so close to telling her what I’d done, and the guilt from keeping that secret from her churned my stomach, but I . . . I could rectify that.

I can do this.

Gods, there was no other way for me. I had to control myself. I had to make sure I never allowed myself to get to the point where I took from her what was never mine to take. I could never allow myself to feed off her again.

Josie loved me.

Holy shit.

I dropped my head, pressing a kiss to her bare shoulder. Josie loved me. Not a single part of me doubted that. I didn’t deserve that gift, but I could . . . I could be better for her. I could be worthy of her love.

That was what I had to do.

I would be worthy of her love.

Because she was more than worthy of that. She deserved more than that, and I would give that to her. There would be no room for anything else, because after this—after having her, after knowing that she was mine—there was no way I could stay away from her.

So I would do right by her.