His hands reached behind me to cup my butt. Giving my cheeks a hard squeeze, he scooped me up, making me wrap my legs around his hips. Even though with the heavy gown it was really uncomfortable, I didn’t care. Nor did he. We were more concentrated on our kiss instead.

When his hand slipped under my gown, going up my thigh, I let out a moan. God, I needed more. I needed this man.

Letting out a groan, he ran his hand against my bare skin, deepening the kiss. “I love you, my rose. I love you so fucking much.”

A warmth surged through my chest. Even in the kiss, a serene smile stretched across my lips. And the words I’d been hiding in my heart for years slipped through my lips.

“I love you too.”

FORTY-EIGHT: THE SURPRISE OF THE VILLAIN

He froze.

Slowly pulling away, he cupped my cheeks. “What did you say?”

I bit my lip. But the shy smile broke out on my face, anyway.

“What did you say, Rosebud? Did you just—” he gulped, his eyes were desperate, “—did you just say you—”

“I love you.”

He let out a shaky breath. The intense emotions swirling in his gray orbs seared my heart.

“Say it again,” he rasped.

Pulling him closer, I brushed my lips against his desirable ones. “I love you, Achilles Valencian. I love you so much that it hurts.”

Heaving a sigh, he engulfed me in his chest. I placed my cheek right above his heart, listening to his fast heartbeat. I didn’t complain about his vice grip around me, as we stayed like that for some moments. Though I didn’t like his silence.

“Ace?” I whispered into his chest.

“Just a minute, Rosebud.” He took a deep breath in my hair. “Say it again.”

I smiled. “I love you.”

“Again.”

Laughing, I smacked his chest. “No, I already told you three times.”

Slightly leaning back from me, enough to look at my face, he placed his palm on my cheek. “Please, baby. Just once more. I want to hear it again. You don’t know how long I’ve waited to hear those words. How many times I’ve dreamt of you saying those words to me.”

Something bloomed into my heart. Blinking away my tears, I placed a kiss on his chest. “I love you, Ace. I love you so freaking much. More than anything in the world.”

His eyes closed, as if feeling every word that left my lips.

“Happy now?”

Those stormy gray orbs met my turquoise again. A content smile stretched across his heavenly features as he pulled me into his gentlest kiss. Not a demanding, punishing one.

But to my dissatisfaction, he pulled away, leaving me craving for more.

“Come with me?” he asked, running his hand through my locks.

“Where?”