my way to her feet. Lex jumps and giggles—nothing she’s proud of, I’m sure. Giggling has always been somewhat beneath her, and it’s something I’ve secretly enjoyed about her. Her toes are painted bright pink like candy, and I take a healthy bite of each of them before sucking them down.
“Oh, gross. Would you knock that off? Leave my feet alone.” She does her best to kick my shoulder with her knee. “Is the foot fetish something new? Because it’s not an improvement.” I run my tongue over the back of her sole, and she lets out a hearty groan. She slides her other foot beside me. “In the least don’t make this one feel like an orphan.”
A laugh thunders through my chest as I oblige her. I take my time making my way back up, dotting a line of kisses from her belly to her shoulders. There’s not a thing in the world that should be rushed with this girl.
I reach up and take a gentle bite of her ear. “I was born to worship you. I’m positive about that.”
She averts her gaze as if the thought nauseated her on some level. “You put in quite the performance tonight.”
My arms circle her warm body as I pull her close to me and we lie side by side. “I didn’t have to try. It came naturally to me.”
“I guess that’s what happens when you turn pro. About how many women did it take for that to happen?”
A soft laugh rumbles through us both.
“Aha, laughter.” I dot her nose with a kiss. “Finally, a crack in the armor.”
“I’ll deny it in the light of day.” Her eyes spark as if they were readying to ignite. “I’ll deny all of this.” Lex has always had the ability to look like a porcelain doll, albeit one you might be a little afraid of, but there is an innocence to her beauty. And that hair. I dig my fingers into the back of her mane. Her hair has been a silent third entity in our relationship since the beginning. Those dark crimson curls have always shook themselves my way, teasing me, taunting me, making me want her on an entirely different level.
“That’s okay. You keep lighting up my nights and I’ll let you deny it all you want.”
Lex bites down over her lip with those glowing white teeth. “I suggest you brace yourself for the fall because this was a one-off that I have no intention of repeating.”
I grunt at the thought. “That’s funny. I don’t see you bolting out of my bedroom.” My hands swivel down her back before I dig my fingers into her luscious soft hips. The last thing I want to do is incite her to collect her things and take off.
“That’s because I’m not done tormenting you.” Her finger glides down my nose before tracing out my lips. “I’ll have you beg once I’m ready.”
“Sounds like a solid plan.” I’m up for begging. Hell, I’m up for barking like a dog if she wants me to. There is nothing I won’t do for another round with the love of my life. That’s what I really want to tell her. That, and the words I love you. I need her to hear it before she leaves no matter where it might lead us. I remember where it led us the last time.
“What should we do while we wait?” I pull her in closer and bury a kiss on her neck. “Spoon? Snuggle?”
Lex belts out a laugh, and her chest pressed tight against mine, springing me right back to life.
“Easy, Collins.” She grazes me with her knee. “We’re going to talk.” She pulls back a notch as her expression grows increasingly serious. “I want you to tell me.” Her eyes turn glassy, and I’m half-afraid we’ve made a turn we might not recover from. “What happened to Emilia?”
“Emilia.” I tip my head back as I say my sister’s name with relief for the first time in months. A hard breath expires from me as that tragic accident bounces through my mind. “We lost her just after Christmas. It’s been really tough.” My torso hiccups with grief, and now it’s Lex pulling me in close.
“I’m so very sorry. I can’t imagine the pain you and your family must have gone through. I’m sure it was unbearable.” Lex is transformed by her own grief. Her bottom lip quivers between us, and I lean in and press a simple kiss over her just to