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"It’s what I’ve alanted to tell you, Alex" He sat up, bringingwith him "I’ve alanted this with you"

I slid aze with my own "I’ve always loved you"

Aiden ain His hand buried inin here"

"I know" My lips brushed his as I spoke "I know"

As he kissed ainst ers left h for me to take off his shirt and toss it aside My hands splayed across each hard ripple and I kissed my way down until his chest heaved undersort of way He gripped ed out of his grasp and liftedHe obeyed the silent co, I was onup at him His hands slipped over my bare skin as his lips dipped down my throat and over the curve of my shoulder Each scar was kissed tenderly, and when he came to the one Linard’s blade had left, he shuddered

My fingers sifted through his hair as I held hie, and wonderful things to ain like souided by some primal instinct that told me what to do The rest of our clothes ended up in a pile on the floor The moment our bodies were flush with one another, a sense of wildness caue swept over ainst hi Aiden dropped kisses all over my flushed skin I was lost in the heady sensations, completely unprepared for it This may not have been e intended, but this… this was happening

Aiden lifted his head "Are you sure?"

"Yes," I breathed "I’ve never been ainstif I’d had my shot--the Council-mandated birth control for all half-blood females I nodded

The silver eyes flared His hand treain and as he lifted up, his eyes roae all but disappeared under his scalding stare Soentle and sweet He was patient and perfect, coaxing away the shyness until I wrapped e to hi back, no stopping this ti kiss that left me shaken, his hand drifted with such exquisite detail His kisses followed the saed for perht tears to my eyes

I couldn’t--didn’t want to--deny hi

Aiden was everywhere--in every touch, every soft ht I couldn’t take anymore, that I would surely break, he was there to prove that I could When his lips descended on ain, they did so with a fevered pitch

"I love you," he whispered "I have since the night in Atlanta I alill"

I gasped against his skin "I love you"

He broke Whatever control he had wrapped around him finally slipped away I reveled in it, the pure si that he felt the sa himself with his forearency that I felt, he lifted his e I didn’t understand I was nearly over the edge, rushing towards a glorious ending

We were surrounded by our love for one another It beca the air around us until I was sure we both would ignite under its power Then in a mindless moment of pure beauty, eren’t a half-blood and a pure-blood, ere simply just two people madly, deeply in love

We were one

I awoke some time later, tucked in Aiden’s arled around our legs, and the comforter was pushed to the floor I realized that I’d beenhim as a pillow I liftedat him

His chest rose evenly underand relaxed while he slept Locks of dark waves tuainst his forehead and his lips were parted I leaned down and placed a soft kiss against those lips

His ar that he was not as deeply asleep as I’d originally thought I grinned at being caught "Hello"

Aiden’s eyes fluttered open "How long have you been staring atyou," he drawled lazily, "you’ve been staring at led

"Uh huh, coainst his "Not nearly close enough"

I shifted closer My leg wrapped around his "Close enough?"

"Let me see" His hands slid down htest pressure "Ah, that’s better"

I flushed "Yes… yeah, it is"

Aiden grinned wolfishly and a wicked glint filled his silver eyes I should’ve known at that point he was up to so, but this side of Aiden--this playful and sensual side--was unknown to asp of surprise He sat up in one fast fluid motion and I found myself unexpectedly in his lap

I didn’t have a hts or responses The sheet slipped away and I ainst him It was quite some time later, when the sun was about to rise and the candle had long since gone out, that Aiden gently roused me