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I felt both relieved and foolish at the same time I doubted there were any other hn did… and ere even half as understanding

“Okay,” I said I let my hands roam over his shoulders and down his back “Will you take this off?” I asked as I tugged at his shirt

He nodded and reached behind him with one hand to pull the shirt off over his head He tossed it aside I ht because it would smell like him

It was silly, I knew, because he’d be right next to me and if all this worked out like it should, I’d want to be naked next to hiht, but I did have a weird fascination with his shirts Maybe because it felt like he was a part ofhis shirt

Maybe that would change tonight

Though I knew in o that far In ive hi at e once he was inside et past that wall in my brain that was meant to protect me from reality

Because it would destroy me if he turned out to even be a tiny bit like the men who’d hurt me

It wasn’t fair to hi that it wasn’t

I just wasn’t ready

Vaughn braced his weight on his elbow so he could caress my face as I ran my hands over his back He was so wellhow different his body felt than mine

“You’re so beautiful, Aleks,” he murmured

“You too,” I said “Handsome, I mean”

He laughed “I’ll take beautiful”

He kissedthe kiss My legs were still hanging off the bed so I spread them to ease the aard position and his body notched between theainst mine

He didn’t tell me to relax or settle down or to not be afraid He just held really still and watched my eyes