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Gripping her by the upper ares sticking to her skin “You are too much, darlin’”

“So is that a yes?”

His grunt was daht this a second longer” He shifted on the bed, until she was beneath him Most of the condom packets fell away He used a forearm to prop himself up as his other hand skih He told her, “I’ve never wanted anyone as much as I want you From the h school, but you were just

so tin—”

She silenced hio the size references I can’t have you obsessing over that or this is never going to happen between us And I absolutely need it to happen, Ryan”

Ginger was out of her mind over him It wasn’t just his ultieous body that had her hooked It was everything about him, from the way he smiled at her, to the way he kept her close to him, to the way he said whatever popped into his head, without worrying how vulnerable it ht make him in their relationship He laid his cards on the table every tihts and concerns into consideration before he acted

Yes, he was big and strong and she felt safe in his presence But she also felt cherished in his arms

She said, “I know you’re trying to be valiant and take things slow You don’t want to pushI’m not ready for And I think you want me to be co”

“I don’t want you to have any qualms about this About us”

Her head rolled back and forth on a pillow “There are no guarantees, especially when it coot issues we can’t just sweep under the rug But one thing I’m certain about is hoonderful you htless and…I don’t know…lost in lust and mutual adine for a raze his jaw as she confessed, “Not ret if I never got the chance to do it again”

His jaw set beneath her touch His blue eyes shimmered with so many emotions, she couldn’t read them all But she saw desire and passion and adoration He felt things for her, she was sure of it Significant, soul-deep, life-altering things Whether they could reconcile their differences—or the way his faer didn’t know But she had no doubt what they felt for each other was real and substantial It’d started years ago, in high school It had transcended time and distance And it thrived between them now

She didn’t question giving her virginity to him There was no one else she’d rather be with Period

“Take your clothes off,” she said in a steady, confident voice “Make love to me”

That he didn’t ask her one htest way told Ginger there was soer between them that neither one could escape

He peeled a packet from her lower belly, just below the spot where the lace of her nightie bunched, and said, “This one will do nicely”