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The little barb was what I needed. A laugh slipped out, sounding more like another hiccup. He chuckled, chest rumbling against my face.

He tilted my face towards his, staring down with an intensity that made me squirm. “I’m proud of you, Graciella.”

This was the real him.

Someone caring enough to lie here and stroke my cheek, to brush away matted strands of hair from my face.

“Thank you,” I whispered, meaning it from the bottom of my heart.

Something shifted between us, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. But I didn’t think I could stop it.

He must have realized it, too, because he looked at me in a way I’d never seen before. I couldn’t pin what the expression was, but it made me feel damned good. Warm, safe—worth caring for…

Sliding my hands up his body, I pressed them to his broad chest. “I’ve never told anyone all of that before. At least not all the stuff about how I felt about it…” I gnawed on my lip. “You’re the last person I expected to pour my heart out to, but I’m glad it was you.”

Our eyes locked, before his dipped to my mouth.

And then his hot lips pressed to mine, erasing every coherent thought. There was nothing but the feeling of him pressed against me.

I slid my arms around his neck, moaning as he sucked on my tongue. Rough hands found my waist, his fingers dimpling my skin through my shirt as he held me.

Our tongues slid against each other, warring for dominance. Yet all I wanted to do was submit. Monroe’s stubble scraped my cheek, and I dug my nails into his chest at the delicious burn, eliciting a low groan from him.

His fingers entwined with my hair, giving a sharp tug, sending sparks of pleasure between my legs.

Only one coherent thought shoved its way to the front of my mind.

He kissed me like I mattered.

Heat erupted across my skin, emanating from behind my ribcage. Moans fell from my swollen lips, and he was there to swallow them. Eager for anything I gave him.

The kiss changed, slowing and deepening. Those sinful fingers felt as if they were everywhere…and nowhere I needed them.

I wasn’t sure whether I was thankful or furious about that.

There were so many things I wanted to say. To ask.

How was I going to resist him now?

“I can feel you overthinking,” he said, his minty scent dancing across my face.

I pushed back, studying his face. The crease between his brows was gone, and the normally harsh line of his mouth was a lazy smile. I hit his chest to knock some sense into him, but the smirk only grew.

“We shouldn’t have done that, Josh. If it got out that we just did that…” Panic clawed at my throat, and I didn’t know whether it was the thought of people finding out, or of never feeling his lips on mine again. “It’d only bring you more trouble. And I’m supposed to be helping you avoid that.”

“Shhh. Don’t worry about that right now.” Monroe pressed his lips to mine again, trailing them up into my hair as he pulled me into his chest. “Come on, let’s both try this sleeping together thing.”

He enveloped me, completely and wholly.

Everything blurred. There was nothing but him.

Sleep dragged me under, but I swore I heard a whispered, “It’s okay, baby. I’m learning I like trouble.”

TWENTY-SIX

MONROE

SO I’VE GOT A THING FOR SEXY SHOWER TIMES, SUE ME.