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“That’s good, honey. Worry about how much you’re working.”

Why did I want to crumble when he called me that? Something so simple, but God, it was sweet.

“But tomorrow, it’ll all be worth it,” he continued.

“Yeah. It seems so weird that it’s finally here.”

Tenderness filled the dark orbs of his eyes. “Everyone is so fuckin’ proud of you. They all can’t wait to celebrate you tomorrow.”

“I really am excited, Trevan.” It came out soft. Awed and amazed.

His smile was softer. “As you should be. It’s a huge achievement.”

“The opening of the store or actually convincing my brother to let me?” I infused it with as much sarcasm as I could muster, which wasn’t a whole lot.

I was too happy.

Too blissed out.

He gruffed a small laugh. “Both, I suppose.”

“Thank you for being here with me.”

Another rumbly sound from his brutal, beautiful mouth, and he kept kneading at my feet, letting his hands glide a fraction higher with each pass.

Up my heel and ankle, nearing my calf.

I shifted so he could reach my legs better, the same as he seemed to do, and he dug into a particularly sore spot on my calf.

I moaned and my hips arched a fraction from the couch as my tendons both tensed and unfurled.

That was all it took for a charge to blister the air.

Our connection keening in a surge of electricity.

Static and humming.

Trevan’s tongue darted out of his mouth, sweeping his lips, his breaths coming shorter than they had been. “Feel good?”

Those dark, fathomless eyes were on me.

Hot and churning with lust.

“Yes.”

His big hands skimmed and smoothed, no longer digging into pressure points but rather exploring.

I squirmed as desire assailed.

I wondered if it would make me an awful person to beg him when he told me it could only be once. Or maybe what I really wondered was if he believed that lie.

Because he and I?

We felt inevitable.

Destined and tied.

He groaned. “Fuck, Elena. I’m not supposed to allow you to do this to me.”