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His words match that vibe, too.

“I knew from the first minute I saw you that you were going to bulldoze your way through my life,” he slurs, his eyes closing.

My touch pauses for a moment. “You did? Why?”

He must sense the seriousness of my question because his eyes open and train on me. But I can’t help the moment’s heaviness, because a part of me has always wondered why Lucas was interested in me. It made sense when it was physical, but now…

“Because you were the most real person I had ever met,” he answers honestly. “You knew exactly who you were and you were unashamedly yourself. I admired the hell out of that.”

His eyes drop to where his touch has started to travel over my body, from my side, over my hips, to my thigh, and back again.

“And you challenged me. From the beginning, you had me on my toes, questioning everything.” His gaze softens as he locks eyes with mine again. “You woke me up. In the best way.”

My chest goes tight at his words. I truly never expected this to become something serious, but… “I like you, too,” I whisper awkwardly.

You’d think I just told the man he won a Nobel Prize with how widely he grins. “Yeah?” he asks in a giddy voice. “Does that mean you’ll sleep with me?”

I cock an amused eyebrow. “I thought I just did that.”

Somehow, his smile grows even bigger. “I mean, actually sleep. Thus far, you’ve been a little frat boy with our hookups. Hitting and quitting me.”

My mouth drops open in outrage. “I am not a frat boy. Take it back.”

He looks downright giddy. “Only if you stay with me tonight.”

I try to tamp down on my own giddiness, but fail. I was already going to stay with him tonight. “Fine. But if you snore or hog the covers, I’m out.”

Lucas settles more comfortably in the bed and then pulls me fully on top of him. “I would never. I’m a perfect gentleman when I sleep.”

After a moment, I let myself relax and melt into his body. “I bet that’s the only time,” I mumble against his chest.

I yelp and lift up to gape at him when he swats my ass.

He’s grinning, though his eyes eventually drop to my lips and darken. “I hardly think you prefer me as a gentleman,” he murmurs, his hand rubbing soothing circles on the place he just smacked.

I swallow roughly, my eyes also dropping to his lips. Despite the fact that we just had sex, I have a feeling it won’t be the only time tonight. Not if he keeps looking at me like this.

Will the next time be sweet again, or will he revert to the filthy man I’ve seen before?

To my surprise, something makes him freeze. His mouth tips into a small frown.

“Unless you do prefer the gentleman?” His hand moves higher, to my waist, and instantly transforms to a more soothing touch. “I guess I’ve made a few assumptions based on body language, but if you prefer the soft and sweet, you should know I’m totally fine with that. More than fine. If you⁠—”

I cut him off with a kiss. This man.

“I prefer you in every way,” I whisper against his lips. I can’t quite bring myself to meet his eyes, the admission feeling bigger than I anticipated, but my words are no less real. “Perfect gentleman, dirty old man—whatever hat you want to wear, I like it.”

For a moment, his only response is a rushed exhale against my lips.

And then he flips me onto my back and kisses me. Hard.

“You have no idea what you just started,” he groans.

TWENTY-EIGHT

LUCAS

The sun is high in the sky when I wake up the next morning. Even with my eyes still closed, my face scrunches against the beam of sunlight hitting me directly in the face. What time is it?