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My heart tapped out a staccato rhythm. I looked for, and eventually found, the courage I needed to finally confront him about his feelings. I’d been hyperfocused on that for the past three months. There was no way, after the time we’d spent together, that he didn’t feel something towards me. Right? “I need to know… how do you feel about me?”

“Why?”

My eyebrows pinched together as I stared at him.

Delaney avoided answering directly, shifting his gaze away from mine. “You already said what you are to me.”

“And if I say I wanted a relationship with you?”

“Then I’d say you’re stupid, but I’d agree. Paris, huh?” He flashed a small smile.

My heart soared. If this was the closest I’d get to a confession of love right now, I’d happily take it. “I love you, Laney.”

I was pleasantly surprised when Delaney stated, his voice trembling with emotion, “I love you too, Eli. And it scares the shit out of me. So, when, not if, but when I push you away, come in close. No matter what I say. Just… be patient with me. It’s going to take time to—”

I cut him off in the same way I did earlier, this time cupping the side of his face before pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. “We have our entire lives to get this right.” As I watched Delaney fight and lose against the smile that brightened his face and made his eyes light up, for the first time in three months, I felt like I was finally able to breathe.

Chapter Nineteen

Delaney muttered sleepily, “I don’t need you to stay.”

We’d spent the past two hours talking, each of us leaning into honesty, no matter how hard it was. At some point, he stretched out on the couch, resting his head in my lap, blinking sleepy eyes up at me as we spoke.

“Every time I try to leave, I hear this odd sound,” I pointed out, baffled. “I think it’s meant to be a growl, but it’s the least intimidating thing I’ve ever—,” I was cut off by the slightly high-pitched rumble growing in Delaney's chest.

“If you finish that sentence, I’ll show you just how intimidating I can be, alpha.”

I arched an eyebrow, chuckling, “Oh yeah?”

Delaney blinked open his eyes to meet my gaze. “Yes. I might be small, but I’m—mmm.”

With a gentle press of my lips against his, I stole the rest of his sentence. The instant our mouths met, the world brightened and my senses became heightened. I was highly aware of how Delaney tasted—like fresh mint, crisp and cool. He wasn’t as soft as most omega men, his body was lean and cut, and I lived for the pressure of his weight across my lap. His light floral scent was gentle, calming me as I breathed him in. I deepened the kiss, yearning for more, yet keeping hold of my control. I willed my desire to remain simmering just underneath the surface and was able to do so until…

He sighed into the kiss.

My self-control frayed, the strands of discipline unraveled rapidly as the aroma of jasmine thickened, the strong notes of arousal making my mouth water and stomach dip. But I pulled away, shaking my head slowly. “No. You’re in no condition to—”

He struggled to sit up on his knees, leaning in close enough for his mouth to brush against mine with each whispered word. “Then I guess you’ll have to do all of the work.”

“Fuck,” I exhaled. My excitement grew by the minute, my dick straining against my jeans. “Yeah, okay.” I stood, reaching out for his hand, but paused. “If you feel pain—”

“Be gentle.” Delaney interrupted.

I nodded eagerly, leading Delaney to his bedroom. When he settled on the edge of the bed, I found myself enraptured and unable to breathe as I stared down at him. My heart stuttered as I noticed his brightened complexion and the soft bursts of air that were just barely audible with each heavy exhale of his breath. I sank to my knees in front of him, grasping the hem of his sweater. Little by little, he helped me to expose expanses of soft, brown skin, tossing the garment to the side to trail my hand along his trembling body. I cupped his chin, my touch light as a feather, and eased him forward and into a languid kiss.

I took my time drinking him in, relishing in the soft sighs and throaty whimpers that he failed to hold back. Gently nipping at his bottom lip elicited a low moan. “I’ve missed hearing you sing for me, baby. I’ve missed you so much.” I kissed from his full lips to his jaw, all the while allowing my hand to tighten in long, thick curls. I tugged softly, tilting his head back as I moved in to run my tongue along his neck before pressing it flat against his gland and bringing my lips together.

Delaney's hand scrambled for purchase, finding it in the material of my shirt. “Ahh—mmm, Eli.” He exhaled slowly.

I was indescribably overwhelmed. For three months, I told myself this wasn’t going to happen again, yet here I was, kissing down Delaney’s chest as I eased him onto his back. I was overcome with a love so deep; I could happily drown in it.

I skimmed his obliques, climbing higher to pinch a pert nipple. His sharp inhale was music to my ears, the sound rushing straight to my dick. I praised the other nipple with my tongue, circling the pebbled bud before easily sucking it between my lips. Narrow hips rose from the bed, their motion sensual and fluid as they undulated. Amber eyes rolled shut, his grip tightening on my shirt.

“Patience, sweetheart,” I lightly chastised. “I want to savor every inch of you.” A broken whimper spurred me on, encouraging me to trail my lips down his chest, sucking small bruises on his skin. When I reached the waistband of his sweats, I nipped at his hip before hooking my fingers underneath the elastic and working down the loose-fitting pants.

The scent of Delaney's arousal was sweet, growing steadily so the more his pants were inched down. His firm ass glistened with slick, his beautiful dick twitching against his stomach and smearing precum across his trembling muscles. Patiently, I kissed up slender thighs, lazily trailing my tongue along his hip bone before nuzzling my face against his shaft. “You’ve no idea how badly I’ve missed you.”

Delaney’s reply was breathless. “I’ve missed you t— oh god…” His sentence fractured, splitting into a low moan as I ran the tip of my tongue from the base of his dick to the tip, tracing the veins along the underside. Fingers tangled in my hair, the pressure of his grip tightening in my strands a silent ask. I allowed him to control the pace, my eyes rolling shut as he pushed me down. His hips rolled up at the same time he lowered my head, his dick throbbing against my tongue as it slipped deeper into my mouth. A high-pitched whine petered into a throaty curse when I relaxed my throat, encouraging him into the constricting space. I was in awe of how devastatingly arousing he sounded when he was on the edge of being wrecked, but I wasn’t ready for him to tip over. Not yet.