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I’ve spent so much of my life worrying about what other people thought of me.

Whether I was pretty enough.

Whether I was smart enough.

Whether I was…just enough.

But standing naked before Joshua, I don’t feel like I’m waiting for his approval.

I finally feel like I am enough.

With my eyes on his, I take a slow step toward him. His gaze drops briefly to my breasts before returning to my face.

“Now what do you see, Joshua?” I take another step closer, stealing a glance at the hard length straining against his jeans before returning my eyes to his. “Because I know what I see.” I come to a stop close enough to feel his warmth. “I see a man who wants me.”

“You’ve got that right,” he growls.

“So tell me…” I rise onto my toes and bring my mouth to within a breath of his. “What do you see?”

“I see a woman who is about to find out I wasn’t lying this past weekend.”

“About what?”

“When I told you if we’d slept together, you’d know. And do you want to know how you’d know?” His breath dances on my lips, making my mouth ache for his.

“How?” I whimper.

“Because you’d feel me on your skin days later. Every time you closed your eyes, you’d be reminded of what I did to you. Of the way I claimed your body and soul so completely that you’d be ruined for anyone else who came after me.”

“Is that what you want?” I feather my lips against his, the touch barely there. “To ruin me?”

“God, yes,” he says against my mouth.

“Then what are you waiting for? Ruin me.”

He slides his fingers into my hair, his grip firm but careful. “Gladly.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

JOSHUA

I kiss Wynter hard, sliding one hand around her hip and pulling her body flush with mine.

Her very naked, very sexy body.

Fuck. She’s incredible.

I don’t even care if this is just a one-time thing. Don’t care if tonight’s the only time I’ll ever get to feel her. Don’t care if she wakes up tomorrow and regrets it.

I hope she doesn’t.

Hope she remembers how amazing it felt to be wanted. To be touched like something precious. To be looked at as if she’s the most beautiful fucking woman in the world.

In my eyes, she is. Always has been.

And I plan on doing everything in my power to make tonight one she’ll never forget.

I lower her onto the bed, then straighten. But I don’t rush to rip off my clothes.