Even If It Hurts

by Marni Mann

added, “I could smell it on you.”

“You taste more delicious than I imagined.”

“You’re not getting all of me in here.” His thumb brushed my ribs, and I shivered, giving him the same reaction when he did it on the other side. “But you can have a part of me.” His teeth grazed the bottom of my ear. “Any part, Chloe.” He moved my hair out of the way, his lips now on the back of my neck where I felt just the faintest swipe of his tongue. “Which do you want?”

“I went to bed, smelling you.” His eyelids narrowed, and a shudder erupted in my stomach. “It was the perfect evening.”

“Tonight,” he whispered, “it’s my tongue’s turn.”

“Because I’m going to fucking devour you tonight.”

“This is going to hurt, but I’m going to do everything I can to make it better.”

“I left snot on his shirt.” “Good girl.”

“It was too good not to steal from you.” “You can have anything you want from me, Chloe.”

“kissing you once would never be enough.”

When he locked my lips in a kiss, I knew what the woman in the candy store was talking about. This town was filled with magic.

“I don’t know …” He went in for another kiss and said, “I’ve never felt this way before.”

“You want to wake up next to me every morning?” I had so many questions; it just felt important to start here. His stare didn’t waver, and I felt it all the way in my toes. “More than anything.”

“The red light district is what lights up Amsterdam, but sex is what keeps it on fire.”