1 Leaping Hearts by Jessica Bird

Author:Jessica Bird
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2012-09-25T14:16:11+00:00

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Chapter 9

It was a week later that A.J. rolled over in Devlin’s bed and realized she was in love with him. Coming out of a wistful dream, something about riding Sabbath through Virginia’s best hunt country, she felt very male arms wrapped around her and the cushion of a sturdy chest against her back. She turned over slowly, careful not to wake him.

In the gray light of the early morning hour, his face was a study in strong shadows, from the hollows in his cheeks and the deep sockets of his eyes to the arching iron of his jaw. He was beautiful, a sublime model of masculine form, a living, breathing dream.

And with the deepest, most feminine part of herself, she knew he was hers. Just as she was his. Their hearts and minds had come together. They’d become so close, she wasn’t sure where he left off and she took over and she didn’t care about her lost individuality. She was half of herself without him, more than her whole with him.

A.J. put her lips against his throat, over the thick vein that pounded with the beat of his heart. Against his surging blood, she whispered, “I love you.”

It was the first time she’d ever said the words to a man.

This realization made the statement seem even more powerful.

When it came to men, she’d never given herself easily. There had been a few boyfriends in college, but she’d been so focused on riding, the relationships had been brief and casual. The trend had continued as she’d turned professional. Before Devlin, men had always seemed an unnecessary complication in a life long on challenges and squat on time. But he was different. Her heart told her so.

Given her lack of experience with romance, she found the confidence with which she could say I love you surprising. In previous relationships, she’d never been able to return the sentiment. She hadn’t been sure what love was, only that she didn’t feel it. Now it was clear. What else was so thrilling, so frightening, so intoxicating, so precious, so overwhelming, as love?

Part of her wanted to nudge Devlin awake and break the news but she held back. She was assuming he felt the same way but she wasn’t sure. She was ready to make a commitment to him, to their future together as life partners and professional allies, but her newfound love for him made her vulnerable. She wanted him to make the declaration out loud first.

A.J. stretched, feeling her legs slide against Devlin’s. He groaned in his sleep and gathered her even closer to him, tucking her into his side. As his breathing returned to the soft, regular rhythm of deep sleep, she found herself smiling, despite her heavy thoughts. There were so many benefits to being with him. Aside from their sensual exploits in the night, sleeping in a real bed again was another bonus. She hadn’t quite lost the appreciation of having some space to move around in at night, even though Devlin tended to take up more than his fair share of the bed.

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