Hooked by Love (Bellevue Bullies 3)

That makes my lips turn up as I slowly nod. “I couldn’t do it without you.”

He shakes his head. “Yeah, you could, you just don’t have to. You never will have to either,” he says, kissing the back of my hand again. “Now, come on, let’s go.” He winks.

He turns to get out, but I stop him, taking him by the arm. “Really, Jace, thank you.”

“Anytime, baby. I love you.”

He kisses my nose and I close my eyes, basking in the feel of his little act of affection. It’s my favorite thing he does. It’s so trivial, so little, but just the touch of his lips to my nose makes the world go round for me.

“I love you too.”

He sends me a grin, and then he’s out of the car and I’m bursting with love.

I didn’t even know I could fall any harder for him.

But I am.

I’m so unbelievably proud of her.

As she grins, moving her hair out of her face, she’s glowing. Just sparkling before my eyes, and I couldn’t be prouder. She’s living her dreams, making shit happen, and man, I can’t believe she picked me to go on the ride with her. I just can’t stop falling in love with her. Especially when she is eating ice cream. There is something about Avery and Jeni’s ice cream together that has me in all kinds of knots.

Good knots.

Naughty knots.

“I still can’t believe it,” she laughs before licking the ice cream off her spoon. I know I should be listening, but it’s hard when she’s basically making love to that spoon. If only it were my co— “I mean, this is so awesome, right?”

“Yes,” I say, meeting her gaze. “So awesome.”

She glares, and I think I’m caught. “Brat, stop watching me lick this spoon like it’s your cock. You sicko!”

“You said it, so you were thinking it!” I accuse and she grins as she leans on her elbows.

“Maybe, ugh, shut up.” She starts to turn red, and all I can do is laugh. Smiling back at her, I hold my ice cream out for her and she takes a big lick.

“Oooh, good!”

“Right?” I say, taking another bite. “It’s my favorite.”

“I wish I would have gotten it. Salted Caramel?”

“Yup, the best,” I say with a sigh. I love ice cream. But even with my love for the creamy goodness and with pride seeping out of my pores for Avery, I can’t shake the text Jude sent me not even a half hour ago.

Jude: Call me when she’s not around.

I have no clue why he needs to talk to me when Avery isn’t around, but it’s freaking me out.

“Do you work tonight?”

I shake my head. “No, I took the night off because I knew we were either going to celebrate or I was gonna have to hold you all night as you cried.”

“Aw, my hero.” She grins

I point to her. “Does that make you my princess?” I ask with a teasing gaze and she scoffs.

“Please, I’m a queen!”

“Actually, you can’t be a queen without a king.”