The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 358

Chapter 0358

"I missed you," he murmurs, holding me close and falling back against the wall next to the door.

I grin at him in the dark of the room, my face very close to his, my feet nowhere near the ground. God, I love how he always picks me up. I don't know why it's not like he carries me anywhere or it does any productive good. I just...love it. "You did?" I whisper, delighted.

"I always miss you," he murmurs, leaning forward a little to nudge my nose with his.

"Oh yeah?" I say, sighing a little. "Even like, when I'm in the same room?"

Jackson just frowns at me like I'm crazy. "No, Ariel, that's ridiculous."

I burst out laughing, tilting my head back on my neck.

I can feel him grinning - feel it down the bond, feel it in the way that his chest rumbles. "Why would I miss you when you're still in the room?"

"Because!" I protest, laughing, pulling my head back up to look into his shining eyes. "It's romantic."

"It's dumb," he says, sighing happily and staring into my face, searching it like he's

memorizing the details. "If you're in the room, I'm glad you're there. I can't miss you in the same moment that I'm glad you're there."

"So, you're glad I'm here?" I whisper.

"Yes," he whispers back, simple and sweet. "Always want you near." And then he moves his head forward, as I hoped he would, and brings his mouth to mine, and kisses the daylights cut of me. I moan a little, loving the feeling of his lips on mine, the way he kisses me languidly, like he has all damn night to do it. I love the way his hands tighten against the silk of my dress, the way his skin feels hot under my hands as I let them slip down his neck, and over his shoulders.