Page 53 of The Check Down

“Will do,” Griffin tells them. “All right, Celeste and Hardy. I’m going to make myself scarce so you can talk to your brilliant daughter.” He ruffles my hair like I’m a precocious kid, but when he rises to his full height, his skin blanches, going pale like it was yesterday, and his body sways, forcing him to grab the edge of the bar to stay upright.

“Whoa. Okay.” I grasp his arm, noticing just how clammy his skin still is. “See? I told you that you should be resting.”

“Yes, boss.” Ever the charmer, he winks at my parents, who are both staring at the screen with concern lining their faces.

“Mom. Dad. Can I call y’all later? I need to get this stubborn ass back to bed.”

“Of course, Moonbeam. Griffin, you let our girl take care of you, you hear? You’ll need all your strength for when you two—”

“Celeste,” my father says, blessedly cutting her off. “Let the kids be.”

“Right. Bye, loves!” She blows another kiss at the camera. As she angles forward to shut down their video, Griffin and I get an unexpected peek-a-boo of her suntanned cleavage.

When the video disconnects, I lower my head and give it a shake. “My parents, ladies and gentlemen.”

“Big fan of ’em already.” He gives me a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. He’s fading fast.

We adopt our positions from last night, my arm around his waist and his slung over my shoulders, and shuffle to his bedroom.

“One hundred percent, my ass. Stay put in this bed, mister. I’ll warm up a bowl of soup before I leave for class. No getting up except to use the bathroom.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The exhaustion working its way back into his face has my stomach knotting. Will he be okay here alone all day?

“Maybe I can get someone to cover for me—”

With a slow shake of his head—and a grimace—he gives my shoulder a squeeze. “Brynn. No. Go inspire young minds. I’ll be fine.”

He climbs into bed without any prompting, and I pull the covers up to his chin, then straighten the blanket, mothering again.

Rather than give me a hard time about being bossy, he takes my hand. “Thank you for taking care of me, even if I’m a stubborn ass.”

“You’re welcome.” I pat his chest twice and start for the door.

“Hey, professor.”

I pause at the threshold and glance over my shoulder. “Did you or did you not volunteer to bite me last night?”

Chapter eleven

Brynn

The instant I step into his dark bedroom, I realize I’ve made a colossal mistake.

The sounds coming from behind the half-open bathroom door should be enough to send me scurrying to my room and locking myself in, then spending the night reading something virtuous. LikeAnne of Green Gables. Or my well-loved, brittle copy ofThe Secret Garden.

Because mixed with the calming white noise of the shower spray areothersounds…deep, guttural, manly sounds. Sounds that make me squeeze my thighs together and send my pulse racing.

Rather than bolt, I stand stock still, my toes digging into the plush tan rug, and listen to my roommate practice his own self-love. Mom would give him a gold star.

Clutching the folded T-shirt and joggers that somehow got mixed up in my laundry last weekend, I inch closer to his bed. I’m only venturing into Griffin’s room to return his clean clothing. That’s it. When my knees hit the end of his bed, I lay the pile on the plush comforter.

But I don’t leave.

Instead, I approach the bathroom door, playing a very dangerous game. If he catches me perving on him, I’ll have to move out.Not only out of this apartment, but out of the whole dang state. My dignity would demand it.

The threat isn’t enough to stop me. Swallowing my worries, I step closer. Closer. So close, the steam from the shower caresses my skin. I keep my eyes downcast, afraid of being discovered, but when another low grunt reaches my ears, I’m powerless to stop myself from seeking more.

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