Page 61 of Between Us

“Anyway,” I continue, changing the subject. “I mean, I think you shouldn’t be surprised by your dad’s work ethic. You clearly got all of it—plus your mom’s I’m guessing.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I don’t know. It’s just obvious. Clearly my dad sees it. I remember the way he was talking to you on the phone when he offered you the job.” I snicker at the memory of how excited my dad was on that call. “He sounded almost as proud as he ever has for Grady and I.”

Adrian’s quiet for a second, so I glance up at him. Just in time to catch the end of that nose scrunch, and corner lip bite, that he does every time he’s a little embarrassed.

“And from what you’ve said, you don’tneedthis job. I also know you’ll be required to meet certain milestones and gain specific experience, while you finish your degree. So, it says a lot that you’re choosing to work here, on top of everything else you have going on.”

His brows furrow, but there’s a slight smile gracing his lips. “Your dad said something similar to that in my interview.”

My mouth drops open, appalled. Though, in Adrian’s defense, he probably has no idea about my dad’s ‘feelings’ or the fact that this is tiptoeing too close to me having a similar one.

“What’s wrong?” He’s more amused than concerned.

“I—I don’t even know how to explain it honestly.”

He just nods and shrugs. “Okay.”

“You’re like, the easiest-going person I’ve ever met.”

“I don’t want you to put me on a pedestal or something.” His tone isn’t irritated, but more serious. “I’m only human—and I’m sure I’ll mess up at some point. Hopefully not in a way that breaks what’s happening between us. Just know I’ll do anything I can to fix it.” His eyes rove over my features, and he drops his head a few more inches toward me. “But it doesn’t feel like I have to try around you, Blake. You make me feel like a…”

He trails off, unsure of his words.

After a few seconds, I impatiently urge, “Feel like what?”

“Aman.” He shakes his head. “I don’t know how to explain that better. I haven’t felt like a kid in a long time, but the feelings you’ve brought out of me… they’re nothing I’ve ever felt before.”

All I can do is nod becauseI get it.

The way Adrian simply looks at me is a heady thing—and it sends my nerve endings on high alert every time. I know that it’s the mix of deep feelings I’m quickly developing for him that takes his smallest touches from a welcome gesture to a moment I’m quietly craving, every second I’m in his presence. Then I spend most of the night thinking about it in bed.

Lifting up my chin until it’s aligned to his, I breathe shallowly as we watch each other. Our lips are only a few inches from one another, but without moving my foot, I can’t reach any further.

I know we should talk about what happened tonight, with Zippy and the position I put him in. But selfishly, I don’t want to. At least not right now.

Instead, I just want to get lost in Adrian’s orbit—to feel a billion miles away from all of my anxieties and insecurities. I want to know what happens next.

But the ball’s in his court—I wasn’t scared he’d turn me down until about two seconds ago.

“I don’t want to hurt you, Blake,” he quietly murmurs, closing an inch of distance despite his words.

The hand that’s been resting on his knee moves up to the middle of his thigh and I give it a light squeeze. “A kiss won’t hurt me.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Blake

Hisfingersstartedlightlytracing up my side at some point but at my words, those same hands grip onto my hips and hold me in place. It isn’t hard enough to hurt, and even with my injured ankle, I know I could easily push him off—but his mix of newfound possessiveness, and endless consideration for me, makes it so much hotter.

He hasn’t even touched me—hell, he hasn’t even reallykissedme tonight—yet my body’s on fire in a way it’s never been before. There have been glimpses of these feelings, smaller flickers of flames whenever he’s near, but this is overwhelming.

Addicting, even, because I just want more before I’ve had any.

“Fuck me,” he murmurs as his lips crash down on mine. He wastes no time pulling my bottom lip down with his teeth and slipping his tongue into my mouth.

And it’s a good thing or I would’ve said something stupid like ‘okay.’ That’s how far out the window my inhibitions feel right now as I’m wrapped in his earthy, cedar cologne.

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