Page 39 of The Summer Intern

"I do not," he muttered into my collarbone.“But shit, I could grow addicted to fucking you.”At some point, his hair band had come loose, and I reached up and combed my fingers through it, stroking the silky tendrils out of his face.

His thumb swept over the bite mark he'd left on my shoulder—apologetic or possessive, I couldn't tell.When he met my eyes, his looked storm-wrecked.Blue gone hazy like Eagle Lake at dawn.

Our noses bumped as we both moved in for a kiss, tender and calmer now.

“You’re not running away this time.”

I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and sighed happily.“I don’t think I could.Maybe in a few hours when my legs work again.”

“Or maybe never,” he muttered.“What the fuck was that ninja move you did on me?”

I beamed at him.“Never go up against an Asian kid whose mom was afraid he’d get beat up by the white boy bullies.I’ve had so many martial arts classes.”

“Noted.Also, that’s pretty damn sexy.”

“Everything about me is pretty damn sexy,” I said smugly.

He didn't argue.

sixteen

Casey

Mattdidn'tletmeleave until we'd snuggled, showered, and he'd fed me breakfast and birthday cake, and I was still buzzing from sex as I walked back to my cabin.It wasn't until was at the front door that I remembered Oliver.I mean, I knew he existed, but I'd somehow conveniently forgotten that I’d ditched on my birthday, that I'd left him alone and worried about me and ignored him while he sent me frantic texts.

How could I have been so selfish?If that was what being drunk did to me, maybe I needed to hold off on the drinking.Oliver had probably waited up all night for me, and I’d been too wrapped up in Matt to even remember to text him and let him know I wasn't dead.

I was an asshole.

Apologies raced through my mind as I pushed open the cabin door with my hip, swinging the precious guitar case through the door in front of me.I felt a twinge shoot up from places I wasn't ready to think about yet.Matt Blackstone was a big man in every sense of the word, and my body still felt wrung out and used up in the best possible way.I was gonna need that dick again.And again, and again and again.

As I gently set my new guitar on the bed, I gave the case a reverent stroke, blushing again as I thought about how beautiful it was.Then, remembering my apology mission, I turned and studied Oliver for signs of worry, but saw none.He was sprawled across our threadbare sofa, glasses perched on his nose as he typed rapidly on his laptop’s keyboard, copying numbers from a notebook sitting next to him into a spreadsheet.

Maybe he was using work to distract himself from his overwhelming panic?

He looked up after a moment, eyebrows shooting up as he saw me.There was no anger or worry in his eyes.

“Is that beard burn?”he asked at the same time as I said, "I'm sorry!"

I rubbed my jaw.Why hadn’t I looked in a mirror before I’d left Matt’s place?"No.Of course not.Why would I have a beard burn?And before you ask, I am not falling for a lumberjack who lives in a tiny house."

“Was that what I was going to ask?"he asked.

“What I meant to say was, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what?”He tilted his head, frowning for a beat, before perking up, setting the laptop on the coffee table, and leaning forward.“So, was Matt's house really cool?Wade mentioned that it was beautiful on the inside.Efficient use of space and zero net energy.My dream home, really.”He was rambling in that science nerd way he did, not at all like a little brother who'd waited up all night, worried about me.

I stared at him, momentarily thrown off balance.

"That's your question?If his house is cool?"I asked, crossing my arms."Not 'Where were you all night?'or 'Why didn't you come back to the cabin?'You don’t look worried at all!"

Oliver shrugged."I mean, I was a bit irritated that you ditched me mid-celebration, but I got it.You’re 21 and alcohol gives you weird delusions."

"It does not!"I huffed.

"Remember that party at the LGBTQ+ frat where you did a keg stand and then announced you were going to fuck the entire frat."

I frowned, tilting my head."That's not how I remember that night."Though the things that happened after the keg stand were a little blurry.A fumbling blow job maybe?

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