Page 46 of False Assumptions

Chapter Twenty

Spring break passed in a bubble. They stayed in Evan’s apartment, coming out a few times to eat dinner somewhere, run a few errands, or go to the gym so Evan could keep up with his workout schedule. Layla had convinced him to go after he’d seemed antsy from skipping a couple of workouts. He couldn’t sit still, and obviously needed it as an outlet as much as to stay in shape.

She couldn’t remember ever feeling as content or sated as she did that week. The first night had been a little awkward, at least for her, trying to figure out her usual routines in a new space. But Evan so clearly wanted her there, making sure she had whatever she needed, the little caresses he gave her reassuring her that this was real. And he couldn’t seem to get enough of her. They spent most of their time in his bed or lounging on the couch, mostly naked, with him ending up inside her sooner rather than later. Sometimes it was so sweet and tender that she wanted to call itmaking love, but couldn’t quite bring herself to apply that term, not even in her own head.

But even that couldn’t keep his natural desire to move at bay, so she suggested he keep up with his usual workout schedule. He talked her into coming along to the gym.

“It’ll be fun. I’ll show you some exercises to strengthen your ankle and help it get all the way better.”

That had convinced her. While her ankle was much improved, it still twinged when she had to hurry across campus, and some days it had swelled up by the end of the day. If Evan could help things along, then it was worth going to the gym.

They’d stopped by her apartment so she could grab some workout clothes.

“See,” he’d said while she rummaged through her drawers for her sports bra, shorts, and a tank top. “I told you we could come back if you needed something.”

“Yes, you were right. Would you like an award?”

He narrowed his eyes at her as she stuffed the workout clothes in a bag. “Yes. I would.”

She laughed. “What do you want?”

“A kiss.”

Taking a step closer to him, she pretended to think it over. “Hmm. I was thinking more like a certificate. We could find a template online and print it out on pretty paper and everything.” She put her hands in the air like she was holding a paper. “’This certificate is to recognize that on March thirteenth in the year two thousand seventeen, Evan’—wait, what’s your middle name?”

His eyes crinkled like they did when he smiled, but he bit his lips to keep it in. “Ward.”

“Really?”

He nodded.

“Okay. ‘On March thirteenth, twenty-seventeen, Evan Ward Coopman was right about something.’ Sound good?”

He scrunched up his face, one eye almost closing, and shook his head. “No. I don’t like that. I’ll take my kiss instead.”

Heaving a big, fake sigh, she moved to stand in front of him, but she couldn’t hold back her smile. “Fine. If you insist.”

His hands fell to her hips, and he pulled her tight against him, his mouth covering hers in a demanding kiss, even though they’d just made love not long before leaving his apartment.No. Had sex. We had sex this morning. We didn’t make love.

When he pulled back, she could feel him hard against her belly. She smirked up at him. “Too bad we’re going to the gym, huh? No time to take care of this.” She reached between them and gave him a squeeze before spinning away, grabbing her bag, and darting out the door.

Evan let out a noise that sounded halfway between a laugh and a groan, but caught up to her in seconds. Trapping her against the back of her couch, he kissed her again, grinding his hips into her, his cock hard and heavy through the thin fabric of his workout shorts.

This time when he broke the kiss, she was breathing as hard as he was and just as aroused. He kissed her jawline and brought his mouth to her ear, his breath raising goosebumps down her neck and sending a shiver down her spine.

“Too bad I don’t have a condom. But now you’re suffering as much as I am.” He let out a low chuckle and released her.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “At least my problem’s not obvious to the whole world, though.”

His eyes drifted meaningfully to her chest. Looking down, she saw her nipples standing straight out. With a scowl, she crossed her arms over them. “Fine. But I can cover mine up. You’ll have to walk around like that till it goes away.” She put an extra flounce in her step as she headed for the door. “Come on, Evan,” she called in a singsong voice. “We’ve gotta go work out.”

He smacked her ass on his way out the door, his hand leaving a warm sting behind. “I’ll pay you back later, Layla.”

“Pay me back? You’re the one who started it with your snide comments about being right.” She locked the door and followed him down the stairs.

“I wasn’t being snide. I was merely commenting that I made a good point the other day. I haven’t held you hostage and not let you get things you need from your place, right? Right. That’s all I was trying to say.” At the car, he pulled her door open and pointed a finger at her while she climbed in. “You, on the other hand, got snotty and offered to print me a certificate.”

She stuck out her tongue at him. He laughed and closed the door, taking them to the gym. As promised, he showed her some exercises to gently strengthen and rehab the muscles. “If you keep up with them, your ankle will come back stronger than before.”

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