Page 59 of Thinking It Over

He sighed at my touch and shifted so he could wrap his arms around me. I was just that little bit more slenderthan him to feel almost delicate in his arms, and certainly cared for.

When he angled away, I knew it was so he could look at me, so I shifted my head and made eye contact.

“I love you,” he said, emotion carrying his words, genuine happiness leading the way.

Joy fluttered through me, reaching out and brushing across my skin, dancing around my heart as his words sank in. His sweet gaze, gentle but with the intensity of his feeling behind it, remained on mine. “I love you, too.” My words echoed around the bathroom, weaving through the spray and finding purchase on the man before me.

Austin cupped my cheek and swept his thumb over my wet skin. “I need you to know whatever happens at work, we’ll figure it out.”

Relief had me nodding. “I know.”

“I wish I could put pressure on—”

“No,” I said, cutting him off. “Everything will be as it should. If I have to work somewhere else until another opening comes up at school with you, then so be it.”

His gaze softened. “You’re not worried?”

“No,” I answered immediately. “I’ll miss you, but I’m not worried about us.”

The words seemed to wash over him, diluting any lingering worry from his gaze. A tender kiss followed, decadent and gentle, but I was beat, and there was no way I or my cock had anything left in me. Well, not until I’d eaten at least.

The prospect of a round two had me easing back and a smile curling my lips. “Food and chill?”

“Is it bad if we eat in bed?”

I scrunched my nose at that. “It all depends on what it is.”

He seemed amused.

I lifted my brow, my hand reaching out and turning off the shower. “If it’s food that stinks the room up, I don’t want any of it.”

Austin laughed.

“What?”

“It’s not been than long since you were at college. Isn’t that the sort of thing kids these days do?”

Mock horror sent my brows shooting high. “I’ll have you know nothing beyond cheese and crackers and popcorn made it to my room.”

He paused as he dried himself off, disbelief on his face. “Are you serious?”

“As a heart attack.” There was something about food smell in the room that had always been a major turn off for me and made me slightly nauseous—much to the chagrin of Lee, who I’d shared a dorm room with in myfirst year. We all had our quirks, and it seemed this was one of mine.

“Huh,” he said, amused and confused. “I know some food is stinky, but not even after a night out and rolling in at an ungodly hour?”

“Nope.”

“Your restraint is impressive and slightly disturbing.” He followed up with a laugh.

I rolled my eyes at him before stepping into his room to pull on a pair of shorts from one of the drawers I had clothes stashed in. Immediately, I thought about what Billy said to me earlier, and smiled as I tugged the fabric up my legs.

“I can handle both of those descriptions, especially impressive,” I threw over my shoulder, my gaze catching on his ass that unfortunately disappeared behind cotton shorts.

Austin grinned and stalked toward me. When he grasped me by the waist and hauled me to him, he whispered, “Impressive is just the start of who you are.”

I was dead. Melted. A puddle. Kaput on the floor.

He seemed to know it too, since he gave me a Cheshire cat grin he reserved for moments when he knew I was a goner and not thinking straight—usually when in orgasmic bliss—and released my waist to secure my hand in his.

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