Page 73 of Thinking It Over

Before we stepped into the room, we derailed to popour head around Tyler’s door. Penny lifted her head toward us, huffed, and then snuggled back down. Tyler was sprawled and sleeping soundly.

“He’s a resilient kid,” I said as we entered our room.

“He’s incredible.” Austin nodded. “But I want to talk about you right now,” he said, standing before me and tugging my T-shirt over my head.

“You do, huh?”

“Definitely,” he said, his gaze traveling to my naked chest. He leaned forward and dipped, capturing one of my nipples while palming my cock. When he pulled his mouth away, I grumbled a little, earning me a squeeze. “You know, you keep referring to this place as ours, your home.”

With his hand on my covered cock, it was impossible to do more than whimper. I heard his words, knew what he was saying, but beyond the pleasure blooming in my stomach and the need to spill my load, I had no time to question or hesitate.

“Whenever you’re ready, I’d really like to make that more official and permanent, okay?” His hand slipped inside my now open jeans. So lost in his touch, I hadn’t realized he’d unzipped me. When I remained quiet, his hand stilled. My moan was needy, and I jerked my hips, encouraging him to move. “Okay?” he repeated.

This time, my eyes found his. Despite the heat anddesire sizzling the air between us and my rock-hard cock in his hand, his gaze was steady and serious. With a shaky hand from the desire pulsing through me, I reached out and cupped his cheek. “Thank you. As soon as I’m ready, I’ll be here. Permanently,” I added.

I gained his mouth but lost it a second later as he tore off his shirt and grumbled at me to hurry. With a snort and a laugh, I stripped and switched on the shower, grabbing the lube from the drawer before I stepped inside.

While I didn’t know when I’d officially call Austin’s place my home for real, I knew it wasn’t too far in the future, but for now, life needed to settle with Tyler and then Frankie.

Everything was changing so quickly, and I needed to make sure I didn’t complicate that with how life was unfolding. But in the meantime, I stepped under the spray and proceeded to show Austin just how much I had missed him.

Once the shower had run cool, we collapsed into bed. The bedside lamp was still on as we lay wrapped around each other, enjoying the stillness and being with one another.

“You really okay?” I whispered, not really wanting to disrupt the calm but not quite trusting Austin was as all right as he’d said he was.

He was quiet for a beat, indicating something morewas on his mind. I turned to my side and angled my arm, resting my head on my palm, giving him my full attention.

“You can talk to me about anything. I can just listen or can give you more if you need or want me to. Either way, if you want to talk, I’m here.”

Angling his head, he turned his attention fully on me. I swallowed hard at the sadness I wasn’t expecting to see there. But I couldn’t force his words.

“I know I can. Thank you.” He closed his eyes for a few beats and seemed to be working on steadying his breathing. Meanwhile, I froze. Worry gnawed at me. When he opened his lids, his attention on me remained. “As soon as we’re able, I want us to look into fostering.”

Surprise slammed into me. I sat up quickly. While I’d had no idea what was on his mind, this was nowhere near what I’d suspected. Silently, I looked at him as he eased up to a sitting position.

“Tyler was only in the system for a week….” He trailed off and shook his head. After a breath, he continued, “It wasn’t like the place was squalid, but the need to get him out of there…” He shook his head. “I’ve never felt anything like it before.”

My gaze softened, and I reached out to him. “Social Services have stringent checks in place,” I offered, but I’dread enough news to know how many carers slipped through the net.

“I know, but what about those who are great at the game, the lie?” Distaste flooded his features. “I’ve known enough parents over the years who lie through their teeth and shouldn’t be parents, and they’re supposed to love their kids. Robin’s told me horror stories. Throw a foster parent in the mix who isn’t in it for all the right reasons, and I just can’t live with myself knowing I could do better, giving a child, or even children, a chance.”

He was intense and focused, the absolute certainty bleeding through his penetrating gaze and his words. My beating heart ached for this man and all of the love he was capable of.

“I know it’s a lot, and this is so sudden, but I—”

“It’s okay,” I said, cutting him off and trying to lessen his worry. I pressed a kiss to his forehead and placed my hand on his bare chest, over his heart. “I’m not saying no. That you have so much compassion inside you, feel so much is beautiful, and I love you the more for it.”

“You do?” His words were followed by a deep exhale, and his gaze cleared a little.

“I really do.” My lips curved upward. “I’m not saying we can do anything about it this year”—he nodded at that, settling some of my own anxiety churning in my stomach—“but as soon as we’re both ready, we’ll consider it, and when we have all of the information, we can start looking into giving a loving home to those kids who really need it.” By the time I finished speaking, a bubble of nervous excitement pushed the churning away, taking its place.

Fostering wasn’t anything I’d considered. Having never been in a serious relationship before, let alone the forever kind, which I knew soul deep this was, it had never registered. But now, we had a future and possibility.

There was so much to think over, but already, in my heart, I was sure this was the right direction for the two of us.

It wasthe last day of the school year, and as I packed up, I hesitated, wondering if I was a fool. I’d been offered the job at Bornford the day after my interview. And I’d declined the offer. I cringed at the thought, not sure if following my heart was the smart move, and I ignored the irony of the statement.

When Austin had asked about the job, I hadn’t outright lied, but my bland “It didn’t work out” wasn’t quite the whole truth. With everything going on withFrankie, then him coming home with Tyler, everything inside me had screamed not to leave.

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