Page 11 of Forever Yours

Before he answered, he tipped my face up to meet his kiss.

“Trying to figure out my weekly schedule.”

My brow drew down with curiosity as I perused what was on his screen. He had made a color-coded chart of his class times, study times, training times, and practice times for the semester.

“You’re going to be busy,” I commented.

Really busy. It looked like Sundays were the only free days he had during the week.

He nuzzled the top of my head. “Looks that way. Next semester should be better since we’ll be in the non-traditional season.”

I nodded along even though I had no clue what a non-traditional season meant. Swimming, I knew. Soccer, not so much. The three things I knew about soccer were that you kicked a ball, the players couldn’t touch the ball with their hands, only the goalie could, and Julien looked hot as hell in his soccer uniform.

Closing the laptop and sliding it toward the headboard, he turned our bodies and climbed on top of me, straddling my waist. My hands instantly went to his chest, my fingers trailing a path across his ribcage to the cut V that arrowed down his hips. Julien’s body was rock hard and solid, yet smooth and soft.

“Have you talked to Jessi?” he asked, all casual-like.

My eyebrow arched in question. “Not since yesterday.”

Julien manipulated his bottom lip between his teeth. “So you don’t know.”

My other eyebrow hiked up and joined the first. “Know about what?”

His beautiful lips folded under until they disappeared completely before he smacked them open with an audiblepop.

“That I called her to apologize for my behavior at Fallon’s party.” He winced, making the most adorable face.

Pride swelled inside my chest until it ached. A good ache. He reached out to Jessi on his own without me having to remind him.

“Thank you.”

With a small shake of his head, he replied, “I should have done it sooner. Fuck that. It shouldn’t have happened at all, and I’m ashamed of myself that it did.” With a remorseful sigh, Julien sat back on my thighs but kept his hands on my chest, lazily stroking them up and down my shirt. “I’m tired of hurting all the fucking time.”

Jackknifing into a sitting position, I circled his neck with one hand and tugged, bringing our foreheads together. There were no words of comfort I could give that I hadn’t given before. The only things I could do were to be there for him and to love him.

“I know, baby. I’m here now,” I reassured him.

With our heads tucked together, we stared into each other’s eyes, saying the words we wouldn’t speak aloud.

“How was moving day?” he asked, gently twirling a curled lock of my hair around his forefinger before brushing it back off my forehead.

Because Jayson and Ryder were moving into the condo today, I told Julien to stay with them. I had Dad to help me and wanted to spend some time alone with him before he left to go back home.

“Took like ten minutes. I didn’t bring much with me. I met my new dormmate, Ash, and his mom, and another guy in my hall, David. Fallon popped by for a quick second.”

Julien rubbed his cheek against mine, a sweet caress that ended with a light laugh. “Still can’t believe Fallon is here with us.”

A pang of guilt niggled at my subconscious. Julien didn’t know about the deal I made with Fallon to get into CU. That I gave up my dream college because I was terrified the man I loved was spiraling out of control and needed me with him. Which was why I would never tell him. Julien didn’t need one more thing to feel guilty about. The guilt he carried about Liz was enough for a lifetime. I made my choice, and it was him. Always.

Julien feathered his lips over mine with a tender kiss. “I’m so happy you’re here.”

He framed my face between his warm palms and deepened the kiss, taking it from sweet to scorching until my toes curled and my cock ached.

Just as my hands reached for the waistband of his shorts, and his hands grabbed the hem of my shirt, Ryder shouted from down the hall, “Dinner’s ready. Stop making out and get your asses in here!”

“To be continued.” Julien smacked a last kiss to my lips, grabbed my hand, and pulled me off the bed. “You staying tonight?”

It was our first real night together again in a month. I don’t count the drunken night of Fallon’s party since I had to stay up with Julien, sitting on the floor of my bathroom as he threw up the rest of the Jack Daniels he’d consumed that hadn’t wound up in the fountain.

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