Page 26 of Mercer

I don’t think we have enough time to celebrate.

What do you mean?

Well, I guess it depends on what kind of celebrating you mean.

There was a long pause, and then he texted,Well, I meant get a piece of cake from the cafeteria, but honestly your sexy idea is better. We can be quick, you know. Then slow later.He included a gif of someone wiggling their brows, which made her chuckle.

Now that’s my idea of celebrating. But cake sounds good too.

We’ll have our cake and eat you too.

Don’t you mean eat it too?she texted.

Nope.

Her face flushed and she sat back with a grin. She’d never felt so connected to a guy before, but she did with Mercer. He was sexy and sweet, and the things he did to her in bed made her whole body shiver in remembrance.

It didn’t hurt that he was lickably gorgeous and had off-the-charts protective vibes toward her.

Something poked through her hazy sex-addled brain and her libido cooled a bit.

She’d felt like he wasn’t telling her something, and she couldn’t put her finger on it.

He said he was an open book, that she could ask him anything and he’d tell her the truth. But deep inside she was sure he hadn’t told her everything. She had no right to expect him to tell her everything immediately, but they’d been intimate and spent hours pillow-talking. No matter the topic, he shared openly with her. Except…something was missing. There was something she could ask him about, but she didn’t know what it was.

It wasn’t like she could ask him what he wasn’t telling her, although maybe being direct was the best approach.

What could she say?Hey, sexy, I know you’re an open book, but it feels like one of the chapters of the book has a lock on it. So whatever it is you’re holding back on, tell me the truth. And also, why the heck do your eyes keep changing, and didn’t you purr while we were having sex last night?

Sighing, she put the phone on the counter after sending him a smiley face emoji. She wasn’t going to figure anything out while they were separated, she just had to figure out what was going on with him.

Her phone buzzed with a message from her mom.

We’ve found a place. The house is going on the market tomorrow. Are you moved into the new apartment yet?

Pretty much, she texted back.I’ve got to get rid of the old furniture. Mercer and his friends are going to help me get it to a thrift store. Congrats on the house, and I hope the current one sells fast for you.

We’d like you to bring your boyfriend to dinner Friday at our house. Dad has to start the new job on Monday, so it will be the last big meal I’ll make at the house.

We work until 4:30. I’ll check with him, but I’m pretty sure we’re free. I’d love for you to meet him.

Of course! We want to meet the guy who helped you get a job and a place to live, even though Dad is still on the fence about you being in an entirely different state from us.

It’s not that far, though.

I know, but you know how he is.

Yeah, and I love you both for it, but my life’s at the park and with Mercer now.

If only she could figure out what little part of himself he was keeping from her.

You’re liking the new job?

Very much. And the apartment is super cute. You guys can come for a visit.

That would be great. Have a good day, honey.

You too.

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