Chapter 60

CHAPTER 60

KENNEDY

O ops. That slipped out!

I hadn’t meant to tell him I loved him while I was covered in snot and tears, wearing a pair of Winrey’s old sweats and a band tee, but here I was. Now that the words were out there, I was committed to letting him know that this wasn’t just something I was saying in the heat of the moment.

“I know you told me to take some time to think about everything, but just after I got home, I realized that I didn’t need any time. I love you, Austin, and I’m never going to stop.”

Disbelief flared to life in his eyes. For a moment, I thought he was going to either let go or laugh at me, but then a wide, slow grin appeared on his face and he hugged me tighter. “I love you, too. That’s why I came over last night, to tell you that I love you and that I want a life with you, and not just as a business partner or an investor.”

All the stress and intensity of accidentally admitting my feelings turned into warm, fuzzy happiness as he said it. His head descended and he sealed his lips over mine, kissing me deeply as he cupped my cheeks in his palms.

Sparks flew over my skin, taking root in the center of my soul and creating a joyful glow where previously there had been only longing and emptiness. I finally felt complete, like I was exactly where I was meant to be, and like two puzzle pieces clicking into place, the sense of belonging that washed over me was incredible.

Sliding my hands into his, I squeezed his fingers and broke the kiss, looking into his glittering dark eyes. “Let’s go upstairs. We don’t have to do all this on the sidewalk.”

Grinning, he nodded and followed me to the door. “Fair warning, I haven’t showered, so I might stink once we’re in a confined space.”

“I’m sure Winrey won’t mind you using their shower, but if I’m being honest, you smell kind of good to me. I think it’s because I know it means you’re here and you’re safe.”

He chuckled. “It was a jail cell for a night, not Folsom Prison for a decade. I’m fine, Kenny. Really. The other guys were surprisingly nice.”

“You mean the other inmates?” I asked, eyes wide.

“Well, technically, yes.” He shrugged. “We talked about football. Everyone was chill.”

As we reached Winrey and Benji’s floor, they were heading out of their apartment. Winrey smiled when she saw us, releasing Benji’s hand to give Austin a fierce hug. “Thank you for being there for her. We’re so, so grateful and so sorry about how it all went down. Danny is a real shit bag. I’m glad you decked him.”

“What she means to say is that we’re going out to grab brunch and then we’ll take a walk,” Benji said as he shook Austin’s hand. “We thought you guys might need some time.”

My mind got stuck on the word brunch . Eyes slowly widening, I realized Austin hadn’t eaten last night—not while I’d been with him anyway—and he probably hadn’t eaten this morning either. I turned to stare at him.

“Oh, god. You must be starving!”

“I am,” he said, but when his gaze met mine, there was a hunger in it for something besides Eggs Benedict. Something that made my insides clench and my heart race.

Winrey giggled. “Benji and I thought you could use the place to talk.” She winked. “I’m sure you have a lot to discuss. It’s been a busy night.”

I tightened my grip on Austin’s hand, playing along even though all four of us knew exactly what was going to happen as soon as they left. “Yeah, lots to talk about. After Austin takes a shower, though. You don’t mind, do you?”

“Not at all,” she replied easily, grabbing Benji’s hand again and starting to pull him down the hall. “Have fun, guys. Just remember to be safe, or this little one might have a cousin to grow up with.”

“Winrey,” Benji groaned, shooting us an apologetic look as he slid his arm around her shoulders. She giggled again, bending her head to his as they disappeared into the stairwell.

I glanced at Austin at the exact moment that he turned his head to look at me, and then his lips were on mine, passionate, tender, and desperate. Winding his arms around my hips, he walked me backward into their apartment, slamming the door shut behind us as he devoured me.

With his body hard and hot against my own, his lips on mine, and his hands firm on my hips, he was consuming my senses, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I brushed my fingers into his hair, moaning into his mouth as my body came alive under his attention.

As I reached for the zipper of his jacket, I tugged it down slowly, remembering what he’d said about not having taken a shower yet. Breaking the kiss, I pushed his jacket off his shoulders and took his hand without saying a word, leading him toward Winrey and Benji’s small bathroom.

“Good idea.” His chin dropped in a nod as I closed the door just in case.

Pressing him against the vanity, I pushed my body against his once more, still not saying anything as I slid my fingers into his belt. I held his smoldering gaze as I loosened it, flicking open the button of his jeans next.

In response, he reached for the hem of Winrey’s band tee, pulled it over my head, and lowered his eyes slowly to my chest. He groaned as he drank me in, making me feel sexy and gorgeous even though I was in an old cotton bra with the underwire poking a hole into the fabric.

Bringing his gaze back to mine, he reached for the waistband of the sweats and slowly peeled them off. My panties followed. I was so wrapped up in him that the world might’ve exploded outside and I doubted I would have noticed, my entire being focused only on him.

Even our breathing was in sync, our gazes locked as we undressed each other. It was the most intimate moment I’d ever had, and yet, it didn’t scare me. It didn’t make me feel like I was sacrificing my professional goals or dreams.

All I felt was a sense of peace, like we’d weathered the storm and were now finally reaping the rewards. I loved how safe and secure I felt with him right then. As soon as we were both naked, I stepped into him and fused my body with his as I pushed up on my toes to kiss him again.

Austin was hard against my lower belly, his shaft thick and long where it pressed against me. He groaned at the friction as I leaned into him. My fingertips gently brushed across his throat and shoulders as his tongue delved into my mouth.

Finally, I remembered why I’d brought him into the bathroom in the first place and I slowed the kiss to a natural end, my lips hovering against his for a moment before I pulled away. “Give me a minute.”

He nodded, his eyes following me. I took the couple of steps to the shower cubicle, pulling away the curtain to turn on the water. The shower took a few minutes to warm up, so I turned back to Austin, my gaze sweeping across his strong jaw and his messy, dark hair.

After obviously not shaving this morning, he had a heavy five o’clock shadow and I cocked my head, eyes finally traveling back to his. “Will you let me shave you?”

“That depends,” he murmured with a ghost of a smile on his lips. “Are you pissed off with me at all right now?”

I shook my head. “Not right now.”

“Then yes, I’ll let you shave me.” He watched as I reached past him into the cabinet on the wall, coming back with a disposable razor and a bottle of shaving cream.

After getting everything ready, I patted some warm water on his face and squeezed a generous amount of cream into my palms, lathering him up before rinsing my hands. I picked up the razor again, my features screwing up in concentration as I prayed that I wouldn’t nick him.

Thankfully, I was so in tune with him today that my hand slid steadily along the familiar outline of his jaw, the blade sliding easily across his skin without any blood appearing in my wake. I moved gently but efficiently, finishing up just as steam started rising from the shower.

Austin smiled and pressed a kiss to the inside of my palm when I was done. “Thank you.”

“You’re forever taking care of me, but I’d like to take care of you sometimes, too.”

“If only you knew how much you already do,” he murmured, turning to splash some water on his face before he climbed into the shower with me.

The water pressure wasn’t amazing, but we managed anyway, taking turns to wash each other quickly. After, we shared a towel to dry off before we crashed together again. I knew there were still things we needed to talk about, but I also knew now wasn’t the time.

I needed him something awful, and if the feel of him pressed up against me was anything to judge by, the same was true for him. He kissed me hungrily, wrapping his hands around the backs of my thighs and lifting me against him.

I laughed in surprise but murmured against his lips. “I slept on the sofa bed. Let’s just hope they don’t come home soon.”

“They won’t,” he said confidently. “They made themselves scarce for a reason and I’m sure they knew it was going to take a while.”

My cheeks flushed at the reminder that they knew exactly what we were doing, but instead of overthinking it, I kissed him again. He laid me down on the open sofa and climbed onto it with me. I spread my legs to make space for his knees between them, aching for him to just sink into me.

He lowered his body to mine, and his tip pressed against my entrance for just a moment before it slid through my folds. I decided right then and there that it was time to ditch the condoms. Not today, obviously, but I need to get to a doctor.

Austin sucked in a sharp breath, his body trembling slightly above mine as he stilled for a moment, cursing against my lips. I pulled back, breaking the kiss to look into his eyes and running my fingertips along his cleanly shaven cheek.

“Please tell me you have a condom,” I whispered. “I didn’t think to ask Benji to grab any from my place last night when he went to lock up.”

Austin grinned against my lips. “I do, but it’s in my wallet, which is in the bathroom with my pants.”

I groaned, screwing my eyes shut as he rolled off me and got up. “Hurry, will you?”

“Fast as the wind,” he promised, striding away with his chest still heaving with labored breaths, but giving me a fantastic view of his tight ass as he went.

I watched openly, ogling him without any shame whatsoever when he appeared in the doorway between the bathroom and the living room. Between his fingers, I saw the foil package he’d been after, but I wasn’t really looking at his hand.

The man was a true Adonis, so freaking beautiful that he brought tears to my eyes. Somehow, his skin seemed to carry a natural tan that never faded. The strong, defined muscles under his skin flexed and released as he walked.

I smiled through my tears as he climbed onto the sofa with me again, and the amusement of whatever he was going to say about seeing me checking him out vanished as he pressed a kiss to each of my eyelids. His lips traced from my eyes, to my cheeks, and back to my mouth, sealing over it once more as he pushed me back onto the bed.

Reminded of why he’d gotten up in the first place when he brushed against my core again, I heard the soft rip of the foil. He sat up to cover himself before he caught my cheeks between his palms. Kissing me hard, he lined himself up with my entrance and pushed in slowly, his lips never leaving mine.

I moaned into his mouth, wrapping my arms and legs around him. I loved him so damn much, and I just hoped that after today I would never have to keep my feelings from him ever again.