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Summer

C onnor and I walk back to the dorm after potentially the most awkward morning we’ve ever had. When we woke, there was the briefest moment when the previous day hadn’t happened. We looked at each other, both of us still half lost to the softer realm of sleep, with lingering smiles and sparkling eyes. Then pain flashed across Connor’s face, and I was brought right back to reality with a thud.

I don’t know why, but we decided to go out for breakfast. We are terrible at fighting with each other, but we’re making an effort. As we’re walking back to the dorm, I notice Connor glancing at me every few seconds. His gaze caresses my features softly. I don’t dare mention it, not wanting it to stop, but then he pulls his hand from mine. I wince slightly, but then he slides his hand over my back and loops it around my waist, pulling me into him. Finally, I dare to look up at him, and I find his eyes are already locked on me. His lips are pulled into his familiar, easy smile, and it makes my heart ache to see it again.

“What?” he asks, gliding his thumb along my waist.

“I love you,” I say, my heart aching with the truth of it.

Connor pulls me in closer. “I love you, too.” He stops walking and slides his hand into mine, pulling me onto the grass beneath one of the great trees. Thanks to the heavy growth of the leaves, we’re nearly invisible to anyone passing by. He wraps his arms around my waist and looks down at me. “I know it’s unbearable right now. It’s making my stomach churn.”

I place my hands on his chest. “It’s my fault, Con.”

Connor shakes his head. “If I hadn’t been so overprotective, would you have told me?”

“Connor,” I cup his cheek, “it wasn’t about that, big guy. It was about how difficult it was for you after you found Gia’s body. You slowly started to feel better, and I didn’t want to bring you down again.”

Connor tightens his arms around me, pulling me in even closer. “I know I’m guilty of shielding the people I love from upset. So, I do understand. Even when I was upset, I still understood.”

Did he say when ?

“You’re not upset anymore?”

Connor shakes his head. “No, babe.”

I search his eyes, but I only see sincerity. I’m not sure when he forgave me, but he’s being completely honest with me right now.

“I’m not mad anymore.” He cups my cheek. “Talk to me.”

I can’t find the words. There aren’t any to express my gratitude and relief. So I simply slide my hands up his chest and wrap my arms around his neck, looking up at him.

Connor wraps his arm around me again, and he smiles in that crooked way that I love. “Your talking is so quiet.”

My lips twitch, and warm, overwhelming emotions well inside me. “I love you. That’s all there is to say.”

Connor’s big hands cup my ass, and he lifts me. I wrap my legs around him, and he kisses me deeply. I purr, savoring the feel of his soft lips against mine. The kiss is tender. He glides his tongue along the seam of my lips, asking me to open for him. I run my fingers through his hair and happily comply, holding him close.

Connor moans and whispers, “Home?”

“Yes, please,” I say, sucking on his lower lip.

Connor starts walking, carrying me easily back toward Kelpie Hall. I kiss along his cheeks, nose, chin, and jaw, basking in his love and the relief that I haven’t lost him.

As the door to the dorm closes behind us, Connor kisses me again. I’m about to deepen it, but then I hesitate and pull back. Connor frowns at me.

“I’m just… I’m not sure that we should jump back into that.”

“Why?” Connor asks, tilting his head.

“Because you said you needed time, and I?—”

“Summer. I had time. I understand why you did it.”

“But I–I don’t think I deserve your forgiveness yet,” I admit, looking away.

Connor puts me on my feet and cups my cheeks, tilting my head up. “Summer, you don’t get to decide that. I’ve thought about it. I’ve worked through it, and I love you. If you want to wait, that’s okay. But it’s your call.”

My cheeks heat. “Okay, so… how okay are we?”

Connor’s lips tilt up. “We’re pretty damn okay.”

I lick my lips. “Okay, well… maybe I could give you an orgasm?”

Connor shakes his head. “No. None of this I don’t deserve it bullshit. No orgasms until we can both have them.”

I look up at him and his darkening eyes, playing with the bottom of his shirt. Sex would make me feel better. It would be reassuring and would help me release some of the feelings I’ve been struggling with, but I have this deep fear that he’s not fully forgiven me. But isn’t that why we fought in the first place? I was making decisions for him.

Connor glides his fingers down my arms, and when he gets to the hem of my sweater, he pulls it up and off my body. I push up on my tiptoes, kissing him hard. Slowly, I work his shirt up his body, moaning as my hand grazes his skin. He breaks the kiss only long enough to yank his shirt over his head and toss it to the side. Then he’s on me again, his lips desperate against mine. He backs me up toward the couch and carefully lowers me down, but there is nothing careful about the way his mouth claims mine.

My hands slide down his abs to the fly of his pants, and I practically rip his jeans open, my body an inferno of desire. Connor shoves my skirt up and rips away my tights and panties.

“You’re so fucking sexy,” he groans into my mouth, and I shove his pants down just enough to free him. I wrap my hand around his cock but stop and look up at him, waiting, giving him another chance to back out.

“Tell me this isn’t a bad idea,” I whisper breathlessly.

“With us, this is never a bad idea,” Connor says, slowly leaning down to kiss me again. I relax into the kiss, and Connor shifts to press his cock to my opening. He groans as he pushes inside me, and I bury my fingers in his hair as he fills me. Connor slips his arm under me and lifts my ass, tilting my hips and slamming in hard so he’s buried to the hilt inside me. My pussy clenches down on him, and I cry out from the pleasure. Connor’s lips are on mine again, and his tongue is exploring my mouth.

Connor groans and digs his fingers into my hips as he starts to move inside me. His hard cock pierces me over and over, filling me up and driving me closer to my climax. He bites my lip and I drag my nails down his back hard, maybe too hard, but all it seems to do is push him to fuck me harder. The couch shakes beneath us, and I slide my hands down to his ass, pulling him into me even harder. I cry out from the pleasure, and Connor buries his face into my neck, moaning loudly. He grabs the arm of the sofa above my head, using it to give him more leverage. I pull my knees higher around him and arch to meet his thrusts.

“Connor… I’m so close…”

Connor bites my neck, groaning. “Fuck, I love you.”

I lift my hips, matching Connor’s rhythm, and my toes curl from the pleasure. He thrusts again and again, my thighs quivering around him as my release explodes inside me. Pleasure tightens every muscle in my body and my belly spasms. I cry out, my nails embedded in his ass. Connor bites down on the curve of my shoulder, muffling his shout as he comes hard, filling me with his release.

I gulp for air as Connor’s hips slow and he pulls back, looking down at me. Sweat slicks his glowing skin, and he is panting. His eyes are still dark from his orgasm, but the way he’s looking at me takes my breath away.

“Marry me,” he says.

My breath catches as his words form in the air between us.

“Yes.” The word bursts from my lips without any hesitation. I wait for the fear and dread to rip through me, but it never comes.

Connor and I just stare at each other for a long moment before smiling brightly. He claims my mouth again, and a tear slides down my cheek. The tenderness of this kiss is catastrophic.

He leans over and grabs his pants, pulling out a red velvet ring box. He flips it open, revealing a stunning ring nestled inside. The band is gold and gleams with the same luminescence as his halo. The three diamonds perched on top glimmer lovingly at me, so clear and pure they seem bottomless. Gasping, I stare at it.

“I carry it with me,” Connor says, offering an explanation I didn’t ask for. He sits up and pulls me up beside him. My hand shakes as he slides the ring onto my finger. He kisses me again, and I can taste his joy. I cup his cheeks and slide my tongue against his.

Connor pulls back, pressing his forehead to mine. “We’re engaged.”

I squeal, genuinely excited, and I start pressing kisses all over his face. “We’re engaged.”

“You’re going to my wife.”

I nod, kissing him again.

Connor shifts to lie back on the couch, and I lie on top of him, my hand on his chest so I can admire the ring.

“You like it?”

I nod, a soft, mushy smile on my face. “I love it.”

Connor grins, kissing me quickly and then pulling back. “Get dressed. We have to call my parents!”

I laugh and move off him, my heart squeezing at his kindness. We’ve just got engaged, but he knows how much joy this will bring to them, especially his mother. I quickly pull on my clothes, and we prepare to announce our engagement for the first time.

I can do this. Connor is my peace.