Page 100 of Hooked On Him

“Right back at you, you adulterous man whore.” Austin flips him off.

I almost start to laugh at how red his face turns. Reminds me of a tomato. He lets out a roar of anger before spinning around and storming out of the house.

“Well, that was not how I thought my day was gonna go.” Austin blows out a breath.

“Are you okay?” I turn in his arms to look up at him. “What the hell was that all about?”

Austin sighs. “Remember that girl we ran into the other week?”

“The one who was all over you,” I grumble.

He grins. “Okay, jealousy is fucking hot on you. But don’t worry, baby, you have nothing to worry about. I only want you. Only ever wanted you.”

My heart nearly explodes. God, I really do love this man so damn much.

“But yes, that girl. Well, she went to her father and said something, who then talked to my dad. Guess that embarrassed him or something because he came over here to tell me how much of a disappointment I was, how I needed to change my life, grow up, blah, blah, blah. You heard pretty much all of it.”

“I’m so sorry.” My heart hurts for him.

“Don’t be.” He wraps his arms around me. “I’m not. His words don’t hurt, Levi. I heard them enough, and have been going to therapy to help. But it’s not anything I’m not already used to. Maybe it hurt back then, back when I was a teenager, but not anymore. And you wanna know why?”

“Why?”

He leans down and kisses me softly on the lips. “Because I have you. Your brother. Really good friends. I don’t need my parents because I have yours. Your family has been more of a family to me than my own blood. Blood doesn’t mean anything. Family is the people who are there for you, who show up when it matters. I didn’t lose anything, I’m gaining everything. You are my family, Levi. The only family I need is you.”

“Austin,” I whisper, tears forming in my eyes. He’s so brave, so damn mature. It only makes me love him more.

“And don’t worry about the money. I have lots that my grandfather left me. So even if my dad cuts me off, it’s not going to hurt me.”

“I’m here for you,” I tell him. “Whatever you want to do in life, I’m gonna be there by your side.”

“Even if I go back to school next year and still have no idea what I wanna do?” He grins.

“You can be in your forties, still taking college classes, and I wouldn’t care.”

“Mhhm,” he hums. “Let’s not go that far.”

“You have nothing to worry about. We have the rest of our lives to figure things out. Take it from someone who’s lost the last two years to work. It’s not worth it.”

“As long as we have each other, we’re going to be okay."

‘Yeah.” I smile up at him. “We’ll be just fine.” I hug him, closing my eyes and placing my ear over his heart as he holdsme close. We stand there for a while, just enjoying one another's embrace.

“Levi.”

“Mhm.” I hum, loving how he smells.

“Marry me and have my babies.”

“What?” That has me looking up at him with a confused smile. “Babe, I don’t have the body parts to make that happen.” I chuckle.

He smiles softly. “Really, though. One day, I want to have all the little Levi’s and Austin’s running around. I wanna put a ring on your finger, show you off to the world, and make you mine forever.”

“I’m already yours, Austin. Always and forever.”

“Yeah?” He smiles brightly.

“Yeah.”

“Good, because I have no plans on letting you go.”

“Good, because I have no plans on going anywhere.”