Page 29

She heaves out a sigh and settles deeper into my hold.

“Fine. It’s a huge fucking deal. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done in my life.

I have no idea how this happened so fast. Two minutes ago, it was in beta, but all the responses to the beta version were just that it was solid and stable and really user friendly.

So, the night of the department reception, as soon as I got home, I uploaded the final version.

The second it was approved, it exploded and now, here I am. ”

“Here you fucking are,” I murmur, trailing my fingers down her arm, absolutely in awe of her and her brilliance. “Why families and genealogy?” I ask. I think I know the answer, but I want to hear it from her.

She traces a finger over my hand and seems to think carefully about her answer. “So, you know my parents died when I was twelve?”

I nod, tightening my arm around her.

“Their estates were kind of a mess, and I’m not entirely sure of all the details because it’s been long over, but it was really rough on Gabe.

He was trying to handle all of that and raise us and also start his company, and I was only twelve and Liv was eight, so we weren’t any help.

Part of the mess was that my mom was estranged from her own mother, and she had to be located as part of probate, but they couldn’t find her, so the whole thing took forever.

Also, my parents didn’t live long enough to pass all our family history on to us, so some of it just died with them.

There are things about my family I’ll never get to know, and I hate that.

I guess I wanted to make something that would make it easier for families to find each other if they needed to, to uncover family history, if anyone ever wanted to.

Turns out, a lot of people want to. Including you. ”

I smile into her hair. “Including me. Maybe you should be my advisor. Jesus, Amelia. You could be teaching my classes instead of being a student in them.”

She sits up, turning to face me, laughing a little.

“I would be a horrible teacher. I have literally no patience, and I’m awful at explaining things.

I just know how to get shit done. Besides, I like helping you solve your own family mystery and learning from you.

You’re a brilliant professor, El. And really fun to look at when you’re in professor mode. ” She gives me a sly grin.

I huff out a laugh. “I think keeping this a secret at school is going to be easier in theory than in actuality.”

She nods. “You’re probably right, but it has to be done. You love teaching, and I don’t want to do anything that would jeopardize your job.”

“And I don’t want one single person thinking that you being at MassTech has anything to do with me. You amaze me, Ames. There is no one who belongs in that graduate program more than you do.”

She smiles, but it doesn’t go quite all the way to her eyes. I wonder what that’s all about, but before I have a chance to ask, a thud comes from my front door, followed by Killer’s wild barking. “What the fuck, El? Why is this locked?” Cooper’s confused voice makes me laugh.

“He’s probably in there with Amelia. He’s got a girl now, so he doesn’t have time for his brothers anymore.” Noah’s voice raises at the end of his sentence, and Amelia snickers. I turn my head to find her grinning at me.

“Sorry about them. I’d say this is unusual, but it’s really not. Any second now it’ll be Jordan and Jo coming up because they’re out of Oreos, or because it’s almost dinner time and I’m the best cook.” I shrug. “This is us.”

Amelia’s grin widens. “I love it. It’s like living in a frat house, but better because you’re all organized and have plants and a headboard and a full set of dishes.”

I laugh and tug her into my lap, nuzzling the spot where her neck meets her shoulder, breathing her in. Then the pounding starts again, and Killer’s barking goes from easily ignored to breaking the sound barrier in an instant.

“El, come on,” Noah practically whines. “It’s Saturday. You always cook on Saturday. And the hockey game is on in an hour, and you have the best TV.”

“I can make them go away,” I murmur, trailing a line of kisses up her neck and over her jaw.

“Do you want to do that?” she asks seriously. “If you still feel like you need to be quiet, I’ll kick them out myself.”

The fact that she knows to ask, and that I know she would do exactly that, has my heart trembling.

I take stock and realize that, despite the heaviness of the morning, I feel pretty amazing.

“I’m good, really. Better than good, even.

But what I would really like to do is peel that shirt off of you and show you how happy I am that you’re here with my tongue.

And my mouth. And my dick. Over and over again until you forget everything except for my name and how good we feel together. How perfect.”

Amelia leans up to kiss my jaw. “You can do that later. Right now, I think you better open the door before Noah breaks it down.”

I turn my head to look at her. “You really want to spend the next few hours with my brothers when you had breakfast with them just this morning?”

She smiles, draping her arms over my shoulders. “I always wanted a big family growing up. I didn’t get to have it, but I really like watching you with yours.”

I want to tell her that they could be her family too.

That we could have a lifetime of quiet moments together and loud chaotic family fun.

But even my racing brain knows that’s too much for right now.

“Okay,” I say, kissing her one more time before standing up and digging a new pair of sweatpants out of my drawer.

“But as soon as the hockey game is over later, I’m kicking everyone out and you’re staying the night.

We have one more day of this weekend before we have to go back to school and pretend I don’t know what you taste like when you come, and we’re taking advantage of it. ”

Amelia laughs and grins up at me. “Sounds absolutely perfect.”