Page 121 of Take the Plunge

“It is small. But cute means cute. It’s big enough for two.”

“For now.” He sucks in a breath. “Will you move in with me?”

I pinch my lower lip between my teeth. “I want to.”

“But?”

“I’m not sure I can afford to help out much with the rent and bills. The whole point of staying with Mum and Dad is that I don’t have to get into even more debt than the student loans I had to take out during my undergraduate degree and to pay for my master’s and that I wouldn’t have to split my time between studying and working part-time. I don’t want to take advantage of you, Jett. So yes, I’d love to move in with you. Once I’ve graduated and I’ve got a job.”

Jett dips his gaze.

My heart thrashes. That won’t have been the response he wanted, but after what he went through with Erica, it’s the only one I can give. I won’t give him any reason to doubt me or my feelings for him. I won’t give him any reason to think I might use him and take him for a ride as Erica did.

“I don’t want to wait that long,” he whispers.

“It’s not that long. I finish my course in June, and I’ll start looking for jobs before then.”

“Seven months,” he murmurs.

“Yes. Not long at all.”

Jett frowns. “Could you afford to pay for food?”

“Jett—”

He presses a finger over my lips. “Could you?” He moves his finger.

“I have some savings I can dip into. They’re for a deposit on my own place, but I’ll be able to replenish them once I’m working. But—”

He puts his finger back over my lips. “I heard what you said, Kian, every word. I understand your reservations, and I know they’re partly grounded in my experiences with Erica.”

My chin wobbles.

“But you’re not her. You’re you, and you’re amazing. I know you’d never do anything to hurt me. I want you to move in with me, Kian. Not in seven months but as soon as your research project ends. I want us to be together. I know that must sound needy, but—”

I lick his finger, and he jerks it away. “It’s not needy.” I roll my eyes. “Okay, maybe it is, but I feel the same way.” I take a breath. “Are you sure?”

“I already pay the rent. The bills might go up a bit, but if you can cover food, I’ll probably end up paying less overall. Move in with me, Kian. Please?”

“Okay. Yes.” I do a happy dance where I’m lying. “Yes. Yes. Yes.”

Jett grins and kisses me. “I thought that, maybe, once you’ve graduated and got a job, we could look for somewhere a bit bigger.” He blushes. “Maybe we could buy somewhere together. If you want to.”

I kiss him hard. “I want.” I twirl my finger over his bare chest. “You really are looking to the future, aren’t you?”

“Yes. Or at least, I’m trying to.”

“Do I have to misquoteStar Wars?”

He laughs. “No. You’re right. I am looking to the future.” He clears his throat. “Our future. Together.”

I know he is. The proof of it is on his thigh. I push the quilt away and look at the cover-up tattoo he had done a few weeks ago. All traces of Erica’s name and the delicate little flowers surrounding it have gone. Instead, a beautiful picture of a lake, a jetty, and a night sky full of stars colours his skin. I skim my fingers over the image, my heart overflowing with love for him.

I kiss him again. “Now that you’ve asked me to move in with you, you realise you’re going to have to make love to me, right? I couldn’t possibly get up and explore Whitby until you have.”

“Are you sure making love won’t tire you out?”

“Nope. It will give me energy and sustenance. We can have the kind of sex that will wear us out later.” I wink.