I flash him a grin as Owen wraps his arms around me from behind. He kisses my neck as he inhales deeply. “Mmm, this all looks yummy.”

  He takes ahold of my hips, and I laugh. “The food or me?”

  “You. Only you,” he says, kissing me again, and I giggle happily. Though, when he has three plates of the pad thai, I think he may have been lying. He and Dart kill the dinner I made, and it pleases me so. We’re sitting on the porch, eating and carrying on, when I get a text from Jean.

  Jean: Are we still on for tomorrow?

  Me: Yup. See you at noon.

  She sends me a smiling emoji as Dart says, “Texting your other boyfriend?”

  Owen flashes him a dark look as I laugh. “Not even. I’m a one-man kind of gal.” Owen leans in, kissing my jaw. I pinch his chin as I say, “It’s actually Jean. We’re going to lunch tomorrow.”

  “Nice,” Owen says, picking a shrimp off my plate.

  “Man, she’s so hot,” Dart says, shaking his head. “She will not give me the time of day. I think Kirby told her I have herpes.”

  I hold in my laughter. “I didn’t know you had a thing for Jean.”

  He rubbernecks me. “Have you seen her? I want to drown in her ass.”

  Owen snorts as I grin. “Does she know?”

  “Ooh, yeah. She turns me down. All the time.”

  “I thought you were trying to get with Audrina?” Owen asks, and I sit back, crossing my legs. I’ve only met Audrina a few times and I like her, but I’m Team Jean. I’m surprised she hasn’t become a victim of Dart’s charm. He’s a beautiful guy, and I find him very sweet. Maybe Kirby did tell her Dart has herpes. I’ll find out for sure.

  “Dude, I think she’s in love with Thatcher but won’t admit it.”

  Owen laughs. “I said the same thing! They’re weird.”

  “So weird,” he agrees, and I shrug.

  “Maybe after I get moved in and graduate, we can throw a little party, have everyone over. I’ll cook dinner, and we can play games. I’ll invite Jean,” I offer, waggling my brows at Dart, and he’s all for it.

  “I’m there.”

  Owen agrees. “I am too if you’re cooking and you’ll be there,” he says with a wink, and then he nods toward my phone. “Your phone is flashing.”

  I glance down to find a text from London. My heart kicks up as I hit the text to see what she wants.

  London: Did you come by today?

  Me: Yes. I had to grab some things and water my plants.

  Me: Why?

  I feel Owen looking over my shoulder, and I lean into him.

  London: I’m missing some money off the counter.

  “Whatever,” Owen says, his voice laced with annoyance. “Nothing is missing. She’s just a bitch.”

  “What?” Dart asks.

  “Her ex-roommate is claiming money is missing.”

  Dart scrunches up his face. “We didn’t even go near anything of hers. We went right to Angie’s room.”

  He’s right, we did, and plus, I would never steal. I tell London that, and she texts me back automatically.

  London: Okay. When will you be giving back your key?

  “I dislike her greatly,” Owen declares. “She’s asking for her key back.”

  Dart laughs. “When your forty-five days are up!”

  Owen shakes his head. “Tell her we’ll move you this weekend and be out by Monday. We can stay Saturday and pack all day, sleep there. Then Sunday, I have a game. But Monday, Dart and I will move you out.”

  Dart agrees, and my heart skips a beat. “Are you sure?”

  He gives me a look, and I even feel Dart looking at me funny. “Sure about what?”

  “Getting my stuff. I’ll really be moved in.”

  He nods. “I’m aware.”

  I hesitate, and I feel Owen staring at me.

  “Is that not what you want?”

  Dart stands. “I’m going out. Thanks for dinner.”

  He heads inside, and I meet Owen’s gaze. “Of course I do. I’m just saying it’ll be for real, for real.”

  “What have we been doing?”

  I shrug. “No, I know. I’m just saying.”

  He searches my gaze. “Saying what? I’m confused.”

  I don’t look away, and I hate the insecurity I feel. He has given me no reason not to believe he wants me, wants us, yet I find myself asking, “Do you still like me enough to want me to move in?”

  He blinks. “What the ever-loving fuck? Yes, I still like you, Angie. I fucking love you.”

  “Why are you so upset?” I ask, taken aback. “I was just making sure.”

  Owen’s eyes are wild. “Because it’s fucking frustrating when I know we’re good and I think you know too, but then you ask things like that. You make me feel like I’m not doing enough to make you feel secure. What am I doing wrong? What can I do better?”

  “Nothing, Owen. You’re amazing. That’s not it,” I insist. “I just get worried.”

  “Don’t.”

  “It’s not that easy.”

  “Well, make it that easy because for me, it’s cut-and-dried. I love you. Completely.” He takes me by the back of the neck and pulls me to him. His eyes burn into mine, and my stomach does flips at the pure animal possessiveness that’s in his eyes. “I want you here. I want us. Believe me. Trust me. Know this, Angie, because it’s real.”

  I’m breathless as our lips meet. His kiss is hungry, and I match it, just as desperate for him. He breaks the kiss suddenly, pulling me to my feet. He takes me by my hand and leads me into the house and to his room.

  Or our room.

  Once I’m inside, he pushes me into the door, covering my body with his. Our lips meet in a heated embrace. I love this side of him. The possessive, hungry side. He slides his hands up my thighs into the sundress I’m wearing, and with one tug, my panties are gone. I tear my mouth from his, gasping as he takes my pussy in his hand, squeezing it and dipping his thumb between my lips. He cups my breast through my dress, finding my clit with his thumb, massaging it as we kiss and our tongues play. I love when he’s rough, and I love his touch. It’s all so fucking good. It’s hard to breathe when he has me like this. And when his hand moves from my breast to my neck, I arch into him while he squeezes me with his large hand. His thumb is working overtime, and within seconds, my release comes slamming into me out of nowhere. I cry out his name, and then I collapse against the door, limp. His lips caress my cheek, moaning softly.

  “Someone wanted that,” he whispers against my heated skin. “Or I’m just extraordinarily good at making you come.”

  “Both. It’s both.”

  He chuckles against my temple as I gather my wits. I swallow, my body still pulsating as he tries to kiss me. Instead, though, I turn us so now he’s against the door. His eyes widen, and a slow, naughty grin moves across his lips. “Fuck, you are so hot.”

  I trail my teeth along his jaw to his neck while I pull his athletic shorts over his thighs. As I push them down, I lower to my knees as his cock springs out at me. I look up at him and grip him in my fist, my body burning for him. As slowly as I can, I slide my tongue along the length of him. His breath comes out in spurts and hisses. God, he’s so hot. I wrap my tongue around the head of his cock and squeeze his velvet skin and repeat all the motions over and over again. I’m rewarded with all his yummy sounds. He squeezes the back of my neck with one hand while the other holds on to the doorknob for dear life.

  “Baby, I want to finish inside you.”

  I’ve found he doesn’t like to come in my mouth. He’d rather be inside me, and honestly, I’m not upset by that. I love pleasing him, but who’s really a fan of come in their mouths? Not me. I suck him hard, making a popping noise before I let him go and stand, turning and pressing my ass into him. We usually use condoms, but I’m on the pill—and on a mission to make him come. He growls in my ear as he pushes me forward so that my hands go to my knees. He then guides himself into me from behind with one thrust. He takes my hip in one hand and my ribs in the other before he starts ramming into me with such need. Each thrust is beautiful, deliriously hard, and I’m on cloud nine. I love how he grips me, his fingers biting in my skin, and the sounds we make when we make love.

  His thrusts slow, he makes one final push, my name filling the room with a loud growl, and then he stills as I gasp for breath. My heart is pounding as he throbs inside me. He reaches for me by cupping my neck and bringing me up against his chest. He takes my jaw in his hand and turns my head before kissing me hard on my lips. When we part, we’re both gasping for air as our eyes dance together widely.

  “You think I don’t want this? Look how great we are together. It isn’t just in bed, Angie. We’re great.”

  I nod. “I know. I agree.”

  “Then stop stressing. All I want is your love.”

  “You got it,” I promise, and he kisses me once more. He wraps his arms around my stomach, my dress bunching up a bit, and I have to fight the urge to pull it back down. I’ve gotten really good at hiding my stomach from him, but I know if I try to fix my dress, he’ll realize he hasn’t seen it. I haven’t gotten completely naked for him, and I do everything to distract him from that. It’s the only part of me I can’t allow him to see. It’s so full of stretch marks, and it looks like a lump. Yes, I’ve lost weight, but my stomach just isn’t appealing. With me moving in and us living life, I can’t chance my stomach scaring him off. No matter how confident I am in our love or how intense our lovemaking is or how great our vibe is together, I just can’t love my stomach.

  So why would he?

  Chapter Thirty

  Owen

  * * *

  Fucking hell, I can feel the apprehension rolling off Angie in waves.

  She’s so nervous, I’m nervous, and I have nothing to worry about. Her parents are going to love her like they always have, they’re going to love me, and they’ll love us. I’m not even concerned that it could go bad, because it won’t. Angie’s family is great, but even though she knows this, she’s a ball of nerves. She tried on seven different outfits before she decided on a cute flowy skirt and tank. She pulled up her hair into a sleek ponytail and did her makeup. I had to talk her out of the jean jacket since it’s almost summer, but no matter how much I tell her she’s gorgeous, I don’t think she believes it. It drives me insane how, after all these weeks, she still does not see how perfect she is.

  My only hope is that her family will help her realize this.

  The Paxtons got in with my parents around noon. I went to lunch with my parents since I knew we would be going to dinner with hers. Angie has to work until four, so we plan to have another lunch tomorrow as a group, and then my parents want to have breakfast with Angie tomorrow while I’m in a meeting. I expected her to be nervous about that, but she isn’t. She probably has to get through seeing her parents first. My biggest concern is that I’m supportive enough. I feel as if I’m not even helping, with how frantically she’s bouncing her knee.

  “Did you eat with your meds this morning?”

  She nods and gives me a weak smile. “I did and then again after my workout.”

  I kiss the back of her hand. “Everything is going to be okay.”

  “I know,” she says. Though, I don’t think either of us believes her. “Are you sure I look okay? Maybe I should have worn jeans to hide my legs—”

  “Are you talking bad about my favorite body in the world?”

  She gives me a dry look. “I’m not in the mood to play around.”

  “I’m not playing,” I say simply. “You’re perfect, Pax.”

  But her leg doesn’t slow. Jesus.

  As we merge onto the highway to head to the part of town where the arena is and where our families are staying, I decide to try to distract her a bit. “Did you and Jean have a nice lunch date?”

  I love that she and Jean are friends. They’ve started having twice-weekly lunch dates. One with baby Celeste at the park and then one just the two of them.

  “Yeah,” she says, and then she throws up her hands. “I brought up Dart, and she shut me down, like, automatically.”

  I make a face. “So, Kirby did tell her Dart has herpes?”

  She laughs, and boy, I love the sound. “No, he didn’t. She just doesn’t have time for guys. She has a lot going on with her family. Her dad is in an assisted living home.”

  “Oh shit, I didn’t know.”

  “Yeah, so she’s just focusing on him and her siblings. You know she has eight?”

  “And I thought we had big families.”

  “I know, right?” she says, and it almost feels like normal.

  “Do you want a big family?”

  She looks over at me. “As in, with children one day?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I don’t know. I know I want kids, but I don’t know how many.”

  I wink at her. “You know, and hopefully this doesn’t ruin my chances since it earned me a C with that crazy chick…” Her laughter makes me grin. “But twins run in my family.”

  “I know, Owen. Mine too now. It doesn’t ruin anything.”

  “They may come out with only one dimple,” I tease, and she laughs once more.

  “See, for me, I would love that. It’d remind me of you.”

  I lean toward her since we’ve stopped in the parking lot, and our lips meet. I kiss her slowly, drawing out the kiss in all its glory. I pull back for a breath. I love the color of her eyes when we kiss. They lighten just a bit with excitement and wonder. “I love you.”

  Her lips brush against mine as she says, “I love you.”

  “I’ll be right there beside you. Nothing to fear.”

  She takes in a really big breath, letting it out in a whoosh as she nods. “Thank you.”

  “Always.”

  We kiss once more, and then I get out, rushing to the other side to help her out. I take her hand, and together we head inside the hotel. It’s a ritzy one with a cool-ass bar and restaurant, so we all decided it would be an easier location instead of the Paxtons having to rent a car. It’s also attached to the arena, so they just can walk over. It’s my mom’s favorite place to stay. We walk into the lobby, and instantly, I see Lucy. She’s standing with her children, but I don’t see Benji. Angie’s brothers, Max and Ryder, are so much taller than I remember, towering over Lucy and their sister Charlotte. They’re so athletically built and look very much like divers, with wide shoulders and trim waists. Charlotte is itty-bitty, but a carbon copy of her mom in looks.

  I think Charlotte is the one to recognize Angie first. Her eyes widen, and she taps her mom’s arm before they all look our way. Angie goes rigid beside me, but I bring her toward them, rubbing my thumb along the back of her hand for support. Soon, she’s engulfed in their arms. I’m pushed to the side as all of them hug and love on her at once. Angie is shocked at first, I can see it on her face, but she holds everyone so tightly.

  “My God, y’all are so tall now!” she gushes at the boys, and they stand proudly, grinning at their sister.

  “Can’t tease us anymore that you’re taller,” Ryder throws at her, and she laughs.

  “Yeah. Now we’re the tall ones, ha,” Max teases, and I smile at Lucy.

  She comes over, hugging me to her side. “How are you?” I ask.

  “I’m great. You?”

  “Wonderful,” I say, watching as Angie jokes with the boys. “She’s stunning, isn’t she?”

  Lucy looks over at her eldest, and I see tears filling her eyes. “Always has been.”

  “She sure has.”

  Angie comes back to me, patting my chest. “Ryder, Char, Max, y’all remember Owen? He’s my boyfriend.”

  Max and Ryder each shake my hand as Charlotte flashes me a grin. “I used to wonder if you two would end up together. He always had a thing for you.”

  I nod. “Yeah, but she played me, making me think she didn’t like me.”

  “I didn’t play. I really didn’t like you,” she teases, and we all laugh. But I know the truth.

  She’s always been mine. We just had some growing up to do.

  Charlotte grins at her sister. “You look way better now. Like, healthy.”

  Angie scoffs, and I almost tell her to watch it, but she doesn’t seem offended. “No way. I’m huge now.”

  Now, I’m offended.

  Max and Ryder make a face, and Ryder says, “You’re not huge. You’re thicc, with two Cs.”

  I grin as she looks back at me. But it’s not for help. It’s with excitement in her eyes. “I call her chubby sexy,” I say with a wink, and her cheeks flush as everyone laughs.

  “Please God, don’t when I’m around.”

  Of course, Benji walks up at that moment. He wraps his daughter in his arms, kissing her hard on the cheek. He picks her up off the floor, and she laughs as she holds him close. “Hey, Dad.”

  “Look at you. So damn beautiful,” he says, holding her. “I missed you. Don’t do this again, okay?”

  She swallows hard. “Okay.”

  Benji sets her on her feet and looks back at me. “Adler.”

  I hold back my laughter. “Mr. Paxton.”

  Lucy rolls her eyes, and Angie’s siblings chuckle to themselves. Benji wraps his arm around Angie and points to the restaurant. “They’re ready for us.”

  Since Benji has taken my girlfriend, I walk with her mom. “How are things? How’s she doing?”

  “Good,” I answer. “We’re moving her out on Monday.”

  “In with you?”

  Has Angie not told her mom yet? Coyly, I say, “Yes, if she told you. No, if not.”

  She chuckles. “She told me a while back, but she hasn’t said anything since.”

  “Yeah, things have been busy for her with school and her internship. Then I’ve been on road trips.”

  “You’re still incredibly awesome, I have to say,” she admits, tapping my arm. Before I can thank her, she goes on, “Yeah, Angie told me y’all have been on the go since the relationship started.”

  “Unfortunately. But I want to plan a vacation once we get her new schedule for the mental health department.”