Blinking slowly, I smile, tracing my finger over his square jaw and that dimple in his cheek. “I’ve never fucked like that before.”
“Was it too much? You are still recovering.” He leans down to kiss me again.
I start to laugh, and our teeth clink together. “I think you healed me.”
Standing, he goes to the bathroom, returning with a warm cloth he uses to clean me gently, then himself. I’m loose and sleepy, and when he returns, he smiles, tracing his eyes over my body.
“Come here.” He pulls my back to his chest, and I slide my hands over his strong arms holding me so close.
I drift to sleep for a little while, and when I open my eyes again, he’s still holding me in the same position, only now he’s also holdingThe Goblet of Fire.
“When I would read this after mom died, I wished we had a Molly Weasley, even if she was a bit much.” His voice is quiet, and I thread my fingers with his, a pinch of sadness in my chest. “Hutch did his best, but it was never the same.”
Turning in his arms, I place my hand gently on his cheek. “I’ll take care of you.”
He lowers the book, sliding his finger along my hairline, seeming like he wants to say something, but instead, he changes course. “You never told me what you got your degree in.”
Lifting my chin, I give him a little smile. “Education. I wanted to be a teacher. I thought the kids could be like my family, and that way, I could get a little of what I’d lost.”
His eyes warm, and he kisses me gently. “And now you have a family of your own.”
“I do.” My eyes shine, and I snuggle close in his arms.
“And you’re going to be my assistant at Thornton starting next semester.”
“What?” Pulling back, I study his face. “Can you do that?”
“Of course.” His tone is so sure, so final. “We have field experience together. You’re just as qualified as I am, perhaps more, since you have educational training. You can help me with my research.”
“Okay,” I laugh. “What are we researching?”
Hesitating, he looks around the room as if he’s deciding. “The effects of… Ah, I know, the effects of explosive chemistry on the marital habits of college professors.”
“Marital habits?” My chin pulls back. “You don’t think it might be a bit sudden?”
“They say when you know, you know.” Bending his elbow, he leans his head against his hand… so sexy. “Do you know?”
“I knew the first day I saw you I’d do anything to have you. Now I’m in love with you.” His hand smooths the hair off my cheek, and his expression turns serious. “It hit me like a ton of bricks when we were stuck in Scar’s house. I realized even with all that had happened, even before I knew the truth, I was still in love with you. I wanted to get you away from that life. I wanted to take care of you and keep you safe.”
Heat floods my eyes, and my breath hiccups in my chest. “I would’ve done anything to know that. I was so miserable that I hurt you when all I wanted was to love you.”
His mouth covers mine, and my hands are on his cheeks. Our tongues curl, and I roll us so he’s on his back, and my body is over his, ready to be joined once more. With a sigh, I lift my chin, rising to a sitting position with my legs straddling his waist.
Looking down at his muscled torso and his hungry grin, I arch an eyebrow. “Will you still want me if I’m no longer your naughty student?”
His eyes darken, and his hands slide up my thighs, squeezing my ass and flooding my core with heat. “You’ll be my naughty assistant.”
I lean forward, peppering his lips with kisses. “We’ll never get any work done.”
Reaching up he catches my cheeks, moving my hair back and looking into my eyes. “Just wait ’til you’re my wife.”
Leaning down, I press my lips to his. “We should give it a year.”
“You think you’ll be sure then?”
“I’m sure now, but let’s go through all the seasons, and then you can be sure you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.” His hands slide down my back, cupping my ass, and I slide my lips lower, kissing his neck, his collarbone, the top of his chest. It’s not long before we’re coming together, our bodies uniting the way our hearts are.