Gavin's arm tightens around me. He presses another kiss to my hair.
"I've got you," he murmurs, just for me. "Okay? Whatever they throw at us, I've got you."
My heart cracks right down the middle.
Chapter 27
Porn Is Not an Accurate Educational Resource
Gavin
Doc shows up at my door looking like someone kicked his puppy, stole his coffee, and told him his GPA dropped all in the same hour.
"Hey, what's?—"
He pushes past me into the room, already talking. "This is too much. It's too much, Gavin. Your cousin cornered me and Luca at the movies tonight, and he was—" Doc's hands are flying everywhere, punctuating words I'm having trouble following. "—and your family clearly hates me, which, fine, whatever, I've dealt with disapproval before, but this is different because they're your family and family is important even when they're terrible and I don't want to be the reason you lose?—"
"Doc."
"—because I've seen what that does to people, and you deserve better than having to choose, and maybe we should just?—"
"Doc."
"—think about what we're doing here because the cost might be?—"
I catch his hips and lift.
He makes a sound like a squeak toy, this high-pitched "meep" that's so adorable I can't help but laugh. His legs flail for a second before wrapping around my waist on instinct, hands grabbing my shoulders.
"Gavin! What the hell!"
"You were spiraling." I carry him to my bed and sit down with him in my lap. His thighs bracket my hips, and I keep my hands on his waist, holding him steady. "Now. Start over. What happened?"
He blinks at me, clearly thrown off by the sudden position change. "I... Clint. At the movies."
"What did he do?"
"He saw me and Luca. Said some shit." Doc's jaw tightens. "Got in our faces. It was... it felt threatening, Gavin. Like he wanted to start something."
Anger flares hot in my chest. "Did he touch you?"
"No. Luca pulled me away before it escalated." Doc's hands slide from my shoulders to my chest, fingers curling into my shirt. "But it scared me. And it made me think, maybe this is too much. Maybe I'm not worth?—"
"Stop." I cup his face in my hands, tilting it up so he has to look at me. "You're worth everything. Clint's opinion doesn't matter. My dad's opinion doesn't matter. None of them matter."
"But they're your family."
"So?" I brush my thumbs across his cheekbones. "You think I don't know what they are? I've known my whole life. And I'm telling you, I want to be with you. Whatever they throw at us, I want this."
His eyes search mine. Looking for doubt, maybe. He won't find any.
"Gavin..."
I kiss him.
It starts soft, gentle, the kind of kiss that says ‘I've got you’. But then Doc makes this little noise in the back of his throat, and his fingers tighten in my shirt, and soft turns into something else entirely.
Oh fuck yes!
