Her smile is a direct hit on my heart, and she sits, leaning forward to make room for me behind her in the bath. When I bought this place, I made sure that the tub would be big enough for me to soak in, but I’m eternally grateful Past Me chose the biggest one, large enough for Future Me and Nadine to comfortably relax in. I prop my arms up on the sides, and she lays her head against my pec, the water steaming around us.
“How was your day?” she asks, and I let my head roll on the rounded lip behind me.
“The usual pregame stuff, but I had a visit from Malcolm.”
I’ve told Nadine all about my babysitter, and she snickers. “What did he have to say?”
“That I’ve been such a good boy, I’m officially off the naughty list.”
She breathes an amused sound. “Must mean the higher-ups are proud of you.”
I couldn’t give a shit about what Debra Rosenstein or anyone else thinks about me. Only that my family is proud of me—Paisley and Nadine. Everyone else can fuck off.
“He told me to make sure I’m not racing and to keep my dick in my pants.”
“You already failed that one.”
“I know.” I slip my hand below the water to cup her pussy. “When I have a live-in sex doll, what else am I supposed to do?”
She rears her elbow back, nailing me in the side. “Hey, ow! Riv, that hurt.”
She clucks her tongue. “Did not. You’re made of rock.”
“Yeah, I know.” I rub my dick against her lower back to make sure she can feel exactly how hard I am.
“You are exhausting.”
“As if you don’t love it.” I drag my tongue over the shell of her ear and smile against it when goose bumps appear on her flesh, even under the hot water.
“I can’tonlybe your live-in sex doll, you know. I sent in my last application.”
I squeeze her waist. “Nice. Which one?”
“St. Joe’s.” She proceeds to walk me through the pros and cons of each graduate program she’s applied to, all of them located in Philadelphia. She explains the difference between what she can do with her master’s versus her doctorate, and how she hasn’t decided how far she wants to go but is leaning toward her PhD, though she’s nervous about it because she fears she won’t be accepted to any of them.
Which is ridiculous. She’s applied to four schools, and even though she’s capable enough to get into all four, she has a hard time staying positive. She struggles with her confidence, so I do my best to hype her up as she talks. Reminding her how smart she is, that she’s worked hard, and it will pay off in the end.
When she’s finally done word-vomiting all her worries, I gather her up closer, crisscrossing my arms around her middle, and hold her tight. “I love you and I know whatever you decide to do, you’ll be amazing at it, but I hope you’ll still be my live-in sex doll.”
She breaks out in a giggle, and I press my face into her neck as she heaves a sigh. “You are relentless.”
“But you love me.”
“But I love you.” She turns, offering her mouth for a kiss. “Thanks for listening to me yap.”
“One of my favorite things to do.”
She reaches behind me to brush her hand over the hair at the nape of my neck. “I guess we need to get moving. Have to pick up Paise soon.”
I agree with a hum and retrieve the soap. We take turns washing each other, and she laughs when I tell her I want to useher shampoo and conditioner for my hair so I can smell like her. She obliges with a huge goofy grin.
It matches my own.
Then we get out, dress, and hop in my car to pick up Paisley.
Together.
CHAPTER 26
