“Move. In.” She rests her head on my chest, and her next words are muffled. “It’s too soon. I know. But…you said it yourself. You don’t have a home right now. No apartment. No house.”
I’d hoped. Hell, our whole “partners” talk last night…we did everything but say those three little words. But I didn’t think she was ready for me tolivehere.
“Now it’s my turn to ask you to forget what I just said,” she whispers, her voice barely audible over the sound of the shower. “I should have—“
“Yes.”
“Wh-what?” Hope shines in her eyes, and she holds her breath.
“Yes. I’ll move in with you.” Cupping her cheek, I touch my forehead to hers. “But Mik…my retirement pay is…good. Twenty-three years in the Air Force, retiring with the rank I did… Money isn’t a huge concern for me. Provided I find a job.”
“I don’t need to run your credit, Austin,” she says, pinning me with a hard stare. “You flew us—all three of us—back to Baltimore in a private jet.”
“No, it’s not that.” I spin her around, then spill some of her shampoo into my hands and start massaging her scalp. She moans softly, and fuck. It’s one of the sexiest sounds in the world. “What I’m trying to say, sweetheart, is that I’ll stay with you. Hell, I’ll stay with you forever if you’ll let me.”
At her tiny gasp, I worry I’ve said too much, but her smile…that’s all contentment and joy.
“If youeverwant me to leave—need me to leave—all you have to do is ask. If living together is too much, I can find an apartment in town somewhere and we can slow the fuck down. Try to date like a nor—err—typical couple.”
“We’re not typical people,” she says as I tip her head back, one hand supporting her neck, the other combing through her hair to rinse out the shampoo.
“No. We’re definitely not. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. Would you?” A tiny kernel of fear tightens in my gut. What if she says yes?
Draping one of her arms around my neck, she kisses me, and when she pulls back, light dances in her eyes. “Definitely not.”
Mikayla
The idea of staying here by myself shouldn’t be so scary. Ronan will be right outside. This is my home. Being alone has never bothered me. Until now.
Austin cleans up the breakfast dishes—pancakes this time—and I check my email. Li and Isaiah are staying at his place—their place now—and the surveillance detail has been discreet the one time they went to the store for groceries.
She wants to come back to the lab. They both do.
Li,
You’re not missing anything at work. I went in yesterday to talk to Dr. Lowenstein, but there’s nothing else we can do until we know why Corey did all of this. You and Isaiah will get full credit for this semester, don’t worry. You’ve earned it.
-Dr. Mik
Austin pulls his comms unit out of the case and tucks it in his ear. “I know you don’t want to wear one, sweetheart, but I’d feel a lot better if you did.”
“I don’t want to listen in on your conversation with Trevor,” I protest. The idea of wearing something that lets me talk to Austin any time is tempting, but he and Trevor need privacy.
“You won’t be.” Taking out the second device, he tucks it gently into my ear. “If you double-tap the unit, it’ll send a signal to all the other units paired to the main receiver. Listen.”
Austin taps his own earbud twice, and a single, low-pitched tone sounds in my ear. “Tap once to turn it on.”
When I do, it’s like I can hear the air conditioning twice as loud as it usually is. “See?” Austin says.
The shock of hearing his voice so quietly in my ear while still hearing him from five feet away sends me stumbling back a step. “Wow. Okay. I’ll wear it. But I want it off. In both directions.”
He grins like he just won the lottery, then arches a brow. “Why? Are you planning on singing showtunes off-key the whole time I’m gone?”
“No.” My cheeks feel like they’re on fire, and I fiddle with the bracelet he gave me. Really, it was less than week ago, but it feels like I’ve worn it forever. In a good way. “I’m going to call my parents. They should know…about you.”
For a moment, Austin’s so still, I’m actively worried about him. Until something breaks the spell, and he strides over to me and hugs me so tightly, I push against his hold. “Austin, I need to breathe!”
“Fuck. I’m sorry. I just… Mik, I—lo“
