I do—slow rolls at first, deep and deliberate, building to something harder, hungrier. His nails rake down my back;my hand wraps around him, stroking in time with my thrusts.
We come almost together—he first, clenching around me, crying out my name; me seconds later, burying deep, shuddering through it with his name on my lips.
Afterward, we stay tangled on the rug, sweat cooling, breaths slowing. His head on my chest, my fingers carding through his damp hair.
“You know what I just realized?” he murmurs.
“Hmm?”
“I’m not waiting for it to fall apart anymore. I’m just… here. With you. And it feels safe.”
I kiss the top of his head. “Good. Because I’m not going anywhere.”
He tilts his head back to look at me. “Promise?”
“Promise.”
He smiles—small, real, unshakable.
And for the first time in forever, forever doesn’t feel like a risk.
It feels like home.
EPILOGUE 1 - LUKE
Three years into medical school,I’ve learned a lot of things.
How to function on four hours of sleep. How to eat granola bars like they’re a food group. How to pretend I’m not emotionally attached to my color-coded planner.
I’ve also learned that if my boyfriend tells me I “deserve a break,” it usually means he’s already planned something, and I should just go with it.
“Luke,” Silas says, leaning against the doorway of our bedroom while I stare blankly into my closet, still wearing scrubs from my part-time nursing job. “It’s Friday. You don’t have class or work tomorrow. You’ve been buried in anatomy for two weeks straight. I don’t think you can stuff any more information into that brain of yours.”
I squint at him. “Are you trying to emotionally manipulate me into leaving the apartment?”
“Yes.”
I sigh dramatically. “Rude. I was thinking PJs andLove Islandreruns.”
He smiles like he already won. Which he has.
“Put on something hot,” he adds. “We’re going to Riot.”
That gets my attention.
I turn slowly. “Riot Riot?”
“The very same.”
My brows lift. “Is this a nostalgia play?”
He shrugs, trying for casual and failing. “Most of the group is back in town.”
That definitely gets my attention.
“Todd and Logan have a game Sunday against Eli’s team, so Max is here too. Micah and Colton are visiting family. Everyone else is scattered.”
I tick them off mentally. Will, Ty, Nathan, Quinn, Daniel—all missing. Still. That’s a solid lineup.
