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I fiercely trap her against me.

Plant my face in her neck.

Tighten the hold, promising I’ve got her.

That she can trust me.

That she should trust me.

Afterall, I’m her Old Man.

Damn.

Never thought I’d say that.

Never thought I’d be that.

Or that it’d feel good.

Or…this good.

Emmerz anchors her hands to my shoulders, leans back, and warmly beams. “Am I really doing this?”

It’s impossible not to smirk.

“Am I really skinny dipping?!”

“You are.”

“Ohmygod…” Giggles are attached to amused headshakes. “This is so not me.”

“You are whoever you wanna be, Teach.” My grin lingers. “Tryin’ shit’s the only way you learn if you wanna change shit or keep shit.”

“We have got to expand your vocab,” she teases in such a way I can’t help but swat at her ass underwater. “Okay, so, I’m here-”

“You are.”

“-tell me what I got you to read!” The tiny kicks of her feet get me snickering. “Was it poetry?!”

“Yeah.”

Additional glee pierces her expression. “Langston? Whitman? Blake? Wheatley? Angelou?!”

“Poe.”

Faint disappointment cocks her head to the side. “The Raven?”

An innocent shrug bounces our connected bodies.

“Because it’s got a bird title?”

“Helps.” Emmerz’s facial scrunch sends her glasses down her nose prompting me to gently push them back up. “It’s also dark.”

“And depressing.”

“And that’s how I felt without you in my life.”

She instantly melts against me.