Page 106 of Under Water

I can’t help a small laugh, and I shift back so I can look him in the eyes. “I will always make sure Easton knows I love him enough. And there are so many other ways to be committed to someone than getting married. I have a lot of friends who don’t believe in the concept at all. A piece of paper isn’t magic, kiddo. It’s about your words and then following those words with your actions.”

“I get that. We had to sign a pledge in Mrs. Schiff’s class that we were going to follow all the rules all year. But the second day, kids were already chewing gum and filming TikToks in the back of the class.”

I fight back a laugh. “So that proves my point. I married Neal, and he turned out to be a monster. I might not marry Easton, but he’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.”

“I want to keep him,” Elio whispers.

I hold him just a little tighter. “Yeah. Me too.”

Closing the door to the game room, I turn and am unsurprised to see Easton hovering near the end of the hallway. He’s got his lower lip between his teeth, and his arms are crossed tightly over his chest.

I’m still not sure I’ll be able to sleep well without being in the same room as Elio, but I spoke with Detective Ahmed, and she said that Neal isn’t set to see a judge until after the weekend, which means he’ll be rotting in county, and I don’t have to worry about him turning up here.

It’s a small relief, and it lets me breathe a little easier as I walk up to Easton and set my hands at his waist.

He doesn’t drop his arms, but he does lower his eyes and sway into me a bit.

“You okay?”

He nods. “I, uh…I want to talk about what comes next.”

My heart begins to skitter a bit in my chest. “Okay.”

I want to pin him to the wall and demand he tell me everything because I’m suddenly freaking out that this is his way of telling me that all of this has been too much for him.

But I’m trying to remain calm. I turn and head toward the second guest bedroom, and he follows me, closing the door with a firm click. That has promise…I think. I’m too afraid to hope.

Without saying another word, Easton shimmies out of his sweats, and I get a nice, long look at his round, pert ass through his boxers as he climbs onto the bed and kicks the covers back so he can slide his legs under them.

I eventually follow suit, though I keep my joggers on, and he turns when I settle next to him, knocking his bent knee into my thigh.

“I really like you,” he starts. Fuck. Those words used like that are never good. “I know things are complicated outside of this house. North and Leo will be back soon, and you and Elio can’t really stay at my place. It’s not big enough for him to move around in, and that’s not fair.”

“Right,” I say slowly.

“But your parents’ house still needs to get repaired from the fire, and I know you don’t want to go back to your apartment.”

My brows dip. I’m feeling a bit lost now. “What are you trying to say?”

He blows out a puff of air. “I’m just gonna…fuck. I’m just gonna shoot my shot, okay?” He closes his eyes, and my heart does a series of leaps. “Do you want to think about moving in together?”

I let out an involuntary cough, and he finally opens his eyes and looks at me.

“I get it if it’s too fast. I mean, that’s probably nuts, right? We just started dating, and the whole thing with your ex. And I mean, I just came out of the closet, so⁠—”

“Yes.”

He freezes. Then clears his throat. Then rubs a hand over his mouth. “Yes?”

“Yes.” I’m taking the leap. I don’t care how far I have to fall. “I want to get a place with you.”

Color rises in his cheeks, blooming across his skin, making his small freckles stand out. He blinks rapidly, then reaches for me before pulling his hands back. “I thought you were going to say no,” he whispers.

“Me too. I mean, on paper, it’s absurd. It’s fucking foolish. We’ve known each other forever, but we just started dating. It’s a recipe for disaster,” I tell him. My voice is heavy and rough. “But every time I think about leaving here and going back to life as it was, it makes my entire body ache. I don’t want that.”

Easton laughs softly, and then he finally gives in to whatever urge he’s been fighting and drags me into his arms. He rains kisses down across my jawline, down my neck, across my collarbones. His hands are restless, searching, palming over my flushed skin as he traces his touch down, down, down to where I’m hard and needy.

“Is this for me?” he asks quietly.