Page 37 of Keeping Kyle

I expected at least a few angry remarks. I wasn’t the only one with a boyfriend on the team, but every time Greg posted pics with his man, he heard from a few haters. He ignored and block those people—no muss no fuss—and I’d follow his example.

Simultaneously, we checked the side switch to make sure the phones were silent before we put them back on the counter face down. Without a word, we headed back to the couch, as if we had a routine.

I liked it. I wanted it. Could I keep it though?

We settled on the couch—me in the corner and Austin next to me. Our legs touched. I leaned forward to grab the remote, but as I sat back, he took it from me. I shot him a questioning look.

“There’s something…”

Had I done something wrong? Crap. The look on his face said he had something urgent. What changed from when we were in the kitchen?

“I’ve got no idea what I’m doing.” Austin pivoted so one leg was folded on the couch and he could look directly at me. “I’d—”

I moved quickly so I wouldn’t overthink. Drawing close to him, I crashed my lips into his. Instincts told me he wanted it, and my God, yes, I wanted it. For a moment, he seemed stunned but then he kissed back. The remote thudded as it hit the floor when he dropped it.

I pulled back just enough to look at him. The loopy grin told me I’d made the right choice.

“Yes. That. That’s what I wanted.”

We leaned into each other and touched foreheads.

“I’m glad I picked right. You had me worried for a minute.”

Austin put his hand on my shoulder and he quaked. I took his other hand in mine.

“I would tell you not to be nervous, but I am too.” I guided the shaking hand I had and placed it over my heart. “Feel it? It’s about to pound out of my chest. Reminds me of how it thumps when I do suicide sprints.”

Austin’s shudders lessened. He planted the softest kiss on my lips, just barely pressing them together.

So gentle. So caring.

A shiver shot through me. He had to have felt that. My excitement hit an embarrassing peak. Austin responded by kissing me more. I moved my lips against his, matching his gentleness.

After a moment, I upped the intensity, running my tongue along his lips, which he parted ever so slightly to nibble at my tongue. Pleasure pulsed through me, exceeding anything I’d experienced with anyone else.

Sure, I was horny. It’d been months since I’d had anything other than porn and my hand. This was far more. The feeling of desire and that this was right had built in strength since Vegas. It showed no signs of stopping. Was this what Bobby and Seb felt?

I hesitated to take charge. Austin needed to be comfortable and enjoy this as much as I did.

“I know how jittery you are.” Talking was the best way to sort it out, even though it might kill the mood. “We can pause, stop, whenever you need to.”

“I feel like a freaking teenager.” I liked that Austin sounded more amused than upset.

“It’s okay. Believe me, there’s a fleet of butterflies flying around inside me right now. Let’s just see where this goes.”

No date ever felt as romantic as this one did, and we hadn’t even called this a date—but maybe it was.

When Austin had shown up in Vegas, I’d gotten all swoony. Since that night, we could’ve become characters in one of the romances I read sometimes.

I couldn’t believe we were making out on my couch.

Austin’s teenager remark was so much the opposite of his confident business persona. I’d seen him withdraw sometimes in crowds, like how skittish he’d sometimes gotten during the gallery opening.

Slow proved to be good for us though. I’d never spent so much time kissing—usually there was a hurry to get off. I didn’t feel that, and I don’t think he did either.

I pulled him gently toward me, and I adjusted so I leaned back and he could press into me. We never broke the kissing—he instinctively knew where he needed to go. He even rose up a bit so I could get my legs under him. I lay on the couch and he stretched over top of me.

He took more control, exploring my mouth and moaning with each breath. The noises spurred me on. He eagerly sucked my tongue while I ran my hands over his back. I untucked his dress shirt so I could touch his skin, which yielded more enthusiastic groans.