“Glad to be here, son.” Mr. Cartwright pats my shoulder. “Should we grab a table?”
Orion shrugs. “Bar… table, as long as I get a beer and a burger, I don’t care.”
“Here’s fine then,” Michael says, claiming the stool to my right, while Orion grabs the one to my left. “What’d you want to talk about?”
“Okay, straight to the point then.” I take a swallow of my now warm beer and cringe.
Michael nods. “I figured it was important since you asked us both to meet you here.”
“It is important.” I nod.
“Then out with it, man,” Orion grumbles, like the surly fucker he is. “I have a packed schedule today.”
“Anyone ever tell you you’re an ass?”
“All the time.” He smirks. “Now, out with it.”
“I want to ask Stella to marry me.”
Orion chokes on air, while Michael regards me stonily.
“I know she’s only nineteen and in college—”
“Do you love her?” Mr. C asks.
“I do, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. To grow old with her. When I picture my future, there’s not a version of it without your daughter at my side.”
Michael nods. “Then you have my blessing.”
“Orion?” I ask, turning to my best friend.
My heart thumps in my chest as he stares me down. I know he said he was okay with us being together, but now, a small part of me can’t help but worry he won’t be on board with this.
Not that his opinion would stop me. I meant it when I said I would choose Stella over him, every time. I just hope it doesn’t come to that.
Finally, he says, “One condition.”
“Name it.”
“No PDA when I’m around.” He shivers. “I don’t wanna see that shit. Ever.”
Easy enough. “Consider it done.”
“Now that that’s out of the way,” Michael says. “How about we order?”
“Sounds good to me.” I redirect my attention to the menu the hostess gave me when I arrived, but my phone buzzes in my pocket before I can make a selection.
I slide it from my pocket and press my thumb to the screen to unlock it.
Luna: Where are you?
Me: … where are you?
Luna: Your house. I finished my study group early and wanted to surprise you.
Me: I’m on my way.
“Gentlemen,” I say, as I slide off of my barstool. “I hate to dip before we can even eat, but Stella just texted me—”
Michael waves me off. “Go on. We’ll see you for Thanksgiving?”
“Wouldn’t miss it.”
“Kiss ass,” Orion mutters, but I just shake my head, slap down a ten-dollar bill for my beer, and then head for the exit.
“I’ve missed you,” Stella says the second I step out of my truck.
“I’ve missed you too.”
As soon as I’m within arm’s reach, Stella wraps her arms around my neck and presses a soft kiss to my jaw. “It feels like I barely get to see you.”
She’s not wrong either—between her moving out of her dorm, studying for finals, and my job, we’ve both been busier than ever.
“I don’t like it.” I speak the words into her hair, content to just feel her body pressed to mine. That is, until she shivers. “Let’s get you inside.”
I dip low and swing her up into my arms, loving the way she squeals.
“Let me down, you caveman. I can walk.”
“I know you can.” I slide my key into the lock. “But I like holding you.”
“Yeah, yeah sure.”
“Whatever. You like it too.”
“I certainly don’t mind the body heat.”
Speaking of… “You have a key. Why were you outside?”
“I was looking at something in the backyard.”
“Plants.” I shake my head as I move through the house, toward the living room. “I should have known.”
“Yeah, well.” She shrugs. “Now put me down.”
“No thanks.” I lower us down to the couch and then adjust her position so that her legs are propped on the empty cushion.
Despite her earlier protests, Stella snuggles into me. “Where were you?”
“Having lunch with your dad and brother.”
“Oh! I’m sorry. You didn’t leave in the middle, did you?”
“Damn straight I did.” How does she still not get that I’d drop anything for her?
“Samson! That was rude.”
“So?”
She starts to fuss at me again, but I silence her with a kiss, sucking her plump lower lip into my mouth.
“Fuck, I’ve missed this,” I murmur before tangling my tongue with hers.
“Me too,” she murmurs, her lips brushing against mine with every word.
“Oh, yeah?” I nip at her lips. “Show me how much.”
Stella grins wickedly before kissing her way along my jaw, down to the hollow of my throat. “Take me to bed and I will.”
Hell. Fucking. Yes.
I readjust my grip and stand from the couch, cradling Stella against my chest as stride back toward my room.
She peppers kisses up and down my neck, each one bolder than the last, until finally, she’s licking and sucking and scraping her teeth over the column of my throat.