Page 68 of Freeze Frame

“It’s late. I’m taking you to bed.”

“Ooh. Bed. I like bed.” I wrapped my arms around his neck. The more awake my brain got, the more awake my body felt and the more it liked being pressed against David.

“Today was good,” I told him as we entered his room.

The landing onto the bed wasn’t the smoothest, but he managed not to drop me, so that was something.

“Today was great, but it could be better.”

“Oh?” I tried to get my body into a seductive pose, but I felt groggy and uncoordinated, and I wasn’t sure I managed. “How could it be better?” I asked, pretending that I looked hot and alluring and not at all as awkward as I felt.

“Well, if you agreed to move in with me, that could improve things some.”

“Just some?” I arched an eyebrow even as my pulse sprinted through my body. I’d never lived with another person before, but I couldn’t imagine going even a day without him now.

“Just a touch. Maybe a little. Like two on a scale of one to ten.” His jokes did nothing to hide how serious he was about this and how much he wanted it. I knew he wanted it because his hands trembled as hard as mine did. His eyes were wide, how mine felt. I wondered if his heart felt as light and frantic as mine? If it beat like the wings of a hummingbird.

“I want you here with me, all the time. You and Nitro.”

“Say please,” I demanded, unable to stop the way I smiled like I’d been handed the winning lottery ticket. “Say please,” I said again, afraid that he didn’t understand me.

“Please. I’ll beg if I have to.”

“You don’t have to beg, though you can if you want to.”

“I’d beg you every day for the rest of my life if you wanted me to.”

Suddenly David was right there, kneeling over me, crowding me against the mattress. Heat radiated off his body, and I gave in to the temptation to touch him. Because I could do that. Becausewe were in love and he wanted me to live with him. He wanted to create a life with me. And more than anything, I wanted that too.

“Of course I’ll move in. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

“I like the sound of that.”

David closed the distance between us. A thigh planted itself between mine and he lowered himself down. His mouth brushed over mine, and he kissed me like I was the most precious thing on the planet. Like I was worthy of love and adoration. Worthy of him and a life by his side. I wanted those things to be true more than anything.

And once upon a time, I might not have believed myself to be worthy. River might not have believed it, but I wasn’t River anymore. I was Josh, and Josh believed he was allowed to be happy. And horny.

And loved.

THIRTY-THREE

DAVID

We went backto the botanical gardens. This time, we managed to keep our hands—and mouths—to ourselves. Though the minute I saw that weeping willow, my dick got rock hard. Next to me, Josh laughed, understanding my problem without me having to say a word.

“Not sorry, by the way,” he said, holding my hand tighter.

“Neither am I.” It was the truth. There wasn’t a single thing about my time with Josh that I regretted.

“I still can’t believe this place was here the whole time. All this beauty was right under my nose, and I didn’t even know it existed.”

I let my gaze linger on Josh as we walked and when he saw me, he rolled his eyes.

“I didn’t even say anything,” I said in defense of myself.

“You were going to, and it was going to be sappy and cheesy.” Josh couldn’t hide his smile.

“How do you know? Maybe I wasn’t.”