Page 99 of Muscle Cub

No, no, no. No words are required. Nobody needs your words right now. Stop thinking of words.

“Paul.” Austin breathed my name like he was talking in his sleep. Dreaming. He clenched, purposefully gripping me, and the pressure at this stage made me harder.

It felt like I was growing inside him, reaching into him with each thrust.

He met every stroke, contracting and relaxing his interior muscles with perfect timing.

It was happening.

No shoes, no costumes, no expectations.

It was a miracle. A revelation.

How could such a moment be so profoundly quiet, accompanied only by stuttered breaths and soft grunts, the rustling of the duvet over our heads, and the faraway shushing of rain on the roof?

I never wanted it to be over.

I didn’t even want to get off at this point, but I was too close.

I was coming.

I reached the edge of the cliff and fell, inevitably spilling over and into him.

And he caught me, contracting uncontrollably with the force of his own release, taking all that I had to give him.

I stayed inside him as long as I could, ears ringing, panting against his back.

When he felt me finally slip from him, he turned in my arms to face me, his grin crooked and smug. “See?” he said as if he had convinced me. “You can. Sometimes you will. Sometimes you won’t. But you can.”

I could.

I didn’t have to—with Austin, it was safe for me to try—but I could.

We could.

He held up a hand. “Up top.” His eyes twinkled with mischief, leaking the secret of the light inside him, that he was beautiful and sweet because he was empathetic and wise.

“I’m still not high-fiving you,” I teased.

I kissed him instead.

“I talked to Jim yesterday,” he said, his tone now serious. “They’re not gonna keep me on past the summer. He said I need to find a bigger platform for my talents.”

I sighed. “I know you’re disappointed. But I agree with him. You’re funny, gorgeous, and smart. You’ll find something perfect for you.”

He nodded. “I will. I texted Honey.”

“Yeah?”

“She told me to call her on Monday, and we’ll set up a time to meet and talk about the opening at YA.”

“Austin. That’s fantastic!”

“The position starts with the new school year, so if it works out, I’ll actually have to quit here before the season’s over. Which is kind of a bummer, but…”

I hummed. “It’ll be nice to have you in Edgewood, though, where we can, you know, see each other on a regular basis.”

He laced his fingers through mine. “And see where this goes?”