Page 224 of Barinov

“Are you serious?!”

“Yeah.” He laughs, unable to stop smiling. “That’s why I’m late. Dean Chambers needed one last signature, and I had to run across campus like a damn idiot to get there in time before he left, but…” His shoulders sag as the weight of it sinks in. “I’m finally done.”

I throw my arms around his neck so hard he stumbles back a step.

“Lex!”

“He loved my designs for The Blackwood. Said it’s the best he’s seen in all his years at Northvale.” He buries his face against my hair, laughing. “I did it!”

I pull back just enough to cup his face and press a quick kiss to his lips. “I’m so proud of you.”

“What’d I miss?” a voice sounds behind us.

I spin in Lex’s arms to see Cade walking through the door. “Lex graduated!”

Cade runs over and throws an arm around both of us before pulling Lex in for a kiss.

“That’s amazing.” His smile is so genuine it makes my chest ache.

I lace my fingers through theirs. “Now we just have to get one more of you to graduate.” I grin between them. “Then I’ll officially have two college graduates for boyfriends.”

Cade snorts. “So that’s what this is all about then? Some sort of art intervention?”

“Something like that.” Lex grins.

“Haley told us what’s been happening,” I mutter, stepping toward the canvas. “And how every time you try and work, you see me in pain. Why didn’t you tell us?”

“I don’t know,” Cade sighs, raking a hand through his hair. “I guess with everything going on I didn’t want to put any more stress on us.”

Lex laughs. He leans down and picks up a paintbrush. “That’s the dumbest fucking thing I’ve heard all week.”

“What?” Cade’s eyes snap to him.

“We are a team, Cade,” Lex says, slapping the paintbrush into Cade’s palm.

“We have to get through all of this shit together,” I add, signaling Lex. “As one.”

Lex guides Cade in front of the blank canvas before stepping in close behind him. His hands settle on Cade’s waist.

“So now,” Lex murmurs against Cade’s neck, “you’re going to finish that last painting.”

“Just like that?” Cade says, swallowing hard.

“Just.”

Lex presses a kiss to Cade’s neck.

“Like.”

Another kiss.

“That.”

A deep moan falls from Cade’s throat as he leans back into Lex’s warmth.

“And this time,” I add, pulling my shirt up over my head and tossing it to the floor. “While you’re painting, you won’t see me in pain.”

Lex’s lips brush against Cade’s ear. “You’ll see her loved.”