Happy reading!

26

"I'm so fucking tired." Alice groaned as she and I were cleaning up the kitchen.

It's the beginning of May and we'd spent the night celebrating the fact that we'd made it through our last finals ever. After the stress of finals and the alcohol that had been consumed, I was feeling exhausted myself. Emmett and Rose had called it a night about an hour ago. Jasper was currently passed out on Alice's bed, snoring up a storm.

"What time did he finally knock out?" she nods toward the couch where Edward's asleep, his left arm thrown over his head.

"Thirty minutes ago, I think." Alice and I were the last ones standing.

"What?" I asked. Alice is standing next to me with a goofy little smile on her face. It's kind of creepy.

"You're looking at him like he's your forever." The smile hasn't left her face.

I fight the smile that wants to break free, trying to pretend like I'm annoyed. "Go to bed."

"Whatever." She sings-songs, pulling on my ponytail as she walks by, heading to her room.

I watch her go until she's closing the door behind her, then my attention goes back to the man sleeping on our couch. I walk over to him, taking in how peaceful he looks with his hair rumpled and lips pursed. He'd been exhausted when he'd arrived but had been such a good sport taking part in the festivities as celebrated finishing our last finals ever.

Not able to help myself, I lean in, tracing my tongue along the shape of his ear before taking the lobe into my mouth and sucking lightly.

I smirk when I feel him start to stir as I kiss down his neck.

"Hmm," he moans, tilting his head to the side to give me better access without ever opening his eyes. "That feels good."

"Good." I nip the sensitive skin below his ear, causing him to hiss. Next thing I know, his arms are around my waist, maneuvering me with ease so I'm straddling his lap, biting my lip when I feel how hard he already is.

"That's better." He smiles up at me, pushing some of the hair that's fallen out of my ponytail. "You're so beautiful."

"You make me feel beautiful." It was such a cliche thing to say, but it was the truth. The way he looked at me, even when I felt at my lowest, was like I was the only woman in the world. It wasn't just physical attraction. He looked at me like he wanted my soul as much as he wanted my body.

He swallows thickly as he continues to look at me, his hand coming to cup my jaw and I kiss his thumb.

"What's on your mind?" I close my eyes as he fingers trace the shape of my ear and down my neck.

"Life after graduation." His words hit home. With the lease to my apartment with Rose and Alice coming to an end, and the two of them moving in with their significant others, a chapter of our lives was coming to an end. I'd started looking for an apartment, which was either too expensive or in a bad part of town. So many things were changing, that it was overwhelming. We were going to be starting jobs, entering the real world. We were going to be adults. What a scary thought.

"What about it?" I curl up against his chest, listening to his heartbeat under my ear.

"Just about how much it's about to change." He rubs his hands along my back, and I melt into him further.

"I've been looking at apartments, trying to find something close to where my office will be, but everything I've found is not ideal."

"Isn't this complex the closest thing to where you'll be working?"

I sigh, "Yeah, but there's no way I can afford to live here alone. Even in a one bedroom." Working for an Indie Publisher wasn't going to be giving me a large salary.

"There is a solution to that."

"What would that be, nepo baby?" He was going to be working for his dad's consulting firm.

His chest shakes. "You can be a pain in the ass, Swan."

I laugh. "I'm sorry. What were you going to say?"

"What I was going to say before I was insulted." I rolled my eyes. "Is that you could move in with me."

See you Friday!