Page 88 of Claiming Carter

Austin sinks down on the edge of the bed, and I wedge myself between his thighs. It’s been a long night. He looks exhausted, but in the best possible way. “How’re you feeling?” I ask.

“Like everything I ever wanted might finally be within reach.” He slips a hand under my skirt, the rough pads of his fingers skating up my outer thigh. His touch is featherlight, sending a shiver down my spine. I close my eyes and tip my head back, savoring the feel of his hands on my bare flesh. He has the best hands. I could never tire of them, not when every touch feels like the first.

When I open my eyes, he’s staring up at me, a self-satisfied smile on his face.

“You deserve it.” I stroke his cheek, my fingers scraping over the fine stubble that’s begun to show. “Which is why I’ve got one more signing bonus for you.”

“A signing bonus?” Desire flares in his eyes, and my ovaries stand at attention. “Hell, yeah. I’ve been dying to rip this dress off you all night. It’s driving me fucking crazy.”

“I’m flattered, but that’s not exactly what I had in mind.” I laugh and push him back on the bed. He doesn’t stay down long and props himself up on his elbows.

“So, we’re not talking about sex then?” he asks, flashing his dimple.

“Keep your pants on—for now. I’ve got something even better lined up.”

He doesn’t bother to hide his skepticism. “What could possibly be better than sex?”

“You’ll see.” I grab my bag off the desk and pull out the offer letter from Gamut. It came in a few days ago, but I didn’t want to say anything until all the details were ironed out. I climb into bed with him and hand him the first page of the offer.

He scans the letter twice and then turns to me, confusion in his eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me you got a job offer? This is great news. We should celebrate.”

The man was just selected number three in the NFL draft. He’ll probably make more money on his first contract than I’ll make in a lifetime, and he thinks we should celebrate my job offer? I lean down and kiss him, slow and soft. When he slips his hand under my skirt, I sit up. “Wait, there’s more. I didn’t even tell you the best part. I’ll be working in Chicago, so we can be together after graduation.”

It’s a full ten seconds before he reacts—I totally counted—but when he does, his smile his the brightest I’ve ever seen. And it’s all for me.

“You’re right,” he says, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. “This is way better because it means I can have sex with you every day.”

“Wow. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you’re just using me for my body.” I climb atop him, straddling his hips as he considers.

He pushes up the hem of my skirt, but his gaze stays fixed on mine. “Then I’ll have to do a better job of showing you how much I love you. I was going to ask you to come with me, but I wasn’t sure if you’d say yes.” He pauses. “You’re sure this is what you want?”

Is he kidding? Of course it’s what I want. These last months together have been the best of my life. I can’t imagine my life after college not including Austin. He’s become as essential to me as air. “Yes. I’ll get to work on clean energy systems. It’s a win-win for me. I get my dream job and my dream man.”

“But how did you know I’d end up in Chicago?”

“I didn’t. I negotiated a clause in my contract that would allow me to choose my location after the draft. They’ve got offices in New York and Chicago.” I shrug. “It was a calculated risk. And it paid off.”

He laughs and I can feel the low rumble reverberate through his chest. “Smart, gorgeous woman. I love it when you talk nerdy to me.”

“So shut up and kiss me.”

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