Chapter 33
Austin and I are determined to salvage what little time we have left together, despite today’s rocky start, but we need to get the apartment cleaned up for Cassie first. I start cleaning while he heads down to the driveway to clear the shards of glass littering the gravel.
Every now and then, I peek out the window at Austin as he bends down, picking up piece after piece. He wears a look of defeat, his shoulders slumping under a weight that seems too heavy for any one person to bear. My heart clenches in my chest as I watch him. This man who publicly moves through the world with such confidence, has been reduced to something so broken and small.
Behind that ache, though, is a surge of anger that burns hotter with every piece he picks up. I’m so incredibly angry at the man who did this to him, who caused this darkness to seep into his life. I hope Ashley is right and the whole family gets the justice they deserve. His dad deserves to rot in prison for the rest of his days.
Once everything is back in order, we trade places with Cassie, and head upstairs to savor what little bit of day is left. We’re both grimy and sweaty, so I lead Austin to my bathroom, quietly peeling off my clothes while his eyes rake over me. He doesn’t move an inch—he just watches me. I step into my shower while he undresses and gets in.
Silently we wash each other, allowing our fingers to map the shape of one another to carve into our memories. Once we’ve rinsed, I reach down and take his length in my hand, one firm stroke up then down, feeling him grow harder beneath my touch. A low groan rumbles from Austin’s chest, his hands tightening at my waist before pulling me to him and placing a searing kiss on my lips. I keep my grip on him, stroking as his body tenses against mine.
When we part, I sink to my knees, lowering my head to swirl my tongue around the tip of his cock. He bucks against me, and I raise my eyes to meet his. His expression turns molten and he grabs my hair, winding it around his hand to gently guide me back down. I take him deep, my hand pumping to the rhythm of my mouth.
“Fuck,” he hisses out, pressing a hand against the shower wall.
My head bobs up and down as his hips snap, so I allow him to fuck my mouth, causing my eyes to water.
Just when my jaws are starting to ache, I feel him lengthen imperceptibly in my mouth, and he tugs my hair to pull me up but I grip his thigh, keeping my mouth right where it is, sucking like my life depends on it. A hot, salty stream hits my throat and I swallow every drop, seeing him through his climax.
Once he’s caught his breath, he turns the water off and reaches to grab two towels, drying himself off first and then me. He wraps me in the towel and picks me up, carrying me to my bedroom where he lays me down and climbs in to lie next to me.
“We haven’t talked about the article yet,” I say once we’re lying there facing each other.
“I was waiting on you. Wasn’t really sure how you were feeling about it all.” His jaw tics, and some of that same defeat from earlier returns to his voice. “You were afraid something like this would happen. I get it if this is too much for you. Not sayin’ I’ll like it. But I wouldn’t blame you if it was.” His eyes are distant, like he’s already bracing himself for the answer he’s afraid to hear.
With a deep breath, I lock eyes with him, feeling the weight of my decision, but I know with all my heart it's the right one.
“I’ve decided I don’t care what anyone thinks. If tabloid articles want to write about us, let them. What right do any of them have to judge us? There’s nothing scandalous about our relationship. We did nothing wrong and I don’t want to hide. I just want to be with you.”
My voice comes out steadier than I feel. Putting myself out there for the world to judge will take some getting used to. Even with the fear gnawing at me, one thing is crystal clear: for every bit of uncertainty, every ounce of courage I have to muster, Austin is worth it.
He closes his eyes, a ragged exhale escaping him, and pulls me against his chest, burying his face in my neck.
“You don’t know how happy I am to hear that,” he says against my skin. He tilts his head back, meeting my eyes. “I don’t want anything to cheapen what we have between us, and I can’t promise that other articles won’t come and go. Hopefully, they’ll be fewer and further between once we’ve been together a while, but I can’t promise they won’t pop up from time to time. It’s the nature of this damn fame machine.” Austin pauses, kissing the corner of my mouth before continuing. “But I don’t want anyone but us deciding what we are to each other, you hear me?”
“Well, I’m here for it,” I say. “Whatever comes our way, it’s me and you.”
He presses his lips to mine again—soft at first—and I melt into him. Right as the kiss starts to deepen, though, he pulls away, rising to lean against the headboard. I do the same, resting my head against his chest.
“There’s something I need to tell you about the photo that was taken—” he starts, but I cut him off.
“I already know. It was Abby who took the picture. I’m pretty sure Tyler and I found out at about the same time. Abby confessed everything to us last night.”
He lets out a long, tired exhale. “I don’t even have it in me to be mad at that kid. Teenagers do stupid shit sometimes.”
“Well,” I begin, huffing a laugh through my nose, “I think Josie’s mad enough for all of us. Abby’s probably not seeing social media for a while. She’ll be lucky if she sees the outside of her house before school starts back.”
Austin’s sigh is heavy, and we sit in silence. He trails his fingers up and down my arm, sending a shiver of gooseflesh across my skin.
“Penny, I want you to know something real.”
I lean back to look up at him, one eyebrow arched in question.
“This is the most real thing I’ve ever told you.” His eyes meet mine, and there’s something in them that stirs something deep inside me.
I blink rapidly, my voice dipping to a whisper. “What is it?”
“I’ve fallen completely in love with you.” His voice is thick with emotion. “Maybe it’s too soon to be saying this. I don’t know. Hell, I’ve never said this to a woman before. But this is real. You’ve worked your way so deep into my heart that I can barely remember what life was like before you were in it.” He pauses, his eyes searching mine with a raw intensity. “Honestly, I think I was already half in love with you the moment you whirled around to lay into me that night at the bar.”
My heart kicks up in my chest, quick, staccato beats that he can probably feel against his own.
“And when did you realize you were all the way in love?” My words don’t sound right to my ears; maybe because I’ve forgotten how to breathe.
“I wish I had some smooth response right here,” he says, a self-deprecating laugh slipping from his lips. “But the truth is, I fell in love with you little by little every single day. There wasn’t one big moment. It was just all of it. You took care of me that night without needing anything in return. You’ve seen every side of me and never once backed down, and you’ve trusted me with every piece of you. You’re it for me. I want all of you, every single beautiful piece that makes you who you are.” His words are steady, speaking to the deepest parts of my soul.
My eyes lock onto his and I rise to press a soft kiss to his lips. “You sound like some guy who sings country love songs for a living.”
His laugh rumbles deep in his chest, vibrating against my mouth.
When I pull away I look at him, taking in how perfectly imperfect this man is. “You’re it for me, too, Austin James. I am utterly and helplessly in love with you. I couldn’t have fought it if I’d tried. I never stood a chance.”
He wraps one big hand around the back of my neck, pulling me in for a searing kiss that makes my toes curl.
“For the record,” he says, leaning his head to look at me, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. “You didn’t try too hard. ‘Just business,’ my ass.”
I chuckle, but he captures my mouth with his, wiping the humor away in one smooth, possessive kiss.
Austin’s hands go to remove the towel that I’m still wrapped in and I rise, draping one leg over him to straddle his hips. Our gazes lock, dark and burning with emotions and I sink down onto him, feeling every delicious inch as he enters me. He sucks in a breath, watching as our bodies become one and I feel his fingers press into my hips, guiding me to move against him.
There’s nothing rushed about the way we move together, his hips pushing into me as I press deeper into him. Every touch, every movement is a promise. A promise that whatever our future holds, I’m his and he’s mine. He shifts beneath me, changing angles and I throw back my head, leaving my throat exposed. Austin grips my hair, dragging his tongue up the column of my throat and I gasp at the pleasure sparking through me, building into something strong and fierce.
My nails dig into his shoulders, gripping him as our movements quicken, chasing that inevitable breaking point together. Pleasure coils tighter and tighter until it quickly unravels, ripping through me in a shattering release. My body trembles, just as he groans, pressing me flush against him as he follows, his breath ragged and warm against my skin.
He keeps his arms banded around me, still inside of me, and all the emotions of the day come crashing down. Every part of my soul is tangled with his, and I don’t know how to let go. I’m going to miss this man that I love with every part of me so very much. I rest my head on his shoulder, and he trails his fingertips up and down my back as silent tears push past my lashes and down my cheeks.