Page 133 of First Chance

“Then come up here and sit on my face, let me prove myself.”

She sits up and looks down at me sweetly. “You don’t need to prove yourself, I know you are well equipped to take care of me. But, I also need to get to campus. I need to turn in some paperwork and take an exam.”

“I would have woken up earlier if I had known that.”

“In my defense, you do normally wake up before me, but you seem more inclined to ignore your responsibilities when I’m in your bed.”

“Can you blame me?” I palm her ass in my hands, squeezing roughly.

“Three more days and then school is over,” she whispers solemnly. “Eight days until my birthday.”

“Then, let’s make the most of it.” I kiss her head, pretending like I’m not falling apart at the thought.

Chapter Forty-Eight

Jo

Lochlan kept his promise. He’s woken me up every morning with an orgasm and put me to bed with them, holding me tightly until I fall asleep. It’s taken so much stress off my life that I haven’t been anxious at all about turning in my thesis.

Leaving campus for the final time is anticlimactic.

I earned my Master’s in Biomedical Engineering, but I’m leaving with a lifetime of confidence and happiness because of the man whose ring I’m wearing.

I’m not sure it’s a good idea to keep wearing it, but he didn’t want it back yet, and I’ve been selfishly glad. I admire it every chance I get, imagining what it would be like to truly be claimed by Lochlan.

If he had given me this authentically, I know he’d never let me go.

A big part of me wishes he wouldn’t.

I pull back into the sanctuary and feel a wave of sadness overtake me. I technically only have a few more days left until I should leave. I’ll have the money from my trust to start over and do whatever my heart desires.

Unfortunately, what my heart desires the most is right here.

I know deep down he doesn’t want me to leave either, but I don’t think he’ll ever forgive me if I stay. He’d certainly never forgive himself.

Even with my backpack empty of all my textbooks, I tread heavily to the front door, stopping when I see the hot pink sticky note stuck to it.

Emergency meeting with the guys. Come to the bunkhouse so I can fill you in.

Uh oh. Something must’ve happened. I leave my backpack sitting on the porch and hurry to the bunkhouse.

I fling the door open and jump back.

“SURPRISE!!!!”Everyone screams. The guys are clapping, and Emory is jumping up and down. Becky and Tessa are holding a cake. Jackson, Natalie, and her little brother, Dec, are holding a ‘Congrats Grad’ sign, but my eyes go straight to the tallest of the bunch.

Lochlan’s standing to the side with his arms crossed over his chest, smiling at me. Proudly.

My heart does a little somersault in my chest, and my feet don’t stop moving until I’m leaping into his arms. “Thank you,” I muffle against his cheek before kissing it.

“Congratulations, darlin’.”

* * *

“I’m not going to be able to move for the rest of the night,” I whine, slumping against the big sectional in the bunkhouse. I just finished my third piece of cake after eating two platesof the BBQ that Seiver made and way too many helpings of all the side dishes Natalie cooked.

We’re hours into my surprise graduation party, and I can’t think of a time that anyone has ever celebrated me, let alone this many people. I don’t want the night to end.

“I’m sure Lochlan won’t mind carrying you home.” Natalie winks, and I laugh. Sometimes it’s easier to talk to her than Jackson because there isn’t the added pressure of being a long-lost sibling.

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