Chapter 31

I smiled and carefully tugged him down. It took a minute or two to get him situated. At last, he lay against my chest, his hip tucked between my thighs. He let out a breath, and the tension left his body.

“That’s better.” I slid my fingers into his hair and rubbed his scalp. He gave a tiny purr of pleasure, and his body got heavier.

I let the silence sit between us for a while. It wasn’t uncomfortable, and more importantly, I wanted him to relax completely. Eventually he got there. His breathing became slow and even, but he wasn’t asleep. He traced patterns on my shirt with the tips of his fingers. It would have been arousing if I wasn’t so focused on his wellbeing.

“Austin, babe, do you want to tell me what’s going on with you?”

His fingers froze mid-swirl. “I, uh, nothing. I’m fine. Really. I promise.”