Free Graduating (Covenant College Book 5) by Amanda M. Lee Page B

all sappy,” I warned. “I can’t take it when you get all sappy.”
    “I’m not getting sappy,” Aric said. “I’m just … okay, maybe I’m getting a little sappy. I’m happy right now, and I hope you are, too.”
    “I’m happy,” I said. “I haven’t been this happy … ever.”
    “Even though Blake is your professor again, and I told you that the governor wants to force me to take multiple wives?”
    “Meh. Don’t sweat the small stuff, honey.”
    Aric smiled. “I don’t suppose, since we missed naked Friday, that we can make up for it with naked Saturday?”
    “I don’t know,” I said. “You might have to convince me.”
    “Done.”
     
    TWO HOURS later, we finally left the room so we could forage for food.
    “I don’t see why we just can’t go out for breakfast.” Aric is hungry for two things in the morning. I’d already handled one of those needs, and now he was complaining about the other.
    “I don’t want to shower and get all cleaned up,” I said. Although, to be fair, a big breakfast did sound good after our morning workout.
    “I don’t care if you get cleaned up,” Aric said. “I figured we could go to breakfast and then spend the day getting filthy again at my apartment.”
    That did sound tempting. “What if I have a counter proposal?”
    “I can already tell I’m not going to like this,” Aric grumbled.
    “What if we have breakfast here, and then we get cleaned up and run some errands?”
    “I’m still waiting for how this benefits me.”
    “After the errands, I thought you could buy me lunch, and then we could go back to your apartment for the night,” I said. “We can watch a horror movie, and I’ll climb into your lap and let you protect me.”
    Aric considered the offer. “What errands are we running?”
    “I just need to run down to Meijer,” I said. “I need a few things. Plus, I figured we could get some food and I would cook you an awesome dinner. Maybe even a steak?”
    “Okay,” Aric said almost immediately. “Once we get back to the apartment, though, clothes are banned.”
    “I’m not sure I can cook without at least a robe to protect me from splatter,” I said. “Other than that, I agree to your terms.” I stuck out my hand for him to shake.
    Aric grabbed it, pulling me forward so he could cover my mouth with his. “You drive a hard bargain.”
    “Oh, please,” I scoffed. “I had you at steak.”
    “And naked,” Aric said. “If we had an endless supply of steak and no clothes, I would be a happy man.”
    “You’re sick.”
    I pulled up short when I entered the kitchen. Heather and Kate, still in their pajamas, were sitting at the small table eating bowls of cereal. They weren’t alone. Mark, his shoulder-length hair mussed from a night of … something … was enjoying breakfast with them.
    “Mark.”
    Mark glanced up, surprised. “Zoe. Oh, um, hey Aric.”
    Aric’s arm was around my waist, his chest pressed into my back, as he regarded Mark. “What are you doing here?”
    “I’m having breakfast,” Mark replied, trying to keep his face neutral. “I … um … I met Heather at the political rally yesterday, and we kind of hit it off.”
    Karen’s face was red. “I didn’t realize you knew each other.”
    Well, this would be fun. “We lived in the dorms together,” I said carefully, leading Aric over to the kitchen cabinets. “We used to hang out.”
    “Used to?”
    “We just haven’t seen each other as much,” I said. “You know how those things go.” I pushed a bowl into Aric’s hands. “You want Fruity Pebbles?”
    Aric scowled. “Is that my only choice?”
    I shot him a saucy smile and pulled a box of granola out of the cupboard. It just happened to be his favorite brand. “I got a box of your healthy crap, too.”
    Aric smiled. “And I thought you didn’t love me.” He gave me a quick kiss and then moved over to the refrigerator. “So, how are things, Mark?” Aric’s tone was light, but I knew he