Page 90 of Untruly With You

“Which would make the whole grocery spreadsheet pointless.”

I ruffle Sutton’s curls. “Wouldn’t that just drive you crazy?”

He thinks for a moment, a smile teasing at his mouth. “Doubtful.”

“What about when I book us flights for a vacation we weren’t planning on taking?”

Sutton shrugs, dimples hinting at his cheeks.

“Or when you see the hundreds of scrap-paper notes and little reminders I leave scattered around?”

“I’ll still love you.”

“What about when you realize I only finish one out of every ten books I start?”

“Even then.”

“And what about—”

Instead of waiting for my next scenario, Sutton catches my mouth in a kiss, rendering me speechless. Sutton’s lips crush against mine, curving with a smile. Somehow, he tastes like the ranch, like a cool creek and evergreens. I kiss him gingerly, mindful of his broken side as I fight every urge to wrap my arms around him and hold on with everything I have.

Sutton, however, seems to forget about his injuries. He squeezes me against him, stooping his tall frame down to kiss me deeper before hoisting me up with one arm. I’m only an inch off the ground before he drops me back down, wincing in pain.

Still not ready to completely give up my grasp, I graze myfinger lightly along his face, following the lines of healing cuts, the shadowed bruises, the growing beard.

How amazing it will be to memorize every detail of this face. How amazing it will be to watch it change over time.

Suddenly, Sutton’s expression drops. With his good hand, he palms the back of mine, holding my hand against his cheek. “Your flight is tomorrow.”

“Yes.”

He nods, like he’s trying to brace himself against something inevitable. “What happens then, Laine? Are we…” He trails off, his voice heavy with unspoken fear.

I lean in, close enough to feel his breath against my face. “I have to go back to New York, Sutton. But that doesn’t mean I’m leaving this behind. Us behind.”

His brow furrows, his gaze searching mine for answers I haven’t fully figured out yet.

“I need to go back. My life, my parents—they’re still there. But…” I take a steadying breath, my voice shaking with honesty. “But I’m not saying goodbye to this. I’m not saying goodbye to you.”

His shoulders ease just slightly, relief softening the edges of his face.

“We’ll figure it out,” I continue. “I don’t know how yet, but we will. Because you’re worth figuring it out for.”

Sutton exhales, his forehead resting lightly against mine as his grip on my hand tightens.

“I’ll wait, Laine. However long it takes, I’ll wait.”

I let out a breathless laugh. “I don’t think you’ll have to wait too long, Sutton.”

He grins, dimples cutting deep into his cheeks, and then he kisses me again—taking his time, like he’s memorizing the moment.

EPILOGUE

SUTTON

Standing by the lake,the water shimmering with the gold of the setting sun, memories of that fateful night flood my mind. Two years have passed since I stood here and told Laine that my feelings for her were genuine. And yet, the scene before me feels untouched by time—like the lake, the sky, and the smell of pine are holding their breath, waiting for something inevitable to unfold.

Life hasn’t unfolded exactly as I planned. I held out hope that the job with Imagineer Books would be doable from Montana. It wasn’t. And so, the final anchor to a life in New York slipped through my fingers. But instead of drowning, I reached for something steady—Laine.

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