Page 97 of Heart & Hope

Her skin, soft and silky under my rough hands.

Breathing easy again, I step into her and take her face in my hold. I could eat this woman up—the way she looks at me, the way she smells, sounds. The way she melts in my hold. Folds herself into me. Like we were fucking made for each other.

“Longest week of my life, baby.”

“Mine too, Reed.”

Something like sadness flashes across her face. I tilt my head, and she catches the gesture.

“Not now. We can talk about it later.” She makes quick work of my buckle and jeans. And before I can count a handful of breaths, she has me naked as the day I was born, pushing me toward the bath. But when I reach the edge of the old-school bath, I turn on her.

“I’m not gettin’ in this thing without you, Rubes.”

She laughs and tugs her shirt over her head, letting it fall to her feet.

“Fine, but I’m washing you first.” She screws up her face.

“Can’t wait, beautiful.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

RUBY

Iwasn’t expecting to not be able to breathe when Reed pushed through that tent flap. But that is exactly what happened.

I am so screwed.

Or maybe I’m the luckiest woman on the planet. Time will tell, I guess.

I run the sponge over his shoulders as he studies my face, like it’s been so long he needs to rememorize every part of it.

“Why are you here, baby?”

“I want to be here.”

He tilts his head and raises his eyebrows, and for the first time since we met, confusion and concern twist his gorgeous face. “That so?”

“Yes.”

I switch hands and wash his other shoulder. All I want to do is settle over his lap and wreck that handsome face of his with each smooth stroke I make with my body wrapped around his. But this is a communal bath.

So I tamper the heat swelling in my belly and clear my throat.

“Olive wants me to sort out the mess with Mary-Sue at the inn. Also, she insists that we finish out the events. And?—”

“She knows?” Reed’s face scrunches further.

“No, not from what I can gather, but she is uptight about me being out here and I...”

“You need to go back.”

“I will be here for your Thanksgiving opening, that I do know. But I’m not sure what will happen after the event for the inn.”

He doesn’t speak, simply taking my face in his hands and touching my forehead with his. “Whatever you need, Ruby Robbins, ask.”

I swallow, tears prickling the bridge of my nose. For someone who gets shit done and doesn’t do personal, I have been more emotional in these last six months than in my entire life. Can humans have emotional deficits? If so, I’m absolutely sure mine has finally caught up to me. Between Reed and his ma, Addy, and this town, I swear I’m a mixed bag of hot and cold. Sad and happy. Determined and at the same time desperate to spend my days slow with Reed. And I haven’t cried this much since... well, ever.

Yup. Totally fucking screwed.

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