Page 72 of My Secret to Protect

‘Really? Were you okay?’

‘Yeah, I needed it, and I learned to cook, then I learned to love to cook, then I started studying cooking, and it gave me a focus and a dream to walk out of those doors with.’

‘A dream? You wanted to cook on the outside?’

‘Yeah, pix, but when it came down to it, I shit my pants and fell back on what I’d always known, so I just cook for fun now.’

‘Baby.’ I turn over onto my knees between his legs, my hand reaching out for his cheek, my fingers instinctually stroking against the hair there. ‘It’s not too late. You’re an amazing cook.’

‘I have a great business, Bree, and a lot of guys in my shoes wouldn’t have the opportunities I had, in and out of prison. I’m lucky. I have a great life.’

Leaning in, I press my mouth to his in what I intended as a sweet, comforting kiss, but Arlo’s hands move to my hips, guiding me to straddle his lap and the low rumble in his chest tells me there’s nothing sweet and comforting about what’s about to go down—and I couldn’t be happier.

Unknown: You little bitch!

Unknown: I tried to be nice. I tried to take my time and let you get used to the idea of us, but you’ve pushed me too far, princess.

Unknown: How could you do this to me, Bree?

Staringatthecellphone in my hand, I’m frozen. We’re sitting at the table in the kitchen after two days of bliss, and Nolan is blowing up my phone.

‘That’s what we want, sugar,’ Arlo assures, and I nod.

When we have left the house over the past couple of days, we’ve been like a couple of teenagers who can’t keep their hands, or mouths, off each other. I should be embarrassed but I have loved every second of it. When we’ve been at home, the clothes have come off pretty quickly, and well, if I thought I knew what good sex was before, I had no fucking idea. It’s been wonderful, but I was so wrapped up in bliss that I pushed Nolan out of my mind completely, so his messages brought me crashing down to Earth.

‘I know. I hate not knowing what he’s going to do or when.’

‘Well, we carry on, and we’ll be ready.’ He pushes up from the table and grabs his keys. ‘Come on, we have a lunch date to get to.’

Walkingthroughtownhandin hand with Arlo, I steady my nerves. It’s the middle of the day. I know he’ll do everything to protect me, but for once, it’s not Nolan I’m nervous about. I’m about to introduce Arlo to my mom, and that is terrifying.

As we reach the house I grew up in, I groan as I open the gate to the yard, and Arlo laughs behind me.

‘What are you nervous about?’

‘I never took a boy home before.’

Beans runs ahead into the yard, unfazed by the new environment, and Arlo turns me around to face him, lifting my chin with his hand.

‘I’m not a boy, pix.’

‘I know. It’s just a first for me.’

He winks, leans in to kiss me once, then drops his hand to mine, and I lead him up to the house.

‘Mama, we’re here,’ I call out, and she steps out of the kitchen, an apron tied around her waist and a huge smile on her face.

Somehow, she hasn’t met Arlo at all and hasn’t even seen him around town. She works for Nick at the vet clinic, so she’s there a lot, and then she likes to spend a lot of time with her growing brood of grandbabies, so she just hasn’t run into him. That much is clear as she takes him in, her eyes rising comically as she considers his height.

‘Goodness, Arlo,’ she holds out her arms to him—Lynnie is a hugger— ‘you’re huge.’

I laugh awkwardly. ‘Mom!’ I cringe, but Arlo laughs and accepts her hug.

‘Yeah, you let me know if you need anything off the top shelf,’ he banters effortlessly, and I notice Mama look from me to him and then me again. I know, I just know she’s wondering how it all works, me and him, how I survive it, but I also know she won’t ask the question she does not really want an answer to. ‘You need any help in there, Lynnie?’

‘Arlo is an amazing cook, Mama.’ I smile, and she swats her hand at us both.

‘All under control right now. I made lemonade. Let’s sit outside a while.’

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