Page 83 of My Secret to Protect

‘We haven’t said the words, but yeah, I think she does.’

‘Tell her, Arlo. Say it to her. It’ll give her the strength she needs.’

‘You don’t seem surprised that this thing has become real.’ I smile softly, and she perks up, grinning.

‘Because I’m not a damn fool, as you should know. There’s something special between you two. There always was.’ She opens up her arms to me, and I lean in to give her a hug. ‘There’s nobody I would rather have loving my precious girl than you, Arlo Harper.’

Don’t Make It Smaller

Bree

‘Hey,canIborrowyou for a minute?’

Arlo stands over me as I sit on a blanket on the lawn with my coven and the babies.

‘Jesus Christ, Arlo. What did your parents feed you? I’m getting a crick in my neck,’ Missy says as she leans back to look up at him, and he laughs, then squats down.

‘A diet of raw meat and supplements, plus they made me stand in horse shit for twelve hours a day.’ He smirks, and I can’t help but do the same. ‘I shot right up.’

‘I like you,’ Missy says seriously, nodding once, and Arlo laughs, then stands and holds out a hand for mine.

‘I like you too, Missy.’

Arlo leads me into the house, ignoring the jeers of my girls, who are convinced he’s taking me upstairs for a little afternoon delight…is he?

‘Where are we going?’ I realize we are actually heading upstairs.

‘Thought you might need a minute.’ Oh, he’s saving me.

Releasing an exhale, I let him lead me up to the bedroom. The moment he closes the door, he pulls me back to him and picks me up, wrapping my legs around him as he crosses to the bed and sits with me in his lap.

‘How you doin’, pix?’

He pushes my hair back from my face and behind my ears as he waits for me to answer.

‘I don’t know.’ I curl into him as he wraps his arms around me. ‘I love my family. I love having them all here, but I let my guard drop, you know.’

He inhales against the top of my head, then presses a kiss there and lifts me, placing me on the bed like I’m a doll he can move around before he stands and crosses to the chest of drawers and pulls out a small box. My heart starts to race, and he grins.

‘Not yet.’ He hands me the box after assuring me there isn’t a ring inside it and sits beside me. ‘I meant to give these to you yesterday but with everything…' he trails off for a moment then shakes his head and meets my eye once more. 'Happy birthday, Bree.’

Opening the box, I gasp as I take in the sparkling stones set in bright shining silver metal. The small hoop earrings are beautiful, and I lift my gaze to his.

‘Arlo…’

‘I know you don’t like anything too flashy, so I chose these, thought they were pretty but practical, like you.’ He grins, and I laugh, shaking my head.

‘When did you get these?’ We have hardly been apart since he moved here, and I’m pretty sure he hasn’t left Forest Falls because he doesn’t want to be too far away in case I need him.

‘Before I came here.’ My lips part with surprise. He hated me then. ‘I knew it was going to be your birthday. I didn’t know if I’d still be here by today, but I saw them and thought they were nice.’

‘They’re more than nice, Arlo.’

Leaning in, I kiss him once, then again for good measure.

‘We should get back to the party,’ he says, standing, and I close the box in my hands but keep hold of it. ‘Come on.’

Taking Arlo’s hand, I let him lead me back to the party, to my family, to the blanket where my girls are still sitting, and I smile softly as I show them the earrings, listening to their excitement and Missy’s encouragement to put them on. Turning, I find Arlo laughing with Merv and Doug by the grill, and I feel it, my forever. That man there is my forever, and nobody is going to stop me from keeping him.

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