Page 181 of Renard's Deliverance

What was wrong with her?

Sure, they’d said they loved each other, but that didn’t mean that he wanted to live with her.

“No.”

Wow. That was a very definite no. And it kind of hurt. She had to fight hard to keep that from showing on her face.

“Because this place ain’t good enough for you. But you’ll stay here with me until we find a place you deserve.”

“A place I deserve?” she asked, her mind reeling.

She couldn’t keep up.

“Gem, this is a place where you stay when you’re in between better places.”

“But you’ve lived here for years.”

His gaze turned intense. “Because before I met you, I was living in the in-between. I was here, but didn’t want to be. I was breathing, but I wasn’t really living. There was a better place I was longing for, but I couldn’t get there because I didn’t think I deserved it.”

“Your cabin?”

“My cabin. You know, I had it all planned out. A small place somewhere quiet and isolated. But not now.”

“Not now?” she asked.

He walked over to where she sat on the sofa and crouched down in front of her. Reaching up, he cupped the side of her face.

“Nope. I want to be wherever you are. My home is with you. Just not here, though, since it’s not good enough for my girl.”

Jesus.

His girl.

He sure knew the way to make her melt.

“We could live in my house,” she suggested.

“Not liking the idea of that either,” he told her.

“Because you think I’m going to freak out?” she asked. “Because of Barney?”

“Do you think you can wake up every morning and walk out your front door and see that house without it shaking you up? Without it making you feel something?”

Her stomach rolled at the idea.

Shit.

He’d stolen her house from her. The bastard.

“Where is Mrs. G?” she asked suddenly, worried about her. Surely, she wasn’t back home?

“Staying with the neighbors two doors down. That house isn’t our cabin, Gem. Our cabin, our forever, it’s somewhere else. Somewhere close to here with quiet for me, but enough people for you to get what you need. Somewhere we can both live in peace.”

Both of them. Together.

“Okay,” she whispered, putting her hand on his cheek.

“Where our nightmares might visit sometimes, but they’re not allowed to stay.”

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