Page 108 of Love on the Run

“Positive. No presents, and the guys are taking care of dinner.”

Firelight led the way through the trees to Travis and Bella’s cabin. Trees sheltered the clearing as Olivia’s lights shone on the cars and trucks parked on the sides of the path.

Anna spotted Beau instantly. He stood with Gage in front of a grill just past the fire pit. By the time Olivia pulled into a parking spot, Beau was already making his way toward them.

Anna stepped out of the car and pulled her jacket tighter around her. The snow had melted to almost nothing in the open areas, but a few mounds of dirty white lingered beneath the dense trees.

Beau was only a few feet away, but she didn’t wait for him to reach her. Breaking into a sprint, she rushed into his arms, burying her face in the collar of his coat.

She could barely breathe, but everything was perfect. The lingering worry that whatever they’d started in Freedom would fade when they returned to Blackwater melted away. Beau was the same no matter where they were. He was beside her. His strong arms wrapped around her, protecting herwhen she didn’t feel strong enough to protect herself.

She was falling again—falling for Beau Lawrence—and, once again, he was there to catch her.

Chapter 35

Beau

Drops of water dripped from Beau’s hair onto his face as he brushed his teeth. Was he going to regret leaving Tim in charge for a few hours on a Saturday? Probably. Could he skip Jacob’s birthday party? Not without getting an earful from Olivia.

Jacob was young, but the kid practically worked at the garage. Maybe in a few years Beau could add him to the payroll. Jacob knew more about cars than Tim.

“Beau! We need to leave. Chop, chop!” Olivia shouted.

Spitting his toothpaste into the sink, Beau grabbed a towel and rubbed it over his dripping hair. “Get out of my room!”

“You two sound like siblings,” Dawson said.

Dawson and Olivia stood in the bathroomdoorway looking way too excited to be going to a pre-teen birthday party.

“Ever heard of boundaries? Personal space?” Beau asked.

“What’s that?” Olivia asked, scrunching her nose the way she used to do whenever she caught their parents kissing when she was a kid.

Beau ran a brush through his hair and reached for the shirt draped over the towel bar. “I said I’ll be there. You don’t have to watch me until I walk out the door.”

Olivia crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe. “I just wanted to tell you that Anna is waiting on you. She’s in the kitchen.”

“Lead with that next time,” Beau said as he pushed past Dawson and Olivia.

“Do you two want to ride with us?” Dawson asked.

Beau slid the shirt over his head and grabbed his wallet and keys from the dresser. “Nope. I need a getaway vehicle.”

“Don’t you dare have fun!” Olivia shouted behind him.

“I did that once. It was awful,” Beau said as he headed toward the kitchen.

Anna stood at the sink washing dishes. The sleeves of her white sweater were pushed up past her elbows, and her blonde hair was pulled back in a high ponytail with stray pieces framing her face.

“What are you doing?” Beau asked as he stepped up behind her. His arms wrapped around her waist, and he breathed in her warm vanilla scent.

“Washing dishes. I thought I’d make myself useful while I waited.”

“That is one hundred percent Tim’s job today.” Beau pressed a kiss to Anna’s temple at her hair line. “You never have to lift a finger when you’re here.”

“That’s sweet, but I would feel horribly useless if I didn’t.” She turned to look over her shoulder at him and pressed her lips to his cheek.

The woman was intoxicating. Every nerve ending in his body roared to life like a diesel engine whenever she was around.

---