Page 61 of Beautiful Exile

A smile tugged at Linc’s beautiful mouth, surrounded by scruff. “Already inside, making your family her new best friends.”

That tracked. In the handful of minutes I’d spent with Ellie, she seemed like pure sunshine. And I was sure she was already being brought into the fold. But as I looked at Linc, I saw something in those bewitching, green-gold eyes. I saw pain.

My steps faltered. “What’s wrong?”

Linc shook his head. “Nothing?—”

“Cowboy,” I said, pinning him with a stare. “Don’t insult my intelligence.”

Linc scrubbed a hand over his face. “She’s not happy.”

A lead weight settled in my stomach. “What do you mean?”

“She’s living for everyone’s happiness but hers. Her fiancé’s. Our dad’s. Mine. I’m worried she’s caging herself in a world that will bring her a lifetime of living for others.”

I could hear the anxiety and pain swirling in Linc’s words—the concern for his sister. That care made a home in my chest, digging in deep. “You’re worried she’s going to put herself in the same position your mom was in.”

It was a guess, but when Linc’s head lifted, his hazel gaze had gone stormy, and I knew I was right. The storm clouds swirled in Linc’s eyes in a mixture of agony and fear. “I don’t want her to live in a prison of her own making. She deserves so much better than that. She’s the most giving and kind person I’ve ever known. And I don’t want them to change her. Or worse, make her fade away.”

I moved into Linc’s space then, sliding my fingers through his and holding tight. “I’ve only been in your sister’s presence for about twenty minutes, but I can tell she’s a fighter. She’s not about to let anyone steal that light. But you need to give her the freedom to figure it out on her own. All you can do is be there when she needs you.”

Linc’s hold on my hand tightened as if I were his lifeline. “I know. I just…it’s so fucking hard. And it brings up ghosts.”

I moved again, tugging my hand free so I could wrap my arms around his waist. I wanted to give Linc a little of what he’d given me when I got that nasty note. I wanted to give him the feeling of safety. Of not being alone. I might not be the best at finding the right words, but I could give him this.

Linc’s arms wound around me as he pulled me tighter against his chest. I breathed deeply as he held on. “Cherries,” he muttered.

“Cherries?”

“You smell like cherries and a touch of jasmine. Best damn scent I’ve ever smelled. You could bottle it and make millions.”

I tipped my head back so I could look up at Linc. “The billionairewouldbe looking at business opportunities, even now.”

One side of his mouth kicked up in a crooked grin. “Never going to ignore an opportunity when it’s presented.” His hand lifted and brushed some hair out of my face. “Thank you.”

Linc’s hand stilled, his fingers tangled in my hair as his thumb grazed the side of my face. The rough pad of it sent shivers cascading through me. My gaze locked on his, and I felt my whole body lean in, craving more. As my lips parted, I swore I could taste him on my tongue.

Just one tiny move and his mouth would be on mine. The slightest lean in, and I would know if Linc tasted as good as I imagined. One moment, and?—

“Well, what do we have here? My girl finally gettin’ herself some?”

23

ARDEN

My face flamedwith heat as Lolli’s voice cut through the early evening air, but Linc made no move to let me go. I tugged myself out of his arms, instantly missing the warmth that was only his—a feeling more grounded and real than anything I’d ever felt before. And that scared the hell out of me.

“Now, don’t you two stop on my account,” Lolli said, a grin spreading across her face. “Can I recommend the barn for a little horizontal tango? The hayloft is surprisingly comfortable.”

“Lolli,” I hissed.

“What?” she asked innocently, throwing up her hands and making the bracelets around her wrists jangle. She wore a hilariously adorable outfit: a brightly colored floral skirt paired with bedazzled sandals with little mushrooms on them. They complemented her T-shirt perfectly. The top had an array of rainbow mushrooms and readM.M.I.L.F.in big, blocky letters, while smaller script spelled out the acronym.Magic Mushroom I Like to Forage.

“Youknowwhat,” I chastised. “Did Trace lose his mind at your shirt?”

Lolli’s lips twitched. “My stick-in-the-mud grandson was not a fan, but I just reminded him that psychedelic mushrooms are legal in Oregon now. He needs to open his mind.”

Linc chuckled. “You growing your own?”

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