Page 60 of Where You Go (Whisper Lake 5)

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Liv’s handshook as she lifted the key card to the scanner. Rasha had left sometime during the signing and had given Grady her hotel key, which meant he had the best friend stamp of approval, something Jordan had never obtained in the ten years they’d been together.

She still couldn’t believe that he’d shown up and surprised her. He’d stood by and watched her at her signing for two hours, every time she glanced over, he just smiled. It was a smile that had made other parts of her body shake. She’d watched all the women at the signing notice him and a few had even flirted with him. He’d been polite but hadn’t flirted back.

The past couple of hours had been torture, being so close to Grady but not close enough. It had been like prolonged foreplay. But now, now they were going to be alone. Finally.

The door clicked open and they stepped inside the room. Rasha might have given Grady her key, but she’d obviously been back to the room before heading home. The ladies had left it a little bit of a disaster but all the clothes and to-go boxes had been cleaned. Rasha’s overnight bag was gone and there was a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates on the bed.

Grady walked beside Liv and she realized just how much smaller the suite felt with him in it. He had such an imposing presence, and her body wanted to be imposed upon.

He set the book she’d signed down on the table and walked to look out on the impressive view of the river. Liv glanced down at the book and wondered if he’d read her inscription. She wasn’t sure what had possessed her to write what she had, other than it was the truth. She wanted to ask him, but she was too nervous.

This felt so different than the last time they’d been together at the B&B. That night they’d spent had been magical, but there’d been no stakes. They’d barely known each other. Tonight was different. They’d spoken every day for the past two months. For better or worse, defined or not, they had a relationship. One that she’d be devastated if it went away.

Over the past eight weeks, Grady had become her person. The person she told everything to. The person she thought about from the moment she opened her eyes in the morning until she closed them at night. The person she saw a future with. The person she loved.

He’d shown up tonight, which was amazing. But she didn’t want to read too much into his surprise. If she did, she feared she’d scare him off.

Play it cool,she told herself.

He turned around and started to walk toward her and her heart felt like a woodpecker pecking at her chest. All she felt and heard was the tap, tap, tapping of her heartbeat.

“Thank you again, for coming.”

“You’re welcome.”

“So did you and Rasha talk before she gave you her key?”

“We did.”

“What did you talk about?”

“She was doing a background check.”

Liv smiled, that definitely sounded like her best friend. “And I’m guessing you passed.”

“I passed.”

He stopped just a foot in front of her and Liv was finding it difficult to breathe. He lifted his hand and cupped her face then he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. She sucked in a shaky breath as her heavy lids drifted shut.

“I have a confession to make,” he whispered against the cuff on her ear.

“You do?” she responded breathlessly.

“I haven’t been in a fake relationship with you.”

Her heart skipped several beats, but she didn’t want to get ahead of herself. What if this was his way of telling her he’d been seeing other people? She needed more information from him. “You haven’t?”

“No. It was never fake for me. It was always real. What I felt…what I feel for you is real.”

“It is?” She opened her eyes and moved her head so that she was looking at him. Tears sprung to her eyes at the look of pure sincerity staring back at her. This was what she’d been waiting to hear, for months. It hadn’t been fake to her either.

“It always has been from the first time I saw you.”

“When you thought I was a criminal?”

“Yes.” His thumb grazed her jawline as he stared down at her lovingly.

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