them, together, exploring a seamless connection. They fit together perfectly. Physically. Intellectually. Spiritually. He felt whole with her. Healed.
Hence his disgruntlement to find her spot in the bed sadly lacking.
He tossed off the covers and padded into the kitchen. His nostrils twitched at the scent of freshly brewed coffee. Biby—hunched over a paper towel on the countertop, wolfing down the bacon Lyssa had made—paused to shoot him an offended glare. How dare you catch me in the act of eating your bacon , it said.
Wade snorted a laugh and poured himself a mug of coffee. Biby could snarf down all the bacon she wanted. They could always make more. There was plenty. He wandered into the living room like a waif, almost pouting when there was no sign of Lyssa there either.
Though he was barefoot and dressed in sweats and a T-shirt, he went out onto the porch to see if she was out there. Cupping his coffee, he scanned the clearing. A shaft of sunlight slanted through the denuded branches in the canopy, hitting the banks of snow with a glittering rainbow of color. Dancing diamonds. He stopped and stared, a smile curling his lips. It was beautiful. Everything was beautiful and….
She was beautiful.
His pulse kicked up as he spotted her in the distance, on the edge of the ravine, clutching a red shoebox. Her murmurs wafted toward him on the breeze. He had no idea what she was saying, but he knew what she was doing.
His heart swelled.
For her. For him.
She set down the box and gently untied the strings. Then she lifted it high and flung its contents over the edge, a dark snowfall—a release of grief.
Jax fluttered on the breeze, drifting in a gentle cloud, free.
Wade imagined he could hear his laugh. From what Lyssa had shared about him, Jax would have enjoyed leaping from the precipice.
When all the ashes had drifted down, she collected the shoebox and the string and trudged back toward the cabin, stopping in her tracks when she saw Wade. Their gazes met, clung. He smiled and opened his arms. “Everything okay?” he asked.
She cuddled into his embrace. “Yes. Everything is wonderful.” She went up on her tiptoes to kiss the underside of his chin. “How about you?”
He frowned as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and tugged her into the house. “Your cat ate all the bacon.”
Her laugh was a melody. “There’s more. I was sneaky and left a plate for you in the fridge.”
“I knew there was a reason I love you.”
She flushed and met his gaze.
She didn’t say it. It was far too soon, but he could see it in her eyes. I love you, too .
They had one more day together in this paradise, but that would not be the end. Not by a long shot. He’d found his perfect woman, and he was not letting her go.
When they left tomorrow, they would be leaving together.
“Your month is over soon,” she said as they made their way into the kitchen.
Wade tipped his head to the side. “What?”
“Your month of glory, Mr. December.”
He chuckled as he opened the fridge, pulled out his plate of bacon and set it on the table. “Great. I couldn’t be happier.”
“Didn’t you enjoy it?”
“I did, except for….”
She winked. “All the stalkers?”
“I did kinda like one of the stalkers.”
She smacked him on the shoulder. “You’re gonna pay for that, Masters.”
He didn’t bother holding back his grin. “Excellent.” He pulled her into his arms.
“So, do you think you’d do it again? If Leo asked you?”
“I couldn’t.”
“You couldn’t?” She tipped her head to the side.
“Wouldn’t be fair.”
“Wouldn’t be fair?”
He nodded sagely. “To all those women.”
She leaned back and studied him. “Why wouldn’t it be fair to all those women?”
“Because they would all want me….” Why she laughed, he had no clue. “And I’m not available.”
She stilled. “You’re not?”
“My heart is taken.”
When she caught his meaning, her expression warmed. Glowed.
Hence his disgruntlement to find her spot in the bed sadly lacking.
He tossed off the covers and padded into the kitchen. His nostrils twitched at the scent of freshly brewed coffee. Biby—hunched over a paper towel on the countertop, wolfing down the bacon Lyssa had made—paused to shoot him an offended glare. How dare you catch me in the act of eating your bacon , it said.
Wade snorted a laugh and poured himself a mug of coffee. Biby could snarf down all the bacon she wanted. They could always make more. There was plenty. He wandered into the living room like a waif, almost pouting when there was no sign of Lyssa there either.
Though he was barefoot and dressed in sweats and a T-shirt, he went out onto the porch to see if she was out there. Cupping his coffee, he scanned the clearing. A shaft of sunlight slanted through the denuded branches in the canopy, hitting the banks of snow with a glittering rainbow of color. Dancing diamonds. He stopped and stared, a smile curling his lips. It was beautiful. Everything was beautiful and….
She was beautiful.
His pulse kicked up as he spotted her in the distance, on the edge of the ravine, clutching a red shoebox. Her murmurs wafted toward him on the breeze. He had no idea what she was saying, but he knew what she was doing.
His heart swelled.
For her. For him.
She set down the box and gently untied the strings. Then she lifted it high and flung its contents over the edge, a dark snowfall—a release of grief.
Jax fluttered on the breeze, drifting in a gentle cloud, free.
Wade imagined he could hear his laugh. From what Lyssa had shared about him, Jax would have enjoyed leaping from the precipice.
When all the ashes had drifted down, she collected the shoebox and the string and trudged back toward the cabin, stopping in her tracks when she saw Wade. Their gazes met, clung. He smiled and opened his arms. “Everything okay?” he asked.
She cuddled into his embrace. “Yes. Everything is wonderful.” She went up on her tiptoes to kiss the underside of his chin. “How about you?”
He frowned as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and tugged her into the house. “Your cat ate all the bacon.”
Her laugh was a melody. “There’s more. I was sneaky and left a plate for you in the fridge.”
“I knew there was a reason I love you.”
She flushed and met his gaze.
She didn’t say it. It was far too soon, but he could see it in her eyes. I love you, too .
They had one more day together in this paradise, but that would not be the end. Not by a long shot. He’d found his perfect woman, and he was not letting her go.
When they left tomorrow, they would be leaving together.
“Your month is over soon,” she said as they made their way into the kitchen.
Wade tipped his head to the side. “What?”
“Your month of glory, Mr. December.”
He chuckled as he opened the fridge, pulled out his plate of bacon and set it on the table. “Great. I couldn’t be happier.”
“Didn’t you enjoy it?”
“I did, except for….”
She winked. “All the stalkers?”
“I did kinda like one of the stalkers.”
She smacked him on the shoulder. “You’re gonna pay for that, Masters.”
He didn’t bother holding back his grin. “Excellent.” He pulled her into his arms.
“So, do you think you’d do it again? If Leo asked you?”
“I couldn’t.”
“You couldn’t?” She tipped her head to the side.
“Wouldn’t be fair.”
“Wouldn’t be fair?”
He nodded sagely. “To all those women.”
She leaned back and studied him. “Why wouldn’t it be fair to all those women?”
“Because they would all want me….” Why she laughed, he had no clue. “And I’m not available.”
She stilled. “You’re not?”
“My heart is taken.”
When she caught his meaning, her expression warmed. Glowed.
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