“I booked the cabin.” Does he think I’m lying? Or that I booked the wrong dates?
“I believe you, darlin’.” He chuckles. “But will you show it to me?”
I pull out my cell and retrieve the email to show him. “Here.” I shove my phone in his view.
He wraps his fingers around my wrist, gently pulling me and my phone closer. It’s not meant to be sensual, but his touch on my skin resurrects memories from the night we shared, and a shiver races down my spine.
“Yeah.” He releases my hand with a wince and meets my gaze. “This is my fault.”
“How is this your fault?” I shove my phone back into my bag and take a step back, desperately needing space between us.
“The site you booked on? It’s no longer active. A friend of mine helped set it up.” He grins sheepishly as he saysfriend. “But we weren’t getting enough traction, so Maeve and Val found a better one.I forgot to double-check if there were any reservations before I took it down.”
Okay, so thisishis fault.
I want to be angry, but I feel nothing but defeat. I was foolish to think I could stay on this property without anyone noticing. A weight settles on my shoulders, and tears fill my eyes.
“Don’t worry about the money. I’ll refund your stay.”
Like I give one fuck about the money.
“That doesn’t fix my problem.” I almost let out a sob. “I have nowhere to stay for the next week!” My voice rises with my growing panic.
God, I’m so stupid!Somehow, I manage to keep my tears from falling by blinking them back.
“You can stay with me.”
“I amnotstaying with you.”
It’s a horrible idea. But my body must not get the message, because all my sensations heighten at the possibility.
“Why not?” His lips pull with the start of a smile. “Worried you won’t be able to keep your hands off me?”
“Please.” I scoff, though that’s a valid concern. “More like, worried I’ll be subjected to a plethora of your overnight guests. Everyone thinks I’m on vacation this week and I need it to stay that way. I can’t have anyone knowing that I’m hiding out in Wilder Valley.”
He stares with curiosity. “Want to tell me why that is?”
“No. I don’t.” I level him with a stare to shut down his line of questioning.
“Okay, then.” He chuckles, lifting his ball cap off his head and brushing a hand through his hair before flipping the cap backward. His eyes catch in the light, speckles of green popping from their hazel haze. “I’ll take a sabbatical.”
I shake my head, confusion knitting my brow. “What?”
“Come stay with me this week. I’ll keep your secret, and I won’t have any overnight guests. Promise.”
It’s a ridiculous idea. More ridiculous than me thinking I could rent a cabin on the Wilder Ranch and hide out all week. Yet, I entertain his plan because all other solutions require me to explain the situation to one of my friends or stay in another town completely. The closest town over is a good hour away. I can’t be that far from Edward. I just can’t.
“Fine.”
“Fine?” His brows raise in surprise.
“No one can know.” My demand is an echo of the one I made him promise last year, and my mind fills with flashes of memories from that night.
By the smug grin on his lips, he’s remembering the same.
Does he think of that night as often as I do?Probably not.
“I’ll follow you back to your place,” I manage to say without completely frowning.
