"I'll be back around six," he says, crossing to me with purposeful strides. His hands frame my face like I'm something precious and fragile, thumbs tracing my cheekbones with reverent touch. "Think you can stay out of trouble until then?"
"I make no promises," I tell him, earning a low chuckle that vibrates through his chest.
His kiss is soft but claiming, a gentle reminder of who I belong to. When he pulls back, those blue eyes are warm with something that looks dangerously like forever.
"Good girl," he murmurs against my lips, and the praise makes my knees weak. "I'll bring dinner home. Something special."
Home.The word settles in my chest like a warm coal.
Colt's goodbye is hungrier, all teeth and tongue and hands that grip my hips like he's afraid I might disappear. He backs me against the kitchen counter, his body caging me in while he kisses me like he's drowning and I'm air.
"Behave yourself, Shortie," he growls against my mouth, green eyes blazing with possession and promise. "Save some energy for tonight."
"Yes, sir," I breathe, making him groan low in his throat before he forces himself to step back.
"Damn woman." He runs a hand through his messy hair, looking thoroughly wrecked. "You're gonna be the death of me."
"What a way to go," I tease, earning a bark of laughter that transforms his entire face.
Beau's farewell is different, softer but no less intense. He takes his time crossing the kitchen to me, those storm-gray eyes never leaving mine. When he reaches me, his forehead comes to rest against mine, and we just breathe together for a moment.
"Call if you need anything," he says quietly, his hands settling on my waist with gentle possession. "Anything at all, Sunshine."
"I will," I promise, meaning it completely.
His kiss is sweet and thorough, a slow claiming that makes my toes curl against the cool wood floor. When he pullsback, there's something vulnerable in his expression, like he's seeing something in me that scares and amazes him in equal measure.
"You'll be here when I get back?" The question is quiet, almost uncertain, and it breaks my heart a little.
"Where else would I go?" I ask, reaching up to cup his face.
Something eases in his expression, and his smile could power the entire state of Montana.
And then they're gone, leaving me alone in the house with nothing but the lingering scent of their cologne and the ghost of their touches on my skin.
The silence feels different now. Expectant, like the house itself is holding its breath.
Sunlight streams through the windows, dust motes dancing in the golden beams, witness of the most perfect morning of my life.
That's when the weight of what I'm hiding crashes over me like a cold wave.
They're building something real with a ghost. Planning a future with a woman who doesn't exist. They don't even know my real name.
But that's about to change.
I settle at Gabriel's kitchen table with my phone, the same spot where we shared breakfast and promises and perfect,fragile hope. The familiar ritual of checking Craigslist should feel routine by now, but today it feels different.
Today it feels like I'm checking it for the last time.
My fingers hover over the phone for a moment, muscle memory guiding me through the familiar routine. Craigslist, miscellaneous section, searching for the post that's kept me alive for two years.
Usually, I find the same innocent listing buried among ads for used furniture and lost pets.
Today, the post has been updated.
"Found vintage camera equipment in grandmother's attic. Some pieces missing, others damaged. Urgent estate settlement needed. Serious inquiries only contact M. Carter."
The words blur as I read them again. Then a third time.
