“How’d you sleep?” I ask.
“Better than ever.” She tilts her head to look at me, her lips stretching into a slow grin. “You tired me out.”
“You better get used to it, princess.”
My cock swells as I pull her closer. I already want her again. I’m craving her body—craving the sound of her moans, her tight heat around me. But first, my girl needs feeding.
We decide to eat outside, and it takes three trips to bring out all the food I’ve made. Everly tucks into her waffles while I take a bite of pancakes, watching the rush of Sugar Creek, which is still running fast and high from the snowmelt. The trees are bathed in morning light, leaves glowing bright green, rustling in the breeze. It’s so peaceful. Not like yesterday, when the forest was echoing with our frantic moans—the smack of skin on skin.
“I love it here,” Everly says from beside me, resting her head on my good shoulder. “It’s so beautiful.”
“Then stay, princess.”
She beams at me, eyes sparkling. “I’d love to stay. A few more days out here would be magical.”
“That’s not what I meant.” I reach out to grab her hand, keeping my gaze fixed on hers. “I don’t want you going anywhere, Everly. I want you to stay forever. It’s not home without you.”
Her lips fall open, and she goes very still. I can tell what she must be thinking—that this is crazy, too fast, too risky. But I know this woman is it for me. I’ve lived forty-four years without her, and I don’t want to waste another second.
She doesn’t answer right away, and I’m suddenly convinced I’ve pushed her too far. Scared her with my intensity. But I refuse to pretend. Refuse to hide my feelings.
“I know it’s a lot,” I tell her. “I know I’m moving too fast…but I need you, princess. I need you with me every day. Fuck, I can’t live without you.” The weight of my words hangs between us, and I know I might be overwhelming her right now, pushing her away even more. But I need her to know how I feel.
“I’m in love with you, Everly.” The words spill out of me, straight from the heart, and I know I mean them more than I’ve ever meant anything. “Hell, I fell in love with you the minute I saw you. Never used to believe in all that love at first sight stuff, but I know better now.”
“Gunnar…”
My name is barely a whisper on her lips. There’s a sheen of tears in her eyes, and my gut lurches, convinced I’ve upset her. But then she smiles at me, her whole face lighting up, brighter than the sun burning overhead.
“I love you too,” she says, taking my hands in hers. “I knew you were the one as soon as I saw you. I felt it right away, and now I’m even more sure.”
My heart thumps as I stare at her, head racing to catch up.
I love you too.
That’s what she said. I’m sure of it. But I still can’t believe this is really happening.
“Say you’ll stay.” I squeeze her hands tight, my whole body taut as I wait for her answer. “Say you’ll live here with me, princess.”
This time, there’s no hesitation.
“I’ll stay, Gunnar,” she says. “I’m not going anywhere.”
My body slumps with relief, happiness flooding my veins as I take Everly’s face in my hands and kiss her plump lips. She makes a soft sound against me, her fingers curling into my back as our mouths move together in a long, languorous kiss. I savor every second.
I’ll never get tired of kissing this angel.
When we finally pull apart, I watch Everly’s big blue eyes flutter open, warm and twinkling with happiness, and I swear I’d burn down the whole damn forest just to keep her looking at me like that.
“You’re really staying,” I murmur, still trying to make myself believe it.
“I’m really staying.” She reaches up to touch my jaw, her fingers trailing down my beard. “You’re stuck with me now.”
I make a noise deep in my throat. Stuck. Like that’s a bad thing. Like I’m not the luckiest son-of-a-bitch alive.
I pull her back against me, tucking her under my arm, and she nestles against my good shoulder as if she was made to fit there. Hell, maybe she was. I’m starting to think the mountain had something to do with it—bringing her back home, putting her on that trail, sending her stumbling out of those trees and straight into my life. I think back to how I waited for her at Lover’s Lake—how she appeared on the shore, just like the old superstition said.
I always wondered why the mountain gave me a second chance after that day in the storm. Now I know. It was so I could find Everly. Call it fate. Luck. Hell, it doesn’t matter what it was. All that matters is that she’s mine now.
