Page 119 of Truthfinder’s Promise

“It’s yours?”

He hesitated. “It’s ours. If you want it to be. I was hoping you’d want it to be ours.”

Ours. The word burrowed under her skin and warmed her.

He continued. “This trip to Pennsylvania—it was my last one. The King Enclave is splitting. A lot of people have built their lives there and they don’t want to move. They’ll stay with Grams and she’ll find someone else to take over.

“Anyone who wants to relocate here will become part of the New King Enclave.” He swallowed. “Say something.”

“You aren’t leaving anymore?”

“No.”

“You’re relocating to Seclusion? Permanently?”

“Yes.”

“And you want to live in this house with me? You and Natalie?”

“If you’ll have us.”

She tried to speak but words wouldn’t form around the lump in her throat. Tears slid down her cheeks and the damn things wouldn’t stop. The more she tried to stop them, the worse they got.

“Shit,” he said, “please don’t cry. I misunderstood. Hel said you were ready to go on the plans, but you asked about me and backed out and I thought you wanted—I misunderstood.” His hands cupped her face, concern in his eyes. “You don’t have to want this, darlin’. It doesn’t have to change anything, I—”

“I want it.” There. She made words.

He tilted his head. “Now I’m the one who doesn’t understand. You’re crying like I broke your heart.”

“I’ll quit eventually.” But he had broken her heart—broken the shell she’d built up around it wide open, and it hurt in the best way possible.

“But you…want the house?”

“The house, you, and Natalie.”

“And that’s the truth?”

She smiled, thinking back to how all of this had started with truth and promises. “It’s the truth. I promise.”

He claimed her mouth with his, kissing her until the tears stopped and she was lost in the taste and feel of him. And when the last trace of them was gone, when her body hummed with awareness of his, he picked her up and carried her into their home.