Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 132834 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 664(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132834 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 664(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
“Avery and I have been talking about doing some farm-to-table pop-ups at the brewery. She was toying with the idea of adding food but doesn’t want to deal with the headache of it on top of running the brewery. And Quinn and I were tossing around the idea of doing a forest-to-table thing during ramp season this spring. She’s going to forage, and I’ll cook.”
“That would be amazing,” I said, my mouth watering at the thought of what Finn could do with ramps, the native wild leeks that were prized by chefs and foodies alike.
Finn shifted, dropping his hands to his sides. “I can’t promise you I want to spend the next seventy years living in Heartstone Manor. But I can promise that I’m happy here, and I have no plans to leave. And if we ever did, that would be a decision we’d make together. We’re a team. I’m not going anywhere without you or Nicky. Ever.”
“You’re sure?” I asked, needing to push, needing to make sure there was no chance he was placating me. “You could go anywhere.”
“I’ve already been everywhere,” he countered. “Here is where I want to stay. It’s a bonus that we get to work together, at least for now, and I can watch you run Heartstone like a drill sergeant. I love it when you’re bossy.”
“Then . . .” I started, moving toward him.
Finn straightened, lifting his chin, and I stopped.
“What?” I asked. He wasn’t smiling. I didn’t know what that meant. I’d been so busy thinking about my own reservations that I hadn’t thought Finn might have one or two.
“I need to know,” he asked quietly, “why didn’t you tell me about Lydia? About what she really wanted?”
My shoulders slumped, and I stared into the cold cocoa.
“This isn’t going to work if you don’t trust me,” he pushed.
“I do. I do trust you, Finn.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?” The undertone of hurt in his voice sliced through me. I should have told him. I wished I had.
“I do trust you,” I said again. “But I didn’t want to trust you. Trusting you, telling you everything meant I had to face what was happening between us, that I was head over heels in love with you when it was just supposed to be sex. It didn’t occur to me that you loved me. I thought I wouldn’t get hurt if I kept everything important to myself. Does that make sense? It wasn’t you. It was me.” I took a step closer, then paused, not sure how to tell him what was in my heart.
“Finn, there’s no one on this earth I trust as much as I trust you. As soon as I found out Nicky was missing, I came straight to you. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Lydia. I can’t fix that. But I can promise you it won’t happen again.”
He closed the distance between us, taking my hands in his. “So this thing’s a go? You’re going to marry me?”
“Yes,” I said, and a wave of relief hit me as the word left my mouth. “Yes. I can’t think of anything I want more than to spend the rest of my life with you.”
I pulled my hand from his and framed his face, my eyes locked on his. “You’re the most beautiful man I’ve ever known. Inside and out. I love you so much, and I can’t wait to marry—”
Finn’s mouth cut off the rest of my words with a fierce kiss. “Thank god,” he said when he pulled away. “Waiting was killing me.”
“It’s only been a day.” I laughed. “So impatient.”
Finn didn’t answer, just kissed me again and pulled me from the kitchen to the stairs.
“We’ll be quiet,” he said.
“We’ll be quiet,” I agreed, leaving the door cracked, just in case Nicky woke from a nightmare.
Finn tugged me to the side of the bed, stripping off my clothes slowly, lingering, tracing the curve of my shoulder with his mouth. I wiggled out of his hold and peeled off my bra, tossing it over my head, loving the way his pupils dilated as my breasts bounced.
“I was going to do this slow,” he muttered, shoving the dress pooled around my waist to the floor.
“We can do slow later.” I yanked his shirt up. His arms raised obediently, and I whipped the shirt over his head. We fell onto the mattress a second after Finn’s jeans hit the floor, giggling, rolling, trying to keep it quiet.
For the first time with Finn, nothing was holding me back. No fear, no trying to protect my heart. I’d given it to him, knowing it was in safe hands, as his was in mine.
Once we were tucked under the covers, skin to skin, Finn stopped, holding me still beneath him, his fingers stroking my cheek. “I love you, Savannah,” he breathed and proceeded to show me exactly how much.