Page 4 of Forever my Love

He looked like a mountain man, the kind that should have an axe thrown over his shoulder. Still, her heart did a little skip at just seeing him. She felt an inner tension spike.

She hated what her body did around him. Hated that she couldn’t seem to control it or her mind when he looked at her and smiled his sexy crooked smile.

“Ready?” he asked, standing up.

“Sure.” She tried not to think about how he towered over her.

Many men did. That didn’t make them Fred. That didn’t mean they’d hurt her.

The Boys and Girls Club in Pride was far enough away from the center of town that she’d driven the old truck she’d purchased shortly after getting her job at Baked.

When they stepped outside, she pulled on the hood of her jacket against the rain, and they sprinted toward their own vehicles.

Reece drove one of those big trucks that most guys in town did. She knew it helped him get everywhere when the weather turned to ice and snow. Even her old truck was better in the snow than Harper’s little car.

When she pulled into the parking lot of Baked, Reece parked right beside her.

Before she could gather her purse, he rushed over and opened her door while holding an umbrella out for her.

“Thanks,” she said.

Their bodies were so close that she held her breath for a split second. He smelled like spring showers, and she could feel the heat radiating from his body. When he took a step back, she relaxed and then followed him to the front door.

“Do you want a whole pie or just a slice?” Reece asked her.

“We can split a pie. You pick the toppings. I love them all.” She shook a few drops of rain from her coat.

Reece nodded quickly, and they made their way to the cash register at the back of the restaurant to order. Carter was working. Her boss smiled at them when they stepped up to order.

“Can’t stay away from this place, huh?” Carter joked.

She chuckled. “Best pizza in town.”

“We’re the only pizza in town,” he pointed out with a laugh. “How did Hailey do in the ring?” he asked Reece.

Reece glanced down at her and winked. “I’m too afraid to put her in the ring. For now, she’s bruising my ego by hitting the bags harder than I can.”

“She may be small, but I’m sure she’d whoop your ass.” Carter laughed.

After they ordered, she picked a booth to sit in and shot her sister a text message.

“Want me to bring home some pizza?” she asked.

“Sure, we’re almost done for the day,” Harper replied. “Another hour should do it.”

“See you then.” She tucked her phone back in her purse.

The sisters had agreed to be in constant communication with one another. Ever since Harper’s image had been shared nationally, they were on guard.

“Everything okay?” Reece asked, sitting down across from her with a full glass of soda he’d just filled at the machines.

“Yeah, it looks like they’re almost done for the night.” She took a sip of her sweet tea.

“You’re lucky Nick is helping. He redid his house a while back. You should see his shower.” He shook his head. “I’m trying to fix up my own place now. Tile work is an art.”

Reece had mentioned several times now that he’d purchased a place overlooking the town. The way he talked about it, there was a lot of work still needed on the home.

She thought about all the work that she and Harper had done the first few months they’d moved into the cabin, just to make it livable. The place had sat empty for a long time before they’d moved in.

Now it was home, the first one either of them had felt truly safe in. She would be damned if she was going to let anyone take that away from her.